free resource for grades 3-5

Project-based Learning
Back to School

introduce your students to PBL!

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©2014 Performing in Educa5on, LLC
 Need Help?
If you need help implementing part of
this project in your classroom, or are
having a technical issue, please e-mail me
at: april@performingineducation.com.

Terms of Use
Downloading this product entitles the purchaser the right to
reproduce the pages for one classroom use only. You may share this
file with other teachers by giving them the following download link:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-
Math-Project-Based-Learning-4th-5th-6th-1323544

Copying any part of this product or placing it on the internet in any

form is strictly forbidden and is a violation of the Digital Millennium
Copyright Act (DCMA). Please do not upload this resource to your
class or district website.

©2014 Performing in Educa5on, LLC

Fonts & clipart included in this product provided by:

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Teacher Guide
Directions for all parts of this resource
Before Beginning
Read up on the elements of project-based learning here. You will need to encourage in-depth inquiry within
this project, as well as provide opportunities for critique and revision. Use this project as a way to teach
the procedures for project-based learning.

Elements of Project-Based Learning:

http://performingineducation.com/bring-excitement-math-block-project-based-learning
Classroom Management & Procedures:
http://performingineducation.com/2015/06/classroom-management-and-project-based-learning.html
Resources for grades 2-6: http://performingineducation.com/pbl

Standards & Skills

•  Organization
•  Graphing
•  Critical Thinking Skills
•  Multiplication
•  Critique & Revision

Process
Part 1: Have your students work together to create a list of every student in your class. This is a great
way to help your students get to know each other. Have them neatly write the names on the clipboard
page.

Part 2: Have students work in teams to design what their dream classroom would look like. You may want
them to use what is already available in the classroom (like tables and organizers). Have them measure the
desks and tables and graph them on the “Welcome To Our Classroom Page”. I usually have each square
represent 1 sq. ft., but you can have it represent whatever you’d like.

Part 3: Have students label the desks to create a seating chart on the layout they made in part 2. Have
them answer the reflection question.

Part 4: Have students work in groups to make a supply list. Have them write it on the supply list page. Make
sure that they put the number each student needs next to the supply. Next, have them multiply the item by
how many students in the class. For example, if they put 3 notebooks for each student, then they would
multiply 3 x the number of students to get the total number of the item.

Critique & Revision: Teach students the structure of critique & revision using this page.

Part 5: Have students answer the 3 questions about the class pet on the organizer provided. Next, have
them write a persuasive letter to the teacher convincing him or her to get this pet.

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Back to

project
School

Name:
©2014 Performing in Educa5on, LLC
 Part 1: Class List
Write a list of the students in your class on the clipboard below.

©2014 Performing in Educa5on, LLC 5

 Part 2: Design your classroom
Draw what you want your classroom layout to look like. Make
sure to include:

1.  Enough student desks to seat each student.

2.  The teacher’s desk.
3.  Any doors in your classroom.
4.  Tables for the class pet and other interest areas.
5.  Bookshelves or a reading area.
6.  Anything else you would like to see in your classroom!

Each square on your graph paper equals 1 sq. ft. Measure

your own desk to estimate how big the desks in your
classroom should be.

EXAMPLES
Width=2 ?. A= 10 ?.2

Length=5 ?.
Large Table

Long Bookshelf A= 4
W=2 ?. ?.2 Square desk
Width= 1 ?. A= 3 ?.2
Length=3 ?. L=2 ?.

©2014 Performing in Educa5on, LLC 6

©2014 Performing in Educa5on, LLC

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 Part 3: Seating Chart
Where will the students in your class sit? Use your class list to label
the desks in your classroom layout.

Brian Carla

Reflection
When you created your seating chart, how did you decide where you want each student
to sit? What seat did you choose for yourself and why?

©2014 Performing in Educa5on, LLC 8

 Part 4: supply list
Create a list of the supplies students will need this school year.

Supply List

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 Part 4: supply list
If each student brings everything on the supply list, how many will
you have of each item?

Number of Total Number of

Item
Students in Class Item

©2014 Performing in Educa5on, LLC 10

 Critique & Revision
Trade your supply list table with a partner.
Do the math that your partner did to check

Ma t h their accuracy. If you find an error, help

your partner correct it. Next, ask your

C h ec k partner for other feedback on your work

so far.

Why is it important to revise your work? When should you

revise?

©2014 Performing in Educa5on, LLC 11

 part 5: class pet
What type of pet should your class have? Draw a picture and
write a letter to your teacher convincing him or her to let your
class have this pet.

Ask yourself the following questions before you write:

1.  What is interesting about this pet that the other students in the
class will enjoy?
2.  What reasons would the teacher want to hear the most?
3.  How can you make getting this pet easy for your teacher?

©2014 Performing in Educa5on, LLC 12

 pbl resources
What’s included in my paid project-based learning resources?
•  A teacher guide that helps you implement
each part of the PBL.
•  Standard-aligned activities.
•  Detailed student organizers for each process.
•  High-interest, real-world scenarios. Many
include business skills!

2nd Grade PBL 5th Grade PBL

3rd Grade PBL 6th Grade PBL

4th Grade PBL multi-grade PBL

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