Innovating Science Education Across Virginia

How to Develop a
Problem - Based
Science Unit

What is Problem-
Based Learning?

v
Fostering the
Reusable templates to develop development of
science educators

&
your own units and students
Learn more online at
[Link]
Examples from exemplary units
Draft Summer 2014
02 DRAFT

CONTENTS
Basics of Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
3 Problem Solving in Education
4 What is Problem-Based Learning?
5 Relationship Between Inquiry, Hands-on Science, and PBL
6 PBL Research Findings

7 Basic Components of PBL

How to develop a PBL unit

8 PBL Development Work Flowchart
9 Developing the Unit Topic and Identifying Standards
10 Designing the Unit Theme and Scenario
11 Developing the Student Role Teachers work with local scientists to analyze the plants
and animals living in the mud at the bottom of a pond in
12 Structuring the Unit Problem Question order to understand how the ecosystem is being affected

16 Developing the Culminating Activity

by human populations

17 PBL Unit Development Checklist

18 PBL UnitTemplate
19 PBL Template Example
20 Question Mapping
23 PBL Unit Example - Ocean Science
27 PBL Unit Example - Invasive Species
31 PBL Unit Example - Water & Matter
34 Writing and Assembling the Unit Lesson Plans and Activities
Students collect
37 Team Action Plan water samples

38 Safety Plan
from a pond
during a PBL
40 About VISTA summer camp led
by elementary
teachers.

The contents of this document were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Investing in
Innovation (i3) Program. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of
Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government.

© 2014 Virginia Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement

 Basics of 03

Problem-Based Learning
Problem Solving in
Education
A mechanic is trying to figure out why a car
won’t start. A politician is looking for ways to get
the country out of a recession. A biologist is inves-
tigating the impact of fertilizer on a river ecosys-
tem. While, on the surface, these scenarios appear
to be different, they are, at their core, very similar.
In each case, someone is using a variety of skills
and content knowledge to solve a real problem
that has many possible solutions.
Teachers study abiotic and biotic factors in order to
understand how the river ecosystem is being affected by
As we continue to move further into the 21st human populations
century, some problems such as pollution, deadly
diseases, and water shortages will endure. Also, a Unfortunately, the kinds of problems that
whole new set of problems, most of which we can- students generally encounter in school have little
not predict, will arise. This continually changing setto do with the problems that they need to solve
of challenges will require people to be adept at in everyday settings (Lave, 1988; Roth & McGinn,
problem solving, critical thinking, and inquiry skills1997). Whereas classroom problems posed by
in order to find plausible solutions to yet unknown textbooks and teachers are typically well-struc-
dilemmas. tured, the kinds of problems that students face
in real-world situations are mostly open and ill-
Based on this reality, 21st century educators structured (Chin & Chia, 2005). In this document,
need to focus on problem solving (Delisle, 1997). we will refer to open, ill-structured problems as
From fan belt calculations on a car, to policy analy- “messy” problems.
sis of state budgets, to water quality experiments,
teachers should be providing students with the The types of problems or scenarios present-
mental and physical skills needed to answer the ed in school are normally well-structured and have
unknown questions and solve the problems that convergent solutions that engage the application
will continually surround our lives. of a limited number of rules and principles within
well-defined parameters. In contrast, ill-structured
or “messy” problems possess multiple solutions,
various paths to find a solution, and fewer param-
Teachers work with
local scientists on the
eters which are able to be manipulated. These
Potomac River while types of problems also contain uncertainty about
learning about PBL dur- which concepts, rules, and principles are neces-
ing VISTA professional
development sary for the solution, or how they are organized
and which solution is best (Jonassen, 1997). A
properly designed messy problem is a key factor
distinguishing problem-based learning (PBL) from
other instructional models. “PBL begins when
students meet an ill-structured problem” (Stepien
& Pyke, 1997).

[Link]
 04 DRAFT
What is PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (PBL)?
PBL is defined by VISTA as

“students solving a problem with multiple solutions

over time like a scientist in a real-world context.”
This situating of learning processes in an authentic context is one of the key features of PBL (Bar-
rows, 1994; Duch, 2001; Hmelo & Ferrari, 1997; Koschmann, Myers, Feltovich, & Barrows, 1994; Hmelo,
1998; Torp & Sage, 2002). Furthermore, by allowing students to become involved in real-world, mean-
ingful problems, PBL helps students develop problem-solving skills through active learning rather than
by passively receiving information from teachers (Gallagher, 1997; Krajcik & Blumenfeld, 2006).

Problem-based learning was first developed in the medical education field to help students de-
velop both content knowledge and the clinical reasoning skills needed by medical professionals (Bar-
rows & Tamblyn, 1980). PBL has since been adapted for teaching science (Allen, Duch, Groh, Watson
& White, 2003; Gordon, Rogers, Comfort, Gavula, & Mcgee, 2001), and has been shown to increase
students’ intrinsic motivation to become self-directed learners (Hmelo-Silver, 2004; Kelson, 2004).

STUDENTS
EX D

SO OBL
NT RL

PR
T

LV EM
CO -WO

IN
G

PBL
AL

A
RE

TIO E
NS
LU IPL
OV E

SO ULT
TIM

PBL learning
ER

environments must
M

contain all of these

elements ACTING LIKE
SCIENTISTS

Despite being an appropriate and versatile strategy for teaching inquiry-oriented science, most
teachers have little experience designing and implementing PBL lessons (McDonald &LaLopa, 2006).
Teachers often report that they struggle to “find PBL activities” (McConnell, 2008). In the following sec-
tions of this manual, you will learn about the basic components of PBL and how to create PBL learning
environments for your own classroom in order to improve your instructional practice and increase your
students’ achievement in science.
WHAT IS the 05
Relationship
between inquiry, DEFINITIONS
hands-0n science,
and pbl? HANDS-ON
Since there are a variety of definitions SCIENCE:
in the literature, it is necessary to Students
explain how we are defining the purposefully
components of PBL. Problem-based
learning is a curricular approach
manipulate real
or framework for structuring the science materials when
content in a unit of study around safe and
a problem question with multiple appropriate in a way
solutions that students are solving similar to a
in a real-world context . “Hands-on” scientist.
and “inquiry” refer to pedagogical
techniques which are used during the
implementation of a PBL unit. Inquiry Inquiry:
and hands-on science are utilized
for their ability to foster appropriate
Students ask questions,
behaviors needed for successful collect and
problem solving. As illustrated in the analyze data, and use
diagram below, PBL provides the evidence to solve prob-
overarching content organization lems.
while inquiry and hands-on science
are used as instructional strategies to
ensure successful implementation. Problem - Based
Learning:
Students solve a prob-
PBL lem with
mutiple solutions over
time like a
GRAPHIC
Inquiry
Hands-On scientist in a
Science real-world context.
PENDING PBL learning
environments must
utilize inquiry and
hands-on science to
be effective

[Link]
 06 DRAFT
Basics of Problem
What does the research data say about the
effectiveness of PBL PBL
Research Findings
Much research has been conducted about the effectiveness of PBL. The table below outlines T
some of the research on PBL’s affect on student learning, achievement, and motivation.

