Each book in the 10 Performance-Based Projects series provides 10 ready-made projects designed to help students achieve higher levels of thinking and develop 21st-century skills. Projects are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards, allowing students to explore and be creative as well as gain enduring understanding. Each project represents a type of performance assessment, including portfolios, oral presentations, research papers, and exhibitions. Included for each project is a suggested calendar to allow teacher scheduling