A How-to Guide for Building

Global Lesson Plans

Topic: The World’s Water

Using project-based inquiry to help students learn

A peek inside…

Introduction toproject-based inquiry (PBI)

How PBI improves student learning

Using PBI to build a global lesson plan to examine the world’s water

Years of educational research demonstrate that students learn best

by manipulating and exploring content directly

Years of educational research demonstrate that students learn best

by manipulating and exploring content directly

in order to create learning products based on their

investigations.

Project-based inquiry (PBI)is a student-centered, pedagogical approach

to teaching and learning based on such research.

Project-based inquiry (PBI)is a student-centered, pedagogical approach

to teaching and learning based on such research.

PBI approaches emphasize student-led and hands-on learning opportunities along with

creative and challenging product development to instill knowledge.

The steps of project-based inquiry lessons:

Ask a compelling question and activate prior knowledge.

The steps of project-based inquiry lessons:

Ask a compelling question and activate prior knowledge.

Investigate and analyze resources, information and knowledge.

The steps of project-based inquiry lessons:

Ask a compelling question and activate prior knowledge.

Investigate and analyze resources, information and knowledge.

Synthesize what was learned and create products of learning.

The steps of project-based inquiry lessons:

Ask a compelling question and activate prior knowledge.

Investigate and analyze resources, information and knowledge.

Synthesize what was learned and create products of learning.

Share learning products with others.

The steps of project-based inquiry lessons:

Ask a compelling question and activate prior knowledge.

Investigate and analyze resources, information and knowledge.

Synthesize what was learned and create products of learning.

Share learning products with others.

Reflect on the learning experience and revise products of learning.

Promotes deeper levels of thinking and analysis and pushes

the inquiry process to the next level.

Why is project-based inquiry effective?

Structures reflection and self-monitoring

triggers.

Promotes deeper levels of thinking and analysis and pushes for inquiry process to

the next level.

Why is project-based inquiry effective?

Promotes deeper levels of thinking and analysis and pushes for inquiry process to

the next level.

Structures reflection and self-monitoring

triggers

Empowers students to take control of their

learning and making self-directed learning the

norm.

Why is project-based inquiry effective?

Why is project-based inquiry effective?

Promotes deeper levels of thinking and analysis and pushes for inquiry process to

the next level.

Structures reflection and self-monitoring

triggers

Empowers students to take control of their

learning and making self-directed learning the

norm.

Transforms information into usable create-to-learn opportunities.

Let’s build a global PBI lesson!Begin with inspiration from any issue or topic, great or small, simple of complex.

Let’s consider the world’s water as a topic for creating a student-led investigation.

Compelling questions:

• Open up possibilities for many interdisciplinary connections.

• Use open-ended questions and don’t begin with “who” or “when.”

• Prompt answers that build on students’ prior knowledge.

• Lead to more questions.

ActivateActivating strategies and activities introduce the topic and gauge students’ prior knowledge.

Ask a compelling question

Examples for a global lesson on water

How does access to clean water differ depending on which region of the world you live in?

How do water and sanitation impact the health of people in different world regions?

What solutions are available for providing communities with sanitized water?

What are the relationships between water and agriculture?

How does access to clean water impact wildlife differently than humans?

Questions to ASK

Watch videos and access resources from sites like water.org.

Assign infographics with facts on water, children, women, disease, sanitation and economics to small groups of students. Have groups discuss their assigned infographics and report to the class on the most interesting, surprising or important findings.

ACTIVATE prior knowledge

Allow students to investigate the compelling question and explore the topic using a variety of print, online and interactive resources.

Investigate and Analyze

Examples for a global lesson on water

Conduct an investigation on where your local water comes from.

Invite a local water official to visit or Skype with the class to talk about your community’s process for providing clean water.

Research and identify places in the world (including those close to home) that lack access to clean and safe water.

Explore connections between women and water around the world.

Research the effects of not having access to safe water.

Think about issues that landlocked countries face with regard to accessing clean water.

Brainstorm possible solutions to water issues around the world.

Learn ways to be an advocate for clean water in your community and beyond.

Encourage students to demonstrate their knowledge of the topic by creating products of their learning.

Synthesize and Create

Examples for a global lesson on water

Video presentations, posters or pamphlets on specific water issues.

Persuasive letters to a government official about water-related concerns.

A water filter built by the class.

Voice threads sharing research on safe water in your community.

Creation of advocacy campaigns via social media. (Use live social media or our templates.)

An organized debate on a specific water issue.

Allow students to share their learning products with others, including:• Your school

community.• Families, community

guests or local groups.

• The world (via a class blog, Skype or Facetime).

Share and Summarize

Reflections provide opportunities for students to absorb their learning experiences and revise learning products.

What else would students like to learn?

Have students’ thoughts and opinions on the topic changed?

What suggestions do they have for other students who may study the same topic?

Reflections also allow you to consider what went well and what you might do differently when you teach the lesson again.

Peer evaluations Assessment

rubrics

Reflect and Revise

Evaluate student learning through formative and summative assessments. Possibilities include:

Journal or blog entries Group discussions

Interested in learning more about PBI or on building global lesson plans?

VIF’s Global Gateway shows teachers how to incorporate global aspects into

everyday instruction. Learn more:

www.viflearn.com/waterdaytpt

Sign up for VIF today!

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