Student Reflections- Alternative Assignments & PBL
I asked for the students to reflect on what things they learned other than science content while doing the projects this year. I think these quotes are a great expression of why I teach using the Project Based Learning/Alternative Assessment format.
This assignment taught me so much! It taught me that life is not always fair, and that no one can ever always rely on everyone else to do their job for them. It taught me that if no one was doing their job (on the project), that it means that I need to become a leader and take it into my own responsibility to do it right, and if they are not going to come up with something to do tell them what to do. This assignment really helped me a lot with working with others. I am thankful that I was given the chance and the group I was given to learn how to face challenges like this in the future.
Anna C.
Something non-scientific that I learned this year was how to be a good member of a team. We did a lot of group projects, and I wasn't always in a group that I liked. I had to learn to cooperate with my classmates, and find a strength in them that could work with our situation. I learned to get along with others, and to listen to their opinion, because mine may not always be the best choice. I enjoyed working it groups, but working with others calls for responsibility. You have to be willing to work together, no matter if you like the person in your group or not. I realized how smart people can be if you just support them and make them feel like you believe in them. That helps tremendously when coming to working as a team. Group projects are good practice and experience for when I'm older. I'll know how to work with others, and that is vital when wanting to get hired for a job, or to just make me a better student for 8th grade. I appreciate all of my classmates who were friends with me throughout all of the projects we did. I thought that was the most important thing I learned that impacted me the most.
April S.
The lesson I learned this year in class is that no matter what kind of group I have if I use my leadership skills, the project will always turn out okay. I don't like group projects. I have always dreaded them. During my first group project in class, I was a mess. I didn't speak up or take control to try to make the project successful. Since I had this problem, the project wasn't one of my best science projects. However, when I took control of the other group projects, they turned out better than if I hadn't taken leadership in the projects. As a result, because I have learned the power of my leadership skills, whatever group project I do will always turn out okay.
Elizabeth S.
The non-scientific lesson that impacted me the most this year in science class would be how to work with others. Doing group projects has always been difficult for me because I like good grades, but sometimes, people in my group could care less. So, while I am putting as much of my efforts into the project, they sit back and let me do the work. This year, I learned that you don't have to do your classmates work, you just need to give them a little motivation. This saved me so much stress that would come from future projects. When I was working with another student, I got her pumped up and excited about the project, making her want to do her share so it would look really fun and interesting. I had a really good time making that project because I wasn't arguing with anyone. I am so glad I learned this lesson in science class.
Julia B.
I think one really important lesson that I learned in your class was how to work better in groups. We did many projects in groups, and I learned that when your teammates are not working, you have to encourage them to do better. Every single one of us in this class room will have to work as a team when we get a job, so you taught us how to work better as a team now.
Cole C.
This year, a non-scientific thing I learned was team work. I learned about team work in all of the different projects we did. I learned that without team work we could never finish projects or if we did they would be absolutely awful projects. I learned that if we work as a team that anything is possible. I also learned that everybody has everybody's back because we are all basically family. Team work made a huge impact on my life because usually I like to be the leader but I learned that I can step back and be part of the group and it made a huge difference.
Chris P.
The lesson I learned that was non-scientific was on how to make a good story board to help with projects or any other type of presentation. Learning to make a story board not only helped me know what I was going to do in the project, but it also taught me how I could gather many ideas between the group and maybe combine and make a better idea. Doing this story board for anything will help later on in life up into college that will help me do better on my presentations and projects. Without a story board there is no plan and no ideas that will help the group know what to do. A story board will help me decide what all will happen, how it will happen, who will say what, and how the project or presentation will end up.
George G.
This assignment taught me so much! It taught me that life is not always fair, and that no one can ever always rely on everyone else to do their job for them. It taught me that if no one was doing their job (on the project), that it means that I need to become a leader and take it into my own responsibility to do it right, and if they are not going to come up with something to do tell them what to do. This assignment really helped me a lot with working with others. I am thankful that I was given the chance and the group I was given to learn how to face challenges like this in the future.
Anna C.
Something non-scientific that I learned this year was how to be a good member of a team. We did a lot of group projects, and I wasn't always in a group that I liked. I had to learn to cooperate with my classmates, and find a strength in them that could work with our situation. I learned to get along with others, and to listen to their opinion, because mine may not always be the best choice. I enjoyed working it groups, but working with others calls for responsibility. You have to be willing to work together, no matter if you like the person in your group or not. I realized how smart people can be if you just support them and make them feel like you believe in them. That helps tremendously when coming to working as a team. Group projects are good practice and experience for when I'm older. I'll know how to work with others, and that is vital when wanting to get hired for a job, or to just make me a better student for 8th grade. I appreciate all of my classmates who were friends with me throughout all of the projects we did. I thought that was the most important thing I learned that impacted me the most.
April S.
The lesson I learned this year in class is that no matter what kind of group I have if I use my leadership skills, the project will always turn out okay. I don't like group projects. I have always dreaded them. During my first group project in class, I was a mess. I didn't speak up or take control to try to make the project successful. Since I had this problem, the project wasn't one of my best science projects. However, when I took control of the other group projects, they turned out better than if I hadn't taken leadership in the projects. As a result, because I have learned the power of my leadership skills, whatever group project I do will always turn out okay.
Elizabeth S.
The non-scientific lesson that impacted me the most this year in science class would be how to work with others. Doing group projects has always been difficult for me because I like good grades, but sometimes, people in my group could care less. So, while I am putting as much of my efforts into the project, they sit back and let me do the work. This year, I learned that you don't have to do your classmates work, you just need to give them a little motivation. This saved me so much stress that would come from future projects. When I was working with another student, I got her pumped up and excited about the project, making her want to do her share so it would look really fun and interesting. I had a really good time making that project because I wasn't arguing with anyone. I am so glad I learned this lesson in science class.
Julia B.
I think one really important lesson that I learned in your class was how to work better in groups. We did many projects in groups, and I learned that when your teammates are not working, you have to encourage them to do better. Every single one of us in this class room will have to work as a team when we get a job, so you taught us how to work better as a team now.
Cole C.
This year, a non-scientific thing I learned was team work. I learned about team work in all of the different projects we did. I learned that without team work we could never finish projects or if we did they would be absolutely awful projects. I learned that if we work as a team that anything is possible. I also learned that everybody has everybody's back because we are all basically family. Team work made a huge impact on my life because usually I like to be the leader but I learned that I can step back and be part of the group and it made a huge difference.
Chris P.
The lesson I learned that was non-scientific was on how to make a good story board to help with projects or any other type of presentation. Learning to make a story board not only helped me know what I was going to do in the project, but it also taught me how I could gather many ideas between the group and maybe combine and make a better idea. Doing this story board for anything will help later on in life up into college that will help me do better on my presentations and projects. Without a story board there is no plan and no ideas that will help the group know what to do. A story board will help me decide what all will happen, how it will happen, who will say what, and how the project or presentation will end up.
George G.