1. Problem Based Learning Getting your feet wet PBL is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject through the experience of problem solving. Students learn thinking strategies and domain/content knowledge. Teacher acts as facilitator or tutor.

2. BASIC STEPS START SMALL At this point, it is wise to predetermine the student group sizes.

3. #1 What is the problem? Begin with teacher designed problems that encompass your current unit of study. This is the context in which the unit will be taught. As you are planning this problem-based unit -  Examine the delivery model you previously conducted; stay within the same basic time frame.  Utilize existing activities that can support the PBL format.  Eliminate previous activities that are redundant or don’t fit with this approach.

4. #1 What is the problem? Continued Present the problem to the students.  This should be a whole group lesson/discussion.  Make sure the problem is something relatable to your student population.  The problem does not need to be “world-changing.” It can be relatively “small” but still important to address.  Your students may or may not have the necessary content background knowledge at the onset of the problem.

5. #2 What do we already know? Generate a list of things they already know about the problem.  Conduct a whole class discussion, especially in elementary and middle grades  Teacher guides the list generation.  Students record the list.  Disagreement about content of previous knowledge list is acceptable.

6. #3 What do we need to know? This is done after it has been explained in detail how the solution is to be presented. Provide a detailed rubric. Generate a list of questions regarding those things students need to know in order to solve the problem. Use the rubric as your guide for what they need to know. Have students determine and define any unfamiliar terminology in both the problem and connected issues and content.

7. #3 What do we need to know? Provide as much teacher facilitation as needed while the comfort level with this process builds. After these questions have been generated, divide these questions among the groups and group members. Each group member is required to research assigned questions and include cited sources. After the research period is completed, each student will “teach” what was learned about his/her question(s) to the group members.

8. #4 How is the solution to be presented? Present solutions in an authentic manner that parallels how that type of solution would be presented in the real world. Provide a detailed rubric of presentation expectations. This is separate from the research/activity rubric. Provide suggested or limited presentation formats for the first time PBL. Allow students to determine how the solution could be presented when they become more proficient in the PBL process.

9. In a Nut Shell