This PBL activity is designed for 2nd grade phonics/ESL students

1. By Your Name
Project Based Learning using Going Places by Peter &
Paul Reynolds
By: Jordan Gurganus

2. Introduction:
● This PBL lesson is centered around the children’s book Going Places.

3. Going Places Synopsis:
Maya’s teacher decides to create a go-cart competition for the class. Students will build a go-
cart, race it and see who wins.
Each kid is given an identical kit to create their go-cart with a picture of an example go-cart.
Everyone but Maya scrambles to copy the picture and build the go-cart. She sure doesn’t
seem to be in a hurry...and her go-cart sure doesn’t look like anybody else’s go-cart!
But who said it had to be a go-cart? And who said there’s only one way to cross the finish line?
This story encourages thinking outside of the box being different from everyone else.

5. Learning Outcomes
● Students will read the book Going Places by Peter and Paul Reynolds
● Students will work in groups to complete a blueprint for their “go-cart/thing”
● Students will create their “go-cart/thing” will their group
● Students will present their “go-cart/thing” to the other groups in class

6. Skills Used
● Skimming and reading for gist
● Reading and listening for comprehension
● Using context clues to find meaning
● Collaboration and teamwork skills
● Brainstorming skills
● Reflection skills
Reading skills:
Social skills:
STEM skills:
● Engineering and designing
● Creativity
● Trial and error

7. Stage 1:
40 minute class
1. Teacher sets the context by having students look at the
cover and pictures to make predictions about the book.
2. Teacher puts students in pairs. Each pair is given a book.
They will have 15 minutes to look through and skim the
book.
3. The teacher brings the class back together and ask them
what they saw in the book.
4. The whole gathers together in the reading corner so that
they can see and hear the teacher.
5. The teacher leads a read aloud. The teacher asks
comprehension questions after every 1 or 2 pages to be
sure that students are following the story.
6. The teacher wraps up the book by putting the students in
groups. Each group is asked to discuss how Maya’s go-cart
was from her classmates. Why was this a good thing?
7. Final wrap-up: The teacher elicits that Maya’s go-cart was
unique and special because she was creative and used her
own ideas. Class discusses how this is a good thing.

8. 1. Teacher gives each student an identical kit and a
picture of a go-cart. (Kit will include popsicle
sticks, balloons, glue, paper, paperclip, pencils,
rubber bands, and bottle caps. The instructions
will be vague so that students can be as creative
as they want to be
2. Students are put into groups of 3 and given the
entire period to play around with their
materials. The teacher will encourage students
to draw a blueprint for their “thing” first
3. Before dismissing class, the teacher points out
that students are allowed to bring in any extra
materials they think they could use in the next
class.
STAGE 2:40 minutes

9. 1. Students have 10 minutes to make any final
touches to their project
2. Each group presents their blueprint and
creation to the class.
3. The whole class has a race with their creations
STAGE 3:40 minutes

10. 1. The teacher presents each group with an award
(fastest, most creative, etc.)
2. Students go back to their groups and have
minutes to reflect on how they did with the
project. They will be given a set of discussion
questions:
a. Did your group do a good job working
together?
b. What was the most difficult part about
this project?
c. How would you change your project if
you did it again?
d. How is your project different from the
other groups’?
STAGE 4:40 minutes

11. Lessons Learned:
● Students will infer deeper meaning from a text and be encouraged to use critical thinking
skills to analyze Maya’s story
● Students will work together to come up with an original and creative idea for a go-cart
● Students will think critically about their own work and discuss what changes they could make
to improve their work

12. Resources:
Mergendoller, J., & Larmer, J. (2010, September). Seven_Essentials_for_Project-Based_Learning. Retrieved
September 4, 2017, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/
sept10/vol68/num01/Seven_Essentials_for_Project-Based_Learning.aspx