TABLE 1. PBL Research Findings

Sungar, S., Tekkaya, C., & Geban, O. (2006) Improving achievement through problem-based learning.
Journal of Biological Education, 40(4), 155-160.

In this study, the students in the PBL treatment group earned significantly higher scores than the control group in regard to
science achievement and performance skills. Not only were they better able to organize and use relevant information, but they
made stronger conclusions. PBL students believed that the cooperative approach of PBL coupled with the practical application of
knowledge contributed to their learning.

Wong, K. K. H, & Day, J. R. (2009). A comparative study of problem-based learning and lecture-based learning in junior
secondary school science. Research in Science Education, 39, 625-642.

The authors found that students learning via PBL achieved higher-order learning goals, higher motivation through curiosity, and
better retention in both units (42% positive change for control compared to 79% positive change for treatment in reproduction
unit; 35% positive change for control compared to 162% positive change for treatment in density unit.)

Tarhan, L., & Acar, B. (2007). Problem-based learning in an eleventh grade chemistry class: Factors affecting cell
potential. Research in Science & Technological Education, 25(3), 351-369.
S
The findings in this study according to interviews revealed that students in the PBL class were more motivated, self-confident,
willing to problem-solve and share knowledge, and were more active in cooperative group activities than the traditionally-taught
students.

Sungar, S., & Tekkaya, C. (2006) Effects of problem-based learning and traditional instruction on self-regulated learn-
ing. Journal of Educational Research, 99(5), 307-317.

This study found that PBL enhanced high school students’‟ self-regulation skills, both in regard to motivation and learning strate-
gies. The treatment group listed challenge, curiosity, and mastery as reasons to take on a task.

Drake, K. N., & Long, D. (2009). Rebecca’s in the dark: A comparative study of problem-based learning and direct
instruction/experiential learning in two 4th-grade classrooms. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 21(1), 1-16.

In this study, the treatment group experienced more time on task (by 10 percentage points) and less inappropriate and non-
productive behavior than the comparison group. The treatment group could better identify problem-solving strategies than the
comparison group four months after treatment.
 07

Based Learning
PBL
Basic Components
When designing a PBL unit for your classroom,
it must contain a few basic components:

TOPIC PROBLEM QUESTION

Content Area of PBL Overarching question of PBL which
Examples: poses a real scientific problem with
• Energy multiple solutions
• Geology Examples:
• How do we minimize the impact on
the county from the shutdown of the
THEME power station? (energy)
Focus area of PBL • How will the school plan to protect
within content area selected the people and property from a future
Examples: earthquake? (geology)
• Effect of energy crisis on people and
the environment (energy) STUDENT ROLE
• Effect of geologic disasters on people Authentic scientific role of students
and the environment (geology) within PBL
Examples:
• Students are members of the county
SCENARIO emergency response team (energy)
Realistic situation • Students are members of the local
which provides the context or geological survey team (geology)
framework for the PBL
CULMINATING Activity
Examples: Activity/Project which allows
• Your region’s power station is shut students to demonstrate/display/
down as a result of a solar event. You present their solutions to the PBL
have been asked to assess the situa- Examples:
tion and provide alternative energy • Students present their assessment
sources and solutions to problems and alternative solution models to a
arising from the power loss. (energy) panel of local decision makers on the
• An earthquake has recently struck power loss issue. (energy)
your area. With potential for more • Students share their disaster
earthquakes, you have been asked to assessment plan with the school
develop a plan for protecting people board (geology)
and property. (geology)

[Link]
 DRAFT
08 How tO develop A
PBL Unit
Work Flowchart for Designing a PBL Unit
Follow this flowchart when desigining PBL units to ensure there is
connectivity between all components of the unit.

1 TOPIC

2 Theme

These three pieces of your PBL unit should be developed simultaneously to

ensure connectivity throughout the unit

Scenario Problem Student

3
Question Role

Culminating
4 ACTIVITY
 PBL
09

Setting Up the Unit

Before you begin designing all of the lesson plans and activities that
your students will complete in a PBL unit, it is critical to conduct a series of IDENTIFY
front-end analyses of the course content and context areas of your PBL unit.
This analysis will equip you with a frame of reference when you are designing THE UNIT
the instruction components to appropriately address the breadth and depth
of the content and the context that your specific PBL unit is meant to accom- TOPIC
plish. As noted in the research, without a complete cognitive map and un-
derstanding of the PBL unit, the teacher is likely to guide the student with his
or her own preference of solving the problem instead of guiding the students
to tackle the problem from different angles (Hung, 2009).
IDENTIFY
Identify a Topic
STANDARDS
When you start building your unit, the first step is to identify the topic ASSOCIATED
of study for your PBL. The topic refers to the overarching content area that
the unit will focus on. Examples include geology, energy, forces and motion, WITH TOPIC
living systems, or space systems. In many cases, unit topics are associated
with a higher-level strand of the national, state, or district-level standards of
learning. So, a good place to start looking for ideas for topics is your various
levels of standards or curricular frameworks for your particular grade.
Along with your standards and curricular frameworks,
you may also consider the following strategies and questions
to help identify unit topics:
• Past state science test data – Which areas of the state test have
students been struggling with in previous years?
• Past benchmark assessments – What areas have your students
struggled with on past benchmark assessments you or other
teachers have given?
• Pretest – Give your students a pretest at the beginning of
the school year on a variety of content strands within your
curricular framework to determine where your students are
currently struggling.

