Library Life - Instilling a Passion for Reading
                                                                       By:  Jeanna Watson 

Project at a Glance :

This project will be for my 8th grade ELA fusion students. This class has ten students, so the size is great for an effective PBL. The students will partner with the local library: Georgetown Library. Their project will center on how to make both the local library and school library more engaging for middle school students. These students in fusion are students who specifically struggle with reading or dislike reading. I think they will be perfect for this project because they will be able to make reading more exciting for the community coming from a perspective where reading isn’t the best. I plan on doing this project over two weeks.
       
Driving Question:

How can we make reading better for middle schoolers  at the local library and school library?             

Standards:

• Interpersonal skills working with librarians, other teachers, and administrators.
• Problem-solving skills to come up with an innovative plan and see it happen. 
• Flexibility and resilience to bring their solution to reality. 
• Become more passionate about reading.

Team / Culture Building:

• Hopes/Fears/Norms​ ​​
• Value Cards

• Value Cards
• Creative DNA

Entry Event:

• Take students to the Georgetown Township library for a tour, to meet the librarians, and get their own library cards.

Stakeholders:

• Youth Librarian @ Georgetown Library - Kaylin Christian
• English Language Arts Teachers - Jeanna Watson, Alana Kooi, and Janneke Cole
• Jenison Administrators - Brett Cataldo and Heather Breen
• School Librarian - Jeanette Clark
• Middle School students

Empathy Building:

• Stakeholder Map - Students will determine the stakeholders on their own by making a stakeholder map on a giant sticky note. 
• Empathy Map - Students will then create empathy maps for the top three stakeholders (middle schooler, librarian, administrator).​​

​Inquiry / Need to Knows:

•  Artifact Analysis - Students will go to the library and do an artifact analysis. 
• AEIOU - The students will do this in the library as well. 
• Outside Inspiration - Georgetown Library, new book lists, virtual tours of other libraries.
• Interviews - librarians,  teachers,   administrators, and students.

Incubation:

•  Bug List - Students will write down all the issues they see in the library process or layout.​​​

• Rip, Slap & Pass - Students write down major problems based on their bug list
• I like, I wish, what if? - Students will do to this activity to start brainstorming solutions to the problems they have found. 

Checking in:

• How would ____ solve this? - Students will be given cards with names on them and have to explain how they would solve the problem.
• Squiggle Birds - Students will do this activity to get a better idea of solutions and start to think outside the box. ​

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Solution Building:

• Idea Quota - Students will write 100 ideas in 15 minutes on sticky notes
• Rule of Thirds - Students will then organize their 100 ideas into three categories: obvious, crazy, and breakthrough.
• Combin-ide-ation - Students then put their best ideas together.
• $100 Test -to start narrowing ideas down.  Then, use Dot Voting to determine the final ideas.

Critique and Revision: 

• Seeking Skeptics
• Critique & Revision protocol
• Elevator Pitch to share ideas and get feedback from others.​

Authentic Audience:

• Youth Librarian @ Georgetown Library - Kaylin Christian
• English Language Arts Teachers - Jeanna Watson, Alana Kooi, and Janneke Cole
• Jenison Administrators - Brett Cataldo and Heather Breen
• School Librarian - Jeanette Clark
• Middle School students

Final Presentation:

• Students  will create a visual, slideshow, and presentation explaining the problem and their solution.
• Using the results from the Creative DNA  protocol students will all take a part in the project in different people. 

Click here for teacher's full plan.

​Reflection and Feedback:

•  The audience members will be given a handout where they can write questions they may have, feedback for the students, and if their solution is feasible. 
• They will reflect with the authentic audience. The students will have a Q&A time with the people invited to listen to their presentation. This will be a time when they will share answers to the questions and share what they learned from this experience. The next day in class, the students will write down what they learned and experienced from the PBL then share with the class. ​​

Click here for the teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet . . .
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Meet the Educator:

Jeanna Watson teaches English Language Arts Teacher at Jenison Junior High and specializes in working with at-risk students who are identified as being reluctant readers.

     "PBL motivates students to take ownership of their learning. They are able to take education to the next level by finding solutions to real world problems. The authentic audience and design thinking process bring the whole experience to life. PBL helps student fall back in love with learning and helps teachers fall back in love with teaching."