All 147 students at Howe High School in Howe, OK are participating in 10 weeks of school-wide Project Based Learning. Twenty-seven teams of 5-6 students meet each week for 2 hours to create solutions to the challenge “How can I make my school better.” Student teams are mentored by one high school teacher and a community member during the project. Student teams will present their project to a panel of stake-holders in early May, 2012 to vie for a $1,000 budget to implement their solution. Students will be assessed on literacy skills and standards from Common Core. The student teams will use multiple technology tools available on their MacBooks during the project to include Edmodo, Pages, iBook Author, iPads, and data gathering software.

This innovative model of learning breaks the traditional mold of 55 minute class periods, grade-level grouping, and single subject instruction. Students drive the learning process through inquiry and authentic assessment. Howe High School teachers received intensive training during the 2010-11 school year to implement PBL from the premiere experts on this model of learning, The Buck Institute for Education. Join students and staff at Howe High School for a spotlight on the power of experiential, hands-on, student-directed learning.

Web link / URL for more information: http://howep3.ning.com and http://lion-pride.posterous.com/pages/about-project

This post was submitted by Tammy G. Parks.