Identify Standards associated with Topic In effective PBL

Once the topic is determined, it is essential to determine all of the sci- environments,
teachers are
ence standards and benchmarks that correlate with the unit at the national, co-learners with
students as they
state, and/or district level. This is also an opportunity to look through stand- work to solve the
ards and benchmarks for other subjects, such as mathematics, social stud- problem.
ies, reading, language arts, music, and art to determine the variety of subject
standards you can cover within your single PBL unit and as you develop the
theme of the unit in the next step.

[Link]
 010
DRAFT

Setting Up the Unit

Determine the Theme
A unit topic, such as energy, provides a good starting point for
directing PBL unit development. However, it is still extremely broad and
DETERMINE diverse in terms of helping developers and students focus on the prob-
lem that has been selected. For example, an energy unit could focus on
THE THEME the different types of energy that exist in the universe, or it could focus on
diversifying the energy portfolio in your local area from a policy point of
view. Therefore, a PBL theme must be determined to help focus the unit
within the topic. Essentially, the theme of the unit outlines the societal
focus of the PBL within the topic area selected. The theme will help the
unit become clearer to the instructor throughout the development pro-
cess, and to the students throughout implementation. Some theme exam-
Design ples include:

Problem • Impact of an energy crisis on the local community and environment

• Impact of human activity on local ecosystems
scenario
Consider the following questions
when developing your theme:
1. Is the theme relevant to the real world around the students?
2. Is the theme something that would potentially affect students’
lives, giving the theme a sense of importance?

Design a Meaningful Problem Scenario

As shown in the work flowchart, the scenario

of the PBL unit should always be developed in Students immerse
conjuction with the student role and problem themselves into
question to ensure connectivity and consistency the role they have
through the unit. The scenario essentially out- been assigned
during PBL units.
lines the story or sets the stage for students by
presenting them with a description of the prob-
lem they will face and attempt to resolve. Some
examples of PBL scenarios include:

• Energy: Your county is about to reduce the

power output to all homes in your region for
two months as the power station is being
renovated. You have been asked to assess
the situation and provide possible alterna-
tive energy sources and solutions to prob-
lems arising from the power reduction to all
homes.
 011

• Weather: Based on previous weather-related disasters in your area, your

town is looking to design and construct a model of a disaster-resistant
city that could serve as a prototype for how to develop the city in the Developing
future. This city should be able to withstand natural disasters so that the
people living in that area would remain safe. the student
When developing your scenario,
role
consider the following questions:

• Is the scenario directly related to the topic, theme, problem ques-

tion, and student role?
• Does the scenario relate to the standards/benchmarks identified?
• Does the scenario have an impact on the students’ lives?
• Does the scenario allow for Inquiry-oriented exploration?
• Is the scenario authentic and relevant?
• Is the scenario appropriately challenging?
• Are there resources and information related to the scenario easily
available?

Developing the Student Role

In conjuction with the development of the scenario and problem question, you
should also develop the student role. This will give your students a job title and
job description that they will adopt throughout the PBL unit. The overall func-
tion of the student role is to establish the students’ stake in the problem. Here
are some examples of student roles and the associated unit topic:
• Energy: Students are scientists working as members of the Arlington Community Emergency
Response Team
• Geology: Students are young geologists working with the Virginia Department of Emergency
Management
• Weather: Students are junior meteorologists working with local civil engineers in Louisa county

Consider the following questions

when developing the student role:
1. Does the role seem realistic and relevant to the real world
around the students, the scenario, and problem question?
2. Is the role or role title a realistic career that students could
research and learn more about as a possible career path?

When developing the student role, consider researching real positions or roles people in your commu-
nity undertake as part of their careers. Consider contacting some professionals in your community to
come to your classroom to discuss their careers. This will help your students understand their role bet-
ter. This will also, in many cases, increase the engagement of students in their role within the PBL unit.

[Link]
 DRAFT
012
How tO develop A
Problem question
Designing the Question
The problem question is one of the most important parts of a PBL unit.
It is not only the ultimate unit question that the students are trying to answer,
IS THE but it is also the question which will determine the level of student engage-
ment throughout the unit. As shown in the work flowchart, it should always
QUESTION ILL- be developed along with the scenario and student role to ensure successful
connectivity throughout the unit.
STRUCTURED
Overall, the problem question is a real scientific problem with multi-
OR MESSY? ple solutions. It should be stated as a question that will be solved over time
by the students throughout the unit. The literature has presented that many
teacher frustrations with PBL units can be traced back to the quality of the
problem question (McConnell, 2008). So, in order to help you design quality
problem questions for your future units, it is important to discuss the aspects
of quality PBL problem questions.

Well-Structured vs. Ill-Structured

Problems vary on a continuum from well-structured to ill-structured
(Arlin, 1989; Jonassen, 1997; Newell & Simon, 1972). According to Jonassen
(1997), ill-structured, messy problems are characterized as containing vaguely
defined goal states, several unknown problem elements, multiple plausible
solutions, and ambiguity about the concepts or principles needed to solve
them, while well-structured problems possess well-defined goal states, pre-
scriptive arrangement of concepts and principles used, and a single definite
solution. Problem questions posed by textbooks and teachers are typically
well structured, whereas the kinds of problems that students face in real-
world situations are mostly open and ill structured, or messy. Therefore, the
kinds of problems that students encounter in school have little to do with
the problems that they need to solve in everyday settings (Lave, 1988; Roth &
McGinn, 1997).
In addition, scientists frequently encounter ill-structured problems that
can have multiple paths to multiple solutions (Jonassen, 2011). To approach
such problems, “higher-order” mental operations such as analysis, synthesis,
and abstraction are key. Inaddition, creative thinking—the most complex and
abstract of the higher-order cognitive skills according to Bloom’s taxonomy
of learning skills (Krathwohl, 2002)—can allow restructuring of problems and

Students test water samples they collected from

their research area as they work to develop
a solution to their ill-structured PBL problem
question.
 013

on
produce solutions through unexpected insights (Bowdenet, 2005).
In PBL, the purpose of ill-structured problems is to help students develop their ability to adap-
tively apply their knowledge to deal with complicated problem situations that are normally seen in real
world settings (Wilkerson & Gijselaers, 1996). Students need to be reminded that there may be other
ways to view a problem than the way it is presented; they can list the problem features and then try
to rearrange or restructure them or look at them from different angles (Bowdenet, 2005) and to gen-
erate many ideas about possible solutions before beginning to evaluate which of them may be best
(Bowdenet, 2005; McWilliam, Poronnik, & Taylor, 2008).

