More Than a Cafeteria!
                                                                     By:  Julie Baareman

Project at a Glance :

This project is for a Middle School class. It explores an in-depth look at utilizing a new school resource: a brand new cafeteria. Currently, the cafeteria is used as a breakfast and lunch space for students: grades 6-8. In addition, the space is used as a venue for meetings within the district and has been used to house presentations for a school showcase, etc. This project aims to investigate ways to maximize the use of the space for students, teachers, parents, and the community. Additionally, the project focuses on a variety of Math and Technology Standards. This unit is roughly one week long and is intended to be used at any time of the school year.  ​       
 
Driving Question:

How might we maximize the use of the Harbor Lights Cafeteria space for students, teachers, parents, and the community?    

Standards:

• Skills4Success - Collaboration and Global Thinking,  Communication

         Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

• Employability Skills - Participation, Teamwork, Responsibility, Reasoning, Time Management, and Tech Management

Team / Culture Building:

• Hopes/Fears/Norms - as a Social Contract
• Creative DNA
• #Hashtag Mood - Check in with students by having them think about their feelings and mood about the upcoming project. Give each student a sticky note and have them create 1 or 2 hashtags with their feelings. 

Entry Event:

• Motivate students and launch them into investigating the Driving Question with the - The Paper Chain Challenge in the Harbor Lights Cafeteria
  
• Extension activity.

Stakeholders:

• Students
• Teachers
• Parents
• Administrators
  
• Community Members

Empathy Building:

• Empathy Map​

• Stakeholder Map

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Interviews with various stakeholders
• Introduce the AEIOU protocol 
• Create a Pains/Gains Map

Incubation:

• Idea Quota ​protocol​​

• Rule of Thirds protocol

Checking in:

• Pluses & Deltas
• Think - Pair - Share
• #Hashtag Mood
• SWOT Analysis​

• Fireside Chat
• Check In/Check Out Circles

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Solution Building:

• Saturate and Group
• Affinity Mapping​

• ​NUF Test

Critique and Revision: ​Critical Friends

• ​ $100 Test
• Name Your Idea protocol

Authentic Audience:

• School Administrators

Final Presentation:

• Students will create a 3 - 5 minute pitch, including a hook, the driving question, an overview of the issue, solution, and why/how it addresses the issue, and visuals.​

Click here for teacher's full plan.

​Reflection and Feedback:

• Reflection and debrief session will occur after the final presentations.
• Rubric

Click here for teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet . . .

Meet the Educator:

Julie Baareman teaches Math 8 and Algebra 1 at Harbor Lights Middle School, West Ottawa Public Schools.

     "Design Thinking: PBL is integral to the classroom because it provides students with important life skills, builds confidence and gives students a hands-on experience where they have fun learning the work by doing the work with their team."​