(These dates are still under construction. Please pardon us– as I’ve left the old information up for your reference as we are rebuilding these pages.)
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At the end of the year, each upper grade student makes a “Personal Learning Plan” and becomes their “own department”. Students get to choose a topic that they would like to become an expert on. This is their PLP or Personal Learning Project. Students must be independent self-directed learners to do their own research, do a creative project, and write a written report. Then they will teach the rest of their elementary peers what they have learned giving an oral presentation. Students use some of the skills they have developed from their department work all year in completing their own project.
If you need any extra copies of the handouts you can download the pdf files here:
personal_learning_project-brainstorm1
personal_learning-project-brainstorm.2
Personal_learning_project-brainstorm.3
plp-research worksheet
PLP writing project checklist
plp-rubric
plp_thesis worksheet
Examples of Thesis Statements
How to Write an Outline for your PLP
plp_introduction
plp_sub-topic
plp_conclusion
PLP 2012 Timeline
PLP Parent Letter2012
Have fun!
-Gingerlily
May 2012
Dear Families,
As students now should all have books and are doing independent research for their Personal Learning Projects (PLP), we wanted to give everyone a sense of the timeline. Your children have chosen their topic and will continue their study for the next weeks towards producing their final project, which consists of the written report – due July 9th-13th, a creative project – due July 13th, and the oral presentation – July TBA (16th – 18th). In Departments, students have had opportunities and experiences in the skills and processes that they will need to complete this independent learning assignment. However there are many things you can do at home to help them be more successful.
Students have chosen their area of focus and should be gathering research and information these weeks. Continue to talk with your children at home about their interest area, and discuss the availability of resources towards their study. Book selections are quite limited at school, so it will be helpful for your children if you can take them to the library and book stores, gather information through newspapers and magazines, visit museums, and find experts to interview. Please have your children bring their research materials and notes to school so they can use them for their quiet activity during our testing days, June 4th-8th. Students are also expected to bring their flashdrive and PLP materials to school and back home to type in their notes and be able to continue work in both places.
Students will receive a PLP packet to help them complete their project after testing in their Language Arts class, but you may also download a copy for them beforehand if that is helpful. Please make sure you take some time to review the packet with your child at home on a regular basis. The packet contains a template to help them with the final Writing Project – which they will also be working on during Language Arts time in school from June 25th- July 13th. There is also the checklist for the final Writing Project and PLP Writing Rubric in their packet.
Begin to discuss the Creative Project (poster board, diorama, models, digital presentation, etc) and make a list of some of the ideas you generate together. As your children hone in on their area of interest, this list will be useful to begin work on the Creative Project. Students should also start to collect the materials they may need to complete the project. Students should begin working on their projects at home. They will have some rotation/department time to work on the final aspects of their Creative Projects in July, so please help them to organize their materials so they can bring them to school to work on.
Towards the end of the project, students will be getting ready for their Oral Presentation. You can help your children by listening to them practice their speeches, and encourage their growth in presentation skills.
The PLPs are a wonderful learning project that students have been looking forward to all year. We thank you for your interest and participation in your children’s learning. All in all, we expect this to be a memorable growing and learning experience for everyone.
Sincerely,
The Museum School Elementary Team