When developing PBL problem questions, they should be

ill-structured, messy problems and contain the following
characteristics:

• require more information for understanding the problem than is
initially available.

• contain multiple solution paths.

• change as new information is obtained.

• prevent students from knowing that they have made the “right”
decision.

• generate interest and controversy and cause the learner to ask
questions.

• are open-ended and complex enough to require collaboration
and thinking beyond recall.

• contain content that is authentic to the discipline.
(Adapted from Allen, Duch & Groh, 1996; Gallagher, 1997.)

Students analyze
water samples they
collected during
a PBL unit based
around the impact
of humans on the
environment.

[Link]
 014
DRAFT

PBL Along with the characteristics of messy

problems, here is a list of questions to consider
when developing your own problem questions:

1. Is the problem question appropriate for the curriculum?

Is the question directly related to the topic, theme, standards, scenario, and student role of the unit
being developed? This should be one of the first considerations when developing your PBL problem
question and is one of the main reasons for the front-end analysis discussed in the previous section.

2. Does the problem question allow for inquiry?

When developing a problem question, determine if it will provide an impetus to develop the following
characteristics of inquiry within the PBL:
• Will the question promote students to ask questions?
• Will the question cause students to think critically about the relationships between evidence and
explanations?
• Will the question encourage students to construct and analyze alternative explanations?
• Will the question create situations where students are communicating scientific arguments?

3. Is the problem question authentic and relevant?

Gaining practice addressing and applying knowledge to real-world scenarios is one of the greatest
strengths of PBL units. Make sure that your students are familiar enough with the content and context
of the question to be percieved as relevant and important to their lives.

4. Is the problem question open-ended?

Most problems people face in the real world are not straightforward, easy, and neat. In many of these
real-world cases, multiple options for developing solutions are created, discussed, justified, debated,
and confirmed with others leading to a deeper understanding of the concepts at hand. By creating a
problem question that is open-ended, your students will utilize the same cognitive strategies used by
scientists as they work together to analyze multiple, viable hypotheses or answers to the problem.

5. Is the problem question engaging?

Many times educators develop units they think will be engaging to their students and grab their atten-
tion, only to find out through implemenation that the idea flops from lack of interest from the stu-
dents. One strategy that may help to find engaging topics includes finding ideas from current events
in newspapers, magazines, news programs, TV series, and movies. These may not provide the exact
events you wish to cover in your class, but they can lead you to general topics that can be explained
using the science concepts you teach in your class. Another strategy involves polling the students for
the types of questions and ideas that interest them. This question/idea gathering could happen at the
beginning or throughout the year. Then you can always reference their responses as you begin devel-
oping new questions and units, as student interests will change throughout the year and from year to
year.
 015

ProblemQuestion PBL
6. Is the question appropriately challenging?
Many educators may think that they would not want to make the problem question too difficult for
their students. However, recent research has shown that teachers reported lower satisfaction with
problems that could be answered with little or no need to search for answers or explore the phenom-
ena (McConnell, 2008). McDonald and LaLopa (2006) also noted that PBL problems often do not
offer enough challenge to push students thinking, and research confirms the importance of making
problems appropriately challenging. Making the problem question more complex forces the learners
to work together to conduct research and investigations, while continually interpreting and applying
the information to the overarching scenario. Through this process, students begin to construct their
own new ideas, stretching the boundaries of their understanding of the science concepts, and spark
their interest in the scientific process of inquiry.

7. Are information and resources easily available to answer the question?

This question is especially relevant for students who may be newer to PBL and have not yet learned
some of the essential skills of developing solutions to a variety of problems. Conduct some basic re-
search of your own before you begin your unit to determine what types of information your students
will encounter. Also, ask the resource managers and librarians to gather information that will be help-
ful for the topic and theme of the problem question. Having information and resources easily acces-
sible will increase the ease with which your students can explore the problem question.

Problem Question Examples

• How can we mitigate the affect of land and building development on
the soil and water in our local community?
• How can we minimize the spread of invasive species and their
negative impacts on Virginia’s ecosystems?
• How can we minimize the impact to the ocean environment if the
energy resources are developed off the coast of Virginia?
Students learn Teachers
about turtles work together
alongside to develop
scientists the problem
during a PBL question and
summer camp. scenario.

[Link]
 016
DRAFT

Setting up the Unit

Determine Culminating Activity
At the end of your PBL, your students will complete a final culmi-
Develop nating activity which you can use as the final assessment of their perfor-
mance within the PBL unit. For development purposes, it is always good
Culminating to develop and understand the nature and structure of the final activity
the students will be working towards so that they can effectively and effi-
activity ciently complete the PBL unit. This will also help you develop lessons that
are continually helping your students build resources and knowledge that
will be utilized during the culminating activity. One of the prime functions
of this activity will be to help the students reflect on their progress within
the PBL unit. Some examples of culminating activities include:

• Engaging in a presentation to the class, school administration, commu-

nity members, city council, mayor, and/or parents
• Engaging in a panel discussion with other students, parents, adminis-
trators, community members
• Creating videos, podcasts, or other broadcasts summarizing their find-
ings
• Engaging in a debate with other students, parents, administration, and/
or community members
• Writing creatively on the topic, theme, scenario including all of the
information collected
• Writing a proposal to school administration, city councils, elected of-
ficials, or local scientists or scientific organizations
• Building a model that demonstrates ways to address the problem
question

Brainstorming
ideas for a
culminating
activity is a great
way to develop
and prepare a
PBL unit.
 017

PBL UNIT DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST

Review and refine for continuity across all six components

TOPIC THEME SCENARIO

OVERARCHING STATEMENT SITUATION THAT
CONTENT AREA WHICH OUTLINES DESCRIBES THE
OF PBL UNIT THE SOCIETAL SCENE THE
FOCUS OF THE STUDENTS WILL BE
PBL UNIT WORKING WITHIN
THROUGHOUT THE
PBL UNIT

PROBLEM STUDENT CULMINATINg

QUESTION ROLE ACTIVITY
A SCIENTIFIC ASSIGNED ROLE FINAL
PROBLEM WITH OF STUDENTS STUDENT
MULTIPLE SOLU- WITHIN THE PBL PERFORMANCE
TIONS STATED AS A UNIT WITHIN THE PBL
QUESTION THAT WILL UNIT
BE SOLVED BY THE
STUDENTS THROUGH-
OUT THE PBL UNIT

[Link]
018
DRAFT
Problem-Based Learning Unit Template
topic

Theme

Scenario

Problem Question

Student Role

Culminating Activity
 PBL Unit Examples 019

1 topic
Earth Science

Theme
Effect of geologic disasters on people and the environment

Scenario
An earthquake has recently struck your area. With potential for more earthquakes, you have been asked to
develop a plan for mitigating the effects of the people and property of your school
and the surrounding community.

