The first unit in the ML-PBL curriculum has earned the High Quality NGSS Design Badge from NextGenScience.org, the independent body that supports dissemination and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards across the U.S. The NGSS Design Badge recognizes top-rated science units that are designed from the ground up to help students meet the challenges of the new standards. The award is given only after detailed analysis by an independent review panel. The ML-PBL project earned the award for the first of its project-based units in the 3rd grade curriculum.
In this ML-PBL 3rd Grade unit, students explore the question: Why do I see so many squirrels, but I can’t find any stegosauruses? Students observe squirrels in their community, plan and conduct investigations, and develop models to explain how the squirrels interact with other organisms in their environment to meet their needs for survival. Students create a model to explain that, as the environment has changed, some animals (e.g., mammals) were able to adapt and survive, while others (e.g., dinosaurs) died out.
NGSS Design Badge
Awarded: Aug 25, 2020
Awarded To:Why Do I See So Many Squirrels, but I Can't Find Any Stegosauruses?