Rockwood School District: Wild Horse Students Research Problems, Innovate Solutions Through Project-Based Learning

Press release from the Rockwood School District:

April 8, 2021

​​For a recent project-based learning assignment, Wild Horse Elementary teacher Jennifer Modica challenged her fourth-grade students to look deeply into ​issues facing their communities and come up with possible solutions.She was pleasantly surprised with the interest and enthusiasm the students showed for the task."I
have never seen them more engaged," Modica said. "They were so passionate and meeting outside of school to do this. They really appreciate
the fact that we’re doing this, and they feel like they’re world-changers.”​After brainstorming around 20 ideas for projects, Modica divided the students into groups researching homelessness, helping underprivileged children afford to play sports, stray dog rescues and improving air quality.​ Over about a month, the students looked into the scope of these issues in the St. Louis area and came up with ways to help the situation. Soon, parents in the class started offering to donate to their students' causes.​​On Thursday, April 1, each group presented their project to an audience of their classmates -- both in person and at home -- and a number of parents joining in via Zoom. One group came up with the idea of​ necessities kits that they could collect for homeless support groups, and another proposed a "Get a Bag" program to collect sports equipment for students whose families couldn't afford their own. A group of at-home students researching stray dog rescues even developed a 3D prototype of a collar and bracelet set that would use GPS to connect a dog and its owner.After the presentations, donations that the students collected were delivered to a local homeless support group and stray rescue shelter."The students were
the ones who really took lead and grew their passion for it," Modica said. "They
saw that this was like their persuasive writing unit, except they were actually going to
follow through on their ideas. Project-based
learning is a way to get the kids engaged and passionate about their learning.
I’m really excited for them.”

​​For a recent project-based learning assignment, Wild Horse Elementary teacher Jennifer Modica challenged her fourth-grade students to look deeply into ​issues facing their communities and come up with possible solutions.She was pleasantly surprised with the interest and enthusiasm the students showed for the task."I
have never seen them more engaged," Modica said. "They were so passionate and meeting outside of school to do this. They really appreciate
the fact that we’re doing this, and they feel like they’re world-changers.”​After brainstorming around 20 ideas for projects, Modica divided the students into groups researching homelessness, helping underprivileged children afford to play sports, stray dog rescues and improving air quality.​ Over about a month, the students looked into the scope of these issues in the St. Louis area and came up with ways to help the situation. Soon, parents in the class started offering to donate to their students' causes.​​On Thursday, April 1, each group presented their project to an audience of their classmates -- both in person and at home -- and a number of parents joining in via Zoom. One group came up with the idea of​ necessities kits that they could collect for homeless support groups, and another proposed a "Get a Bag" program to collect sports equipment for students whose families couldn't afford their own. A group of at-home students researching stray dog rescues even developed a 3D prototype of a collar and bracelet set that would use GPS to connect a dog and its owner.After the presentations, donations that the students collected were delivered to a local homeless support group and stray rescue shelter."The students were
the ones who really took lead and grew their passion for it," Modica said. "They
saw that this was like their persuasive writing unit, except they were actually going to
follow through on their ideas. Project-based
learning is a way to get the kids engaged and passionate about their learning.
I’m really excited for them.”

This press release was produced by the Rockwood School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.