Problem Question
How can we mitigate the impact of geologic changes on the people and property in Virginia?

Student Role
Students are members of the local geological survey team

Culminating Activity
Students share their school disaster plans with the school administration

2 topic
Environmental Science

Theme
Human impact on the environment

Scenario
The school is considering registration to be assessed by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating Sys-
tem (STARS). The school has hired you to go undercover as the SEA Team to evaluate the campus. You have
unlimited access and the ability to make positive changes to the campus. You are to find ecological issues and
make recommendations for improvement to campus before the STARS team comes for their assessment.

Problem Question
How can we mitigate the schools impact on the ecosytems in and around the community?

Student Role
Junior Ecological Experts as part of the SEA Team (Secret Ecological Agency)

Culminating Activity
Presentation to a panel of students, teachers, administration, and custodial staff outlining recommendations for
improvements to campus before the STARS team comes for their assessment.

[Link]
 020
DRAFT
Structuring Your Unit
Building the Question Map
A question map is a tool that helps frame a blueprint for the ques-
tions, issues, and content that you will encounter as you move forward
through the PBL unit to address the problem question. By developing a
Brainstorm question map up front, you will have a framework for structuring and organ-
izing all of your lesson plans and activities within the unit. Furthermore, al-
all possible lowing students to be part of the question map development process helps
to provide them with further clarity of the problem question while enabling
questions collective efforts between students that are consistenly productive.

Every question map can be broken down into three types or levels of
questions.

The Level 1 question is generally your problem question previously devel-

Organize oped and is the over-arching unit question that all of the other questions
Questions will work together to address.

into Levels Level 2 questions are informational questions that are needed to answer
the level 1 question. These questions are generally generated by conduct-
ing a brainstorming session to determine “what do we need to know to
answer the level 1 question”?

Level 3 questions are specific questions that directly address the stand-
Setup ards, student role, and scenario of the unit. These are also the questions
from which you will develop your daily lessons and activities.
Question
Map Consider utilizing the following strategy to help in the development of
your question maps:
• Develop a question map of your own that will help you anticipate stu-
dent generated questions and help guide students towards questions
that will develop appropriate activities to address the questions.
• Have students complete a KWL chart to determine what your students
think they Know (K), Want to Know (W), and Want to Learn (L) about
the Level 1 problem question. This will help students document infor-
mation that will be helpful when developing level 2 and 3 questions.
• Set up a large blank question map with the problem question at the
top of a board or blank wall. Have students write Level 2 and 3 ques-
tions on sticky notes. Then have students begin building the map by
putting the sticky notes onto the blank map. As a class, work together
to organize the stickynotes with questions until everyone is satisfied
with the overall map.
Addition of Standards
Once the question map is set, you can identify which science content standards, along with any
math and language arts standards that are associated with each Level 3 question. It is helpful to add
these directly to the question map to determine if all of the standards are being met through this ques-
tion map and the PBL unit as a whole.
 021
Example of a Portion of a Question Map
See the fully developed question map on the next page

How can we mitigate the impact of geologic changes

on the people and property in Virginia?

How can
What forms of What geologic humans control
geologic change features result and prepare for
occur over time on from geologic the impacts of
Earth? change? geologic changes?

How does How can we

flowing water What geologic What geologic better prepare for
change the surface features are found features are found earthquakes,
of the land? on land? in the ocean? landslides, and
other geologic
changes or natural
disasters?

Standard # Standard # Standard # Standard #

Level 1 Question Level 2 Questions Level 3 Questions

Informational questions Questions where the
One over-arching unit
needed to answer the Level content and standards are
question that is presented to
1 question which results from being directly addressed.
effectively solve the problem
initial ”what do we need to These are questions around
presented in the scenario.
know to answer this question” which daily activities are
brainstorming. centered.

[Link]
 How can we mitigate the impact of geologic changes
022

How do geologic changes affect the people and property in Virginia?

on the people and property in Virginia?

How have How can humans

How do scientists What forms and features
What forms of geologic What geologic features result humans, past and control and prepare
study how Earth is of geologic change
change occur over time on from geologic changes? present, for the impacts of
or has changed occured in the past
Earth? impacted geologic changes?
geologically? and/or are active today in
geologic changes
Virginia?
happening in
Virginia?

What geologic What is a What are What is an What What What What effect How can
changes are features Are How has the do human
volcano? weathering earthquake? features are features are we create
happening inside are found volcanoes mountain impacts like
and found on found in the sustainable
and at the surface in river and building construction
erosion? 5.2A, 5.7E land? ocean? methods of
of Earth? systems? earthquakes process and clear
5.7E 5.7F 5.7E 5.6B, 5.7E agriculture
5.7D 5.7F currently changed cutting have from a geologic
active in throughout on natural perspective?
the state or Virginia’s geologic 5.7G
evidence of history? processes on
How are How are How are them in the the land, the
What geologic Where does Where do
Where do mountains mid ocean trenches past? coastline, and How can we
changes have weathering earthquakes
volcanoes occur? formed? ridges formed? in the ocean? reduce levels of
happened in the and erosion 5.7E
occur? formed? 5.7C erosion and
past on Earth? occur?
5.7E 5.7E 5.7E 5.6B 5.6B 5.7G weathering
5.7C 5.7F
caused by
DRAFT

construction and
clearcutting?
5.7G

What effect What How do

What effect How do What effect What effect
do effect does humans
do mountains does this does this
How do rocks volcanoes change How can we
weathering earthquakes change over have on have on
change over time? have on and erosion soils for better prepare for
have on time? people and people and
people and have on agriculture? earthquakes,
people and property in property in
5.1A, 5.7A+B property? people and Virginia? landslides, and
property? 5.7E Virginia?
property? 5.7G other geologic
5.3C, 5.5C, 5.5C, 5.7G 5.7G 5.7G natural disasters?
5.7G 5.7G 5.7G

