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LEARNING COMES ALIVE IN PROJECT-BASED LEARNING LEARNING COMES ALIVE IN PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Project-based learning (PBL) is a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively explore real-world problems, challenges, and issues and acquire
a deeper knowledge. Students work on a project or presentation over an extended period of time. As a result, students develop deep content knowledge
as well as critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills in the context of doing an authentic, meaningful project. The Middle School Haggadah is the culmination of a collaborative effort of sixth through eighth grade students
and their teachers that allows students to prepare for Pesach as they research the Haggadah and add their own
voice to the Seder discussion, making the entire Seder experience a personal and tangible one.

The junior class at RKYHS had the opportunity to have a mock tour of Israel “visiting”
different areas while learning relevant history, complex grammar, vocabulary terms and
using interactive media. In preparation for Israel’s 70th birthday, they researched Israeli
inventions. Student groups then had to develop an invention to improve people’s lives in
Israel, creating a business proposal of their product. On Yom Ha’atzmaut, the entire grade
displayed and presented their projects for the whole school to experience.

All grades at RKYHS worked on a PBL unit that focused on two subjects - the 10 makkot (plagues)
in Ancient Egypt and contemporary experiences that allow us to experience God in the natural world.
Pre-K immersed themselves in a year- long cross-curricular unit on animals and their Students exhibited their learning at a special “museum“ with projects ranging from models of the
habitats. Each week, they took an in-depth look at a new animal that corresponded
First and fifth graders partnered with JNF for a project that taught the importance of human body and virtual reality experiences of nature, to personal siddurim that depict ways of
trees—students created an advertising campaign, raised money to plant trees in Israel, with their letter of the week using a KWL chart - what they already Know about communicating with Hashem to computer programs that reenacted the experience of the makkot, and
and determined the finances and computations in math classes. the animal, what they Want to know, and what they have Learned. Each student much more.
created their own habitat for that animal using different types of art techniques.
Throughout the year, they continuously compared and contrasted the different
animals using charting and classifying activities.

After reading the book Fish in a Tree
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, all seventh
grade students participated in an RKYHS students participated in a cross-curricular Theme Day with a focus to “Protect
exciting “Book Day” full of activities and Preserve” our earth. Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, a world-renowned Jewish thinker was
created to highlight the book’s cen- the keynote speaker. He discussed the ethical and theological perspectives of man’s
tral theme: to embrace one’s unique relationship with and responsibility to protect nature and the world. Students then
traits and find the value in personal participated in dynamic sessions with esteemed guest speakers and RKYHS faculty that
qualities that students may not discussed Nature in Poetry, Biblical Allusions to Nature, Renewable Energy, Meteorology
Students in fourth grade researched an assigned Native American tribe, creating a have realized could actually be and Global Warming, and Environmental Law. Students also had the hands-on opportu-
brochure using online research and books. They researched food, economy, geography, strengths. Students participated nity to make cheese and butter with Hazon, an organization focused on creating a more
shelter, important leaders, and relationship with European settlers for each tribe, then in an “Escape the Room” activity, sustainable Jewish community and world.
created a project to demonstrate their understanding of their tribe creating artifacts, writing exercises, charades, and
posters, powerpoints, and 3-D dioramas. All parts of the Native American projects were moderated analytical discussions.
displayed when fourth grade students presented their projects to the second and third Students looked at the novel from
graders. many different angles, concluding
6 that our perceived weaknesses are often, in fact, our most valuable assets. 7