As you might know I am a big time fan of Project Based learning. In this post I provide a mix of educational ideas pressing full court toward the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I also have some great educational basketball lesson possibilities. Please enjoy and share this special story through a retweet or email. I am sure you will understand my thoughts in regards to PBL as defined by the PBLWorks BIE (BUCK Institute). Please let me share this special story and dream about educational transformation possibilities based on authenticity, relevance, and student centered learning. First, please take a moment to subscribe to this blog by RSS or email and join me on twitter at mjgormans .
Also, please explore my Booking Info. I would like to bring practical and affordable PBL, STEM, and Standards Based Technology Workshops to your school of conference. You see… we really must learn to put into practice some of the best lessons never taught! Have an exciting tournament and a wonderful week! – Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)
A Classroom Lesson Never Taught : Welcome to my PBL Reflection… it really is a good read… but if you want the links right away… scroll down
It was twenty minutes before the first school bell would ring, signifying the beginning of another day of learning. Students were beginning to enter and fill the classroom. There was air of extreme excitement as the teacher looked from nook to corner. It was a typical room filled with students, desks, chairs, and a few computers. This morning seemed to be different from the others. The teacher stood perplexed, in awe of an amazing event that was beginning to unfold. Students were using computers and printers to produce what appeared to be a complicated worksheet. Some kids were on the floor while others were seated at tables eagerly filling the paper out! Their eyes were filled with inquiry and enthusiasm as they completed the graphical sheet from top to bottom! It was definitely a worksheet experience like no other the teacher had ever witnessed! Upon closer inspection the teacher realized the students had searched for and found the new NCAA Basketball Brackets.
The teacher watched students engaged in a true spirit of collaboration, as they learned from each other some interesting facts about various college teams. Geography was a main topic, as students discovered using Google Maps, the location of various universities. The teacher could hear students compare and contrast strengths and weakness of the various competitors, while others children used mathematics to perform some comparative scoring. There was a massive research symposium, as students looked on the internet to find out what the experts of the newly found science of “Bracketology” thought! Some students sought out other students ready to present their reasoning for their selections and amazingly showcased their persuasion skills. Any observer would have been amazed by the critical thinking, creativity, and reflections that the students were able to share. It appeared that that the students were in control of this very special time before education would begin. They had created their own learning experience before the bell rang. Their was engagement based on their interest in the real world. It was much like watching a game of neighborhood baseball long before the advent of sanctioned coaches, leagues and teams.
The twenty minutes were soon past as the bell rang, and announced yet another day of learning. The students obietiently put away their Brackets Papers, while the room came to a silent halt. Students left their collaborative groups and sat in their individual seats lined up in precision rows. They pulled out a worksheet, some only half filled out, assigned from the day before. The teacher initiated a well thought out lecture entitled ” Making Predictions Using Compare and Contrast”. As he described predictions as they have been made through observing math sequences, the students appeared to listen as they took notes. After all, this was an important standard to be repeated for a test. What a change the bell had made. The March of Madness was over. It was now a time to learn?
20 Basketball Links
Live Interactive Bracket – Watch the NCAA live interactive bracket for this year’s tournament. Note that this page also contains a printable bracket. Joining after season has started? Then download partially filled bracket… perhaps you need to start over!
NCAA Big Dance Basics – Take a look and get ideas from the STEM site eGFI. You will get hooked as your read their statement: “ From long-shot “Cinderella” teams to “field goal” averages, “giant killers” and “bracketology,” the NCAA Div. 1 men’s college basketball championship has generated a host of pet terms and traditions since it first tipped off in 1939”. This is a 2013 article …but still filled with great thoughts and ideas.
The Art of the Free Throw – It really is about STEM! Take a look at this eGFI article and video that really goes through the math and science of a free throw.
Basketball Physics – People have creating bracket to figure out who will be the best team in college basketball. With all this basketball on people’s minds, it’s a good time to look at some of the physics, math, and art behind the most exciting sport in March.