*Standards used in this example reference the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL’s)

This space can be used for scheduling/planning purposes when working through the question map with your students.
 023

Problem-Based Learning Unit

A Commotion in the Ocean

Grade 5 - Ocean Science

Developed by
Rose Norris Nicole Coldren
Prices Fork Elementary School Round Hill Elementary School

Crystal Pruett Brenda Seal

Highland Park Elementary School St. Paul School

Innovating Science Education Across Virginia

[Link]
 024
Unit Overview
topic
Ocean Environments

Theme
Oceans: Characteristics, Ecosystems, and Human Impact

Scenario
Energy resources off the east coast of North America are very valuable. One of the most
significant energy issues facing President Obama is whether to allow leasing of offshore
land for drilling oil and natural gas, where production has been off-limits. Scientists are
investigating areas off the coast of Virginia to develop these resources. Residents and
tourists on the east coast are concerned about the development of these energy re-
sources in the Atlantic Ocean. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will
offer leases for drilling of oil and natural gas, and will also offer for auction the develop-
ment of wind or tidal turbine farms off the east coast. The Virginia Department of Envi-
ronmental Quality (DEQ) is enlisting you and your team to determine how to minimize
the impact of these energy resources on our environment. As a member of the DEQ
advisory task force you will investigate the issues, evaluate the impacts of the different
energy options, and inform the public.

Problem Question
How can we minimize the impact to the ocean environment if the energy resources are
developed off the coast of Virginia?

Student Role
Researchers: Oceanographers/Oceanologists hired by DEQ: cover a wide range of top-
ics including marine life and ecosystems, ocean circulations, plate tectonics and the geol-
ogy of the sea floor, and the chemical and physical properties of the oceans.

Culminating Activity
Develop a report for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Your report
could include presentations, videos, interviews, and other forms of communication to
address concerns, trends, and workable solutions for the impact of offshore energy re-
sources.
 025
Unit Background
This 5-9 week unit was created for 5th grade classrooms to address VA standards 5.5, 5.6, and 5.7 on ocean
systems. The scenario and problem question for this unit are focused around developing strategies to mini-
mize the impact to the ocean environment if the energy resources are devloped in the ocean off the coast
of Virginia. To do this, students will work through a number of other questions to help them develop their
ideas.

First, students will learn about the general process of different forms of energy production.
Lesson 1: Student will research how oil and natural gas is found and extracted & how wind and tidal power is
utilized & discourse findings.
Next, students will explore the geologic characteristics of the ocean.
Lesson 2: Students will use data to analyze depth and graph the structure of the ocean floor and then use
this data to develop a model and topographic maps of different physical characteristics.
Next, students will explore the physical characteristics of the ocean water.
Lesson 3: Students will analyze the relationship between temperature and depth in the ocean.
Lesson 4: Students will explore salinity and changes in water pressure through the ocean.
Lesson 5: Students will inquire about what causes waves and tides and explore how the ocean water moves.
Lesson 6: Students will explore how we could get energy from the ocean using water turbines and currents.
Next, students will examine the ocean ecosystem.
Lesson 7: Students will examine what types of organisms live in the ocean, the different zones they live, the
characteristics of each zone, and the survival strategies organisms use to live in these ecosystems.
Lesson 8: Students will explore energy flow in a food chain and web. How does understanding marine food
webs help us to minimize the impact from energy extraction on this ecosystem.
Next, students will examine the land and ocean relationships.
Lesson 9: Students will explore the relationship between the oceans and land using stream tables.
Lesson 10: Students will investigate the impact on coastlines from storms and develop strategies for mini-
mizing their impact on these ecosystems.
Finally, students will examine the human impacts on the ocean.
Lesson 11: Students will examine endangered species and the processes for how organisms become endan-
gered.
Lesson 12: Students will explore how developing energy resources affects our oceans and beaches. Using
all of their research and experimental data, they will develop a plan to minimize the impact of the develop-
ment of these resoureces off the coast of Virginia.

Unit Resources
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management: [Link]
BOEM Virginia: [Link]
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: [Link]
Marine Mapping and Data Tools: [Link]
NOAA Ocean Education Resources: [Link]

[Link]
 Ocean Science Unit Question Map 026

How  can  we  minimize  the  impact  to  the  ocean  environment  if  the  energy  
resources  are  developed  off  the  coast  of  Virginia?  
 

What  are  the  geologic   What  are  the  physical   What  is  the  human  impact  on  
characteristics  of  the  ocean?   characteristics  of  the  ocean?   What  are  ocean  ecosystems?   oceans?  

What  is  an  ocean  ecosystem?     What  do  storms  do  to  the  coast  and  
What  is  underneath  the  ocean   Why  is  the  ocean  salty?  SOL  5.6  b    
water?  SOL  5.6  a   SOL  5.6  c   the  energy  resources?  SOL  4.6  

What  plants  and  animals  are  in  or   What  organisms  are  endangered  
near  the  ocean?  SOL  5.5  c   and  why?  SOL  5.7  
How  deep  is  the  ocean?  SOL  5.6  b   How  do  oceans  move?  SOL  5.6  b  

Why  do  some  animals  live  in   How  does  our  watershed  affect  the  
What  changes  in  the  ocean  as  it  gets   deeper  water  than  others?     ocean?  SOL  4.9  
deeper?  SOL  5.6  a,  b  
What  percentage  of  the  Earth  is   SOL  5.6  c  
covered  by  oceans?  SOL  5.6  b  

How  does  developing  the  energy  

How  can  we  get  energy  from  the   resources  affect  our  oceans  and  
ocean?  SOL  5.6  a,  b   beaches?  SOL  5.7  f,  g  
How  do  we  ?ind  oil  and  gas  under  
the  ocean?  SOL  5.6  a  

What  is  the  relationship  between  

the  oceans  and  the  land?  SOL  5.7  f  
 027

Problem-Based Learning Unit

Invasives in Virginia
Grade 4 - Life Science

Developed by
Becky Hill Stacy Grubbs
St. Paul School Falling Branch Elementary School

Melissa Martin Teri Ford

Round Hill Elementary School Falling Branch Elementary School

Innovating Science Education Across Virginia

[Link]
 028

Unit Overview
topic
Life Processes (4.4) and Living Systems (4.5)
Theme
Impact of Invasive Species on Virginia Ecosystems

Scenario
Researchers of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) have
noticed a lot of non-native species, also known as invasive species, in Virginia. You have
been hired as an Educational Research Assistant for DCR. Your job is to identify invasive
species in your county/state and educate the people in your community on how to pre-
vent and manage the spread of invasive species, therefore reducing the negative effects
on Virginia’s ecosystems.

