Students will work in small groups to research one of the following topics:
- Healthcare access
- Neighborhood walkability
- Park and greenspace access
- Water quality and access
- Crime & public safety
- Internet access
- Public transportation access
Then they will produce an infographic detailing their findings about the root causes of the inequity, steps that have been taken to address the problem, and what they feel would be the best solution for a community looking to be more just in its access.
| Authors | Subject/Course | Grade | Duration |
| Emmanuel Davis Lipscomb and Monica Perdomo | ELA English I Honors | 9th | 2.5 weeks |
- Standards
- Success Skills
- Driving Questions
- Products
- Materials and Resources
- Reflection Method
- Checkpoints/Formative Assessments
- Instructional Strategies for All Learners
- PBL Download
Standards
Key Knowledge and Understanding
W.9-10.5 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
W.9-10.6: Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. Research Writing (Annotated Bibliography and Research Paper)
Specific Content and Competencies to be Assessed
W.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
W.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
W.8: Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Success Skills
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
- Students must use problem-solving skills to draft possible solutions to these societal inequities.
Self-Management
- Teachers facilitate student work-time, but students make the content decisions.
Collaboration
- Students are working in groups to research the inequity, create possible solutions, and design the infographic to present their information.
Driving Questions
- How do resource inequities affect communities?
- What are possible solutions to these inequities?
Products
Individual
- Topic preliminary research log (to share with group eventually)
Team
- Infographic
Products will be shared with a city planner who will evaluate their feasibility and offer feedback on their findings.
Materials and Resources
- Media Specialist
- Chromebooks
- How to design a PBL
- Infographic examples
- Local policy analyst
- Local city planner or grad student
Reflection Method
- Students will have a fishbowl discussion about how to design a community with these inequities in mind.
- Students will complete a survey about their individual performance/work.
- Peer feedback protocol (assessing another group’s infographic).
Checkpoints/Formative Assessments
- Peer evaluation
- Infographic reflection
- Individual research log
Instructional Strategies for All Learners
PBL Download
Download a PDF of this PBL unit.