Science of Basketball – Basketball is considered the first sport that completely originated in the United States. It was invented in December of 1891 when Dr. James Naismith nailed up some peach baskets in a gym. Basketballs today are designed to bounce around the court and soar in an orange arc from your hands into the basket. But were they always like this? Why do they have those bumps on them?
Penny Basketball – A site that poses a lesson that involves penny basketball. Best of all, students learn how to make sense of the data they collect.
Basketball For Better Verse – This lesson from Education World provide students the opportunity to look at various basketball poems and the publish their own.
The Team at Home – Another lesson from Education World that allows students to locate an NCAA basketball tournament team on a map, research the relationship of the team’s name and mascot to the history and geography of the college. This is a great social studies lesson.
Who’s Number 1? Investigating the Math of Rankings – In this amazing lesson, students explore the use of quantitative ratings by examining how Division I college basketball teams are ranked, and how specific mathematical decisions can and do have significant consequences.
March Madness… Reading for information Lesson Plan – This is brought to you by Bright Hub Education. It contains a creative lesson plan that helps kids prepare for the reading proficiency test. It’s a great way to use the NCAA tournament to practice reading for information.
Thinking About The Future… A Poem of Possibilities – This resource from Read Write Think focuses on the poem “Ex-Basketball Player” by John Updike, analyzing the details and the format of the poem. From there students are then introduced to a writing assignment in which they write a poem about themselves in five years.
PBS Learning Media Basketball Lab – In this video from DragonflyTV, Jai and Jonathan investigate why some basketball shots go in and why others do not. They design an experiment involving three different players, all taking shots from the same position on a gym floor, and use a video camera to help them track and graph the arc of the shots as the ball approaches the hoop. Analysis of the collected data reveals that shots with a higher arc are successful more of the time.
Smithsonian March Madness – This is a wonderful exhibit from teh Smithsonian. Examine the multitude of March Madness articles.
James Naismith… Inventor of the Game of Basketball – This is another awesome activity from Read Write Think. Students look at the original rules of basketball, allowing a perfect opportunity for students to practice their expository reading and writing skills. Best of all, students end up with some their own innovation as they put together their own hand out to explain a game.
Should LeBron James Mow His Own Lawn? – Discover this lesson that explores absolute advantage, comparative advantage, specialization and trade with an example using professional basketball player LeBron James.
What were the Original Rules of Basketball? Compare/contrast them with current rules. What rules would you add/take away or change? Use this website for your research.
PBS Learning Media Basketball Lessons and Video – Take a look at these amazing basketball resources that are free from PBS Learning Media. You will find wondeful multimedia and ideas for your project!
Math In Basketball – This is a fantastic lesson plan from Get the Math. Using video segments and web interactives, students engage in an exploration of mathematics, specifically reasoning and sense making, to solve real world problems. Best of all, students focus on understanding the Big Ideas of Algebra: patterns, relationships, equivalence, and linearity.
PBL, Physics, Basketball, and Inquiring Minds – Check out this PBL unit with math and basketball.
Where Will it Go? – This is a lesson plan aimed at lower elementary allowing student prediction of where a ball will go when bounced. This is a perfect opportunity to use any ball… or perhaps a basketball?
Thanks for joining me on another reflection of 21st Century Learning! Please take a moment and follow me on Twitter (@mjgormans), I will return the favor and we will learn from one another. Again take a moment to subscribe this blog by email or RSS. Read below to see some upcoming articles and if you liked this article there is a button below for a retweet! As you follow the NCAA Basketball Tournament make sure the real winner is your facilitation of 21st century educational transformation! Put the kids in center court! – Mike
Booking Info – It is time to think about your school or conference needs. Are you looking for a practical and affordable professional development workshop for your school or conference? I have traveled the country in real person and virtually delivering PD relating to technology integration, PBL, STEM, Digital Literacy, and the 4 C’s. I have delivered hundreds of workshops and presentations. Look for contact information at the Booking Site.
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