Problem Question
How can we minimize the spread of invasive species and their negative impacts on Vir-
ginia’s ecosystems?

Student Role
Educational Research Assistant
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

Culminating Activity
Develop a management plan and way to educate your community about invasive species
and ways to prevent and manage the spread of invasive species, therefore reducing the
negative effects on Virginia’s ecosystems.

Unit Resources
VA Dept. of Recreation & Conservation: [Link]
Invasives in Virginia: [Link]
National Invasive Species Council: [Link]
 029

Unit Background
This 5-9 week unit was created for 4th grade classrooms to address VA standards 4.4 and
4.5 on life processes and living systems. The scenario and problem question for this unit are
focused around identifying, understanding, analyzing, and managing invasive species in the
local area. To do this, students will work through a number of other questions to help them
develop their management plan forwhat they find within the community.

First, students will learn how we identify invasive organisms and determine how
they reproduce.
Lesson 1: Students will collect, identify, classify, and research real plants and animals from
pictures and from samples they collect in the field.
Lesson 2: Students will design an experiment to test the different components of photosyn-
thesis to understand variables that influence how different plants grow.
Lesson 3: Students will grow, measure, pollinate, and dissect fast growing plants.
Lesson 4: Students will observe seed/spore development and disperal.
Lesson 5: Students will measure the length and mass of kudzu to experiment with the condi-
tions needed for dormancy.

Next, students will explore where invasives are located in Virginia.

Lesson 6: Students will collect, identify, and map invasives within their community along with
researching the dispersment of invasives across the state.
Lesson 7: Students will build and observe a habitat including invasives to consider the practi-
cal parameters or constraints within the system.
Lesson 8: Students will design an experiment to test the migration of invasive species within
an ecosystem to determine how the invasives could have traveled to Virginia.
Lesson 9: Students will design an experiment to test beak adaptations to help them under-
stand how adaptations could help a species thrive in Virginia.

Students will then look at the effects of the invasives in the state of Virginia.
Lesson 10: Students will select, research, and present the positive and negative impacts of a
specific invasive organism.

Finally, students will explore how we can manage invasive species in the state.
Lesson 11: Students will explore and design methods for monitoring and managing invasives.
Culminating Activity: Students will use their research and experimental data to develop a
management plan that will educate the public on the control of invasive species in Virginia,
and present their plans to a panel of local and regional experts.
[Link]
 Invasive Species Question Map
030

 
How  can  we  minimize  the  environmental  impact  of  
invasive  species  in  Virginia?  

How  can  we  manage  

Where  are  they  located  in  
How  do  we  identify  invasive     them?  
organisms  and  determine   Virginia?  
What  are  their  effects?    

how  they  spread  and  grow.  

 
Where  are  the  habitats  of  
What  are  the  positive  and  
native  and  invasive  species?  
negative  impacts?  Niches,   How  are  they  monitored?  
What  are  invasive  plants  and   Niche,  populations,  
habitats,  flow  of  energy  SOL  4.5   Human  Influences  SOL  4.5  
animals?     communities,  ecosystems  
SOL4.5  b,c  

What  are  native  plants  and   Why  should  we  care?  

How  did  invasive  species  get  
animals?  Virginia  Resources  
here?  Migration  SOL4.5   How  can  we  get  rid  of  them?  
SOL4.9b  
Human  Influences  SOL  4.5  

Did  invasive  organisms  come  

How  do  invasive  plants  grow?   naturally  or  were  they   Are  they  causing  problems  
Photosynthesis  SOL  4.4a,c   brought  here?  Human   in  our  streams?  
influence  SOL  4.5   Watershed  SOL  4.9   Do  they  have  natural  
predators?  Food  
How  do  invasive  plants  reproduce   chains/webs  SOL  4.5  
What  adaptations  do  they  
and  spread?  Pollination,     have  that  allows  them  to  
structure,  Dormancy  SOL  4.4a,b,c   thrive  in  Virginia?  
What  resources  does  Virginia  
Adaptations  SOL  4.5  
have  to  resolve  these  
problems?  VAresources  SOL  
Does  each  region  have  specific  
4.9  
resources  that  attracts  or  repels  these  
organisms?  VA  resources  SOL  4.9  
 031

Problem-Based Learning Unit

Virginia Watersheds
Grade 6 - Water and Matter

Developed by
Hilda Tate Claire Guzinski
Carroll County Middle School Stonewall Jackson Middle School

Teri Blankenship Kevin Agee

Andrew Lewis Middle School Stonewall Jackson Middle School

Innovating Science Education Across Virginia

[Link]
 032

Unit Overview
topic
Water & Living Systems

Theme
Human Impact on Water and Living Systems

Scenarios (This unit has multiple scenarios based on location)

1. Because of easy access to I-77 Carroll County has been selected as a proposed site
for the Southwest Virginia Regional Landfill. Where in Carroll County could this landfill
be built that would mitigate the effect on the New River Watershed? You are to present
your findings to Carroll County Supervisors on the cost/benefits of facility.

2. The city of Roanoke is considering the construction of a new reservoir to serve the SE
community. The proposed location of the new reservoir is beside the Roanoke River on
what used to be an Indian Settlement. You have been tasked to assess the impact of this
project on the community, and develop a cost/benefit analysis. You will present your
findings to the town council.

Problem Question
How can we mitigate the effects of human activity on the community and Virginia water-
sheds?

Student Role
Student Environmental Scientists with the Southwest Virginia Water Authority

Culminating Activity
Develop a report for the County Board of Supervisors. Your report could include pres-
entations, project demonstrations, videos, interviews, debates and other forms of com-
munication to address the pros and cons of this landfill or reservoir project.
 033

Unit Background
This 5-9 week unit was created for 6th grade classrooms to address VA standards 6.1, 6.4, 6.5, 6.7, and 6.9 on
water and matter. The scenario and problem question for this unit are focused around developing strategies
to mitigate the impact of human activity on Virginia watersheds from either landfill or reservoir develop-
ment. This unit has two scenerio options that will both work for the same unit. This is an example of modify-
ing scenarios to appropriately fit your particular location. As students work through the selected scenerio a
number of other questions will be addressed to help them develop their ideas and mitigation plans.

First, students will learn about the basics of water, watersheds, and water quality testing.
Lesson 1: Student will experiment with atom builders to understand the different elements, molecular at-
tractions, and solvent characteristics of water.
Lesson 2: Students will learn and experiment with water quality testing and use this knowledge to conduct
water quality analyses in the field.
Lesson 3: Students will explore watersheds and where the water comes from?
Next, students will explore the environmental impacts of this reservoir/landfill project.
Lesson 4: Students will analyze and experiment with landfill/reservoir designs and their potential impact on
the physical and chemical characteristics of the watershed system.
Lesson 5: Students will explore what organisms will be affected by the development of the landfill/reservoir
and investigate how these organisms will potentially be affected by the development.
Lesson 6: Students will explore the topography of the region to determine potential locations for develop-
ment that would mitigate the impact on the environent.
Next, students will explore the economic impacts of the project.
Lesson 7: Students will research budgets for developing this project and identify organizations to complete
the construction.
Lesson 8: Students will experiment with economic methods for filtering water associated with project.
Lesson 9: Students will research and debate/discourse to determine how the city/county will pay for the
project and how the money that will be generated be used.
Finally, students will explore the cultural/community impacts of the project.
Lesson 10: Students will investigate any potential impacts on the community that the development of the
project may create or affect throughout the project and after its creation.
Lesson 11: Using all of their research and experimental data, they will develop a plan to minimize the impact
of the development of the landfill/reservoir.

Unit Resources
VA Dept. of Recreation & Conservation: [Link]
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: [Link]
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries:
[Link]
[Link]
 034

Set
B
Water & Matter Question Map

activity

methods
differentiation

modification

for
understanding
 035

Designing Lesson Plans

Once the question map is completed, you can begin working on the
lesson plans for the PBL unit. Each lesson plan in a PBL unit is associated
with a particular level 3 question or set of questions from the map already
Set up Lesson created, and enough lessons are needed to address all of the the level 3
Background questions developed.

When developing your

lessons, start by outlining the
background of the lesson. This
includes the level 3 questions
being addressed, the standards,
and aspects of the overall lesson.
Determine Once the content is determined,
activity Plans identify any student misconcep-
tions that may be brought to the
classroom while studying these
topics. Note that there are many
online resources which have lists
of common misconceptions for particular content areas. It is extremely
helpful to be conscious of the types of misconceptions your students may
bring into the classroom before you begin instruction in order to address
Identify these at the appropriate times throughout the lesson. You will also want
to consider any safety concerns of which you will need to be aware while
methods of working on this topic, although this may be easier to determine once all of
differentiation the activities are planned.
and Ell Once the basics of the lesson are determined, identify the set of
modification activities you will use to conduct the lesson. Within each activity, deter-
mine the time and materials you will need to conduct the lesson. Next,
determine some basic guiding questions that can be used to drive instruc-
tion on this topic. Guiding questions are ideally prepared ahead of time
and are developed with the consideration of specific forms of scientific
discourse during their development, based on the topic being studied.
Plan method Furthermore, throughout your activity plans, it is important to include
these guiding questions at the appropriate places in the plan so you can
to check effectively use them when needed.
for student
For each activity, you will also want to determine appropriate
understanding methods of differentiation to assist all learners for each activity. Then, as
a final component, determine how you will check or assess for student
understanding during each activity. Remember to utilize both informal and
formal forms of assessments and checks for understanding throughout any
particular lesson.

[Link]
 036
DRAFT
Lesson Plan Components
Lesson Background
Unit Title: Title of your PBL unit
Level 3 Question(s) Addressed: Which question(s) on your question map will this lesson address?
Date(s): Dates or time frame in which it will be implemented
Content Standard(s): NOS Aspects(s):
Which content standards does this lesson address? Which Nature of Science (NOS) aspects will this
lesson address?

Misconception(s) to Address in this Lesson: What misconceptions may your students have before, dur-
ing, and after this lesson that you should be aware of before starting this lesson?
Safety Concern(s) in this Lesson: Are there any safety concerns that you and your students should be
aware of while working on this lesson?

Activities
#1 Title of Activity
Time Approximate time needed to complete activity
Materials Materials needed to prepare for activity
Guiding If needed, prepare a series of questions which will promote appropriate discussion and
Questions discourse based on the level 3 question(s), standards, and tenets of the lesson
Develop the order of events for this activity
Plan Include guiding questions previously developed that are applicable for each section of
the plan
Identify anticipated student responses for each guiding question
Differentiation Determine methods of differentiation for this activity
ELL Modification Identify any activity modifications that will help these students meet the objectives
Check for Decide how you will check in with the students during this activity to monitor their
Understanding understanding

#2 Title of Activity
Time Approximate time needed to complete activity
Materials Materials needed to prepare for activity
Guiding Prepare a series of questions which will promote appropriate discussion and discourse
Questions based on the objectives, standards, and tenets of the lesson
Develop the order of events for this activity
Plan Include guiding questions previously developed that are applicable for each section of
the plan
Identify some anticipated student responses for each guiding question
Differentiation Determine methods of differentiation for this activity
ELL Modification Identify any activity modifications that will help these students meet the objectives
Check for Decide how you will check in with the students during this activity to monitor their
Understanding understanding
 Team Action Plan Scaffolding for Students

What do you What do you Where or how Who is

think you know? need to know? will you find responsible?
out?
 DRAFT
Safety Plan for Conduc
What is our
question? What data do we need? What is our procedure?
ducting Experiments
What are the risks How do we prevent How do we handle
to students and safety mishaps? safety mishaps?
teachers?
 DRAFT

ABOUT VISTA
The Virginia Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement (VISTA) is a statewide
partnership among 60+ Virginia school districts, six Virginia universities, and the Virginia
Department of Education.

Its goal is to translate research-based best teaching practices into improved science
teaching and student learning for all students at all levels. VISTA investigators are
researching what elements best support teachers as they help students learn. The
initiative is also working to build a community of practice across the Commonwealth.
VISTA is funded by a five-year, $34 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education
through the Investing in Innovation (i3) program, which includes a $5.7 million private
sector matching requirement.

. .
[Link] [Link]/vistascience [Link]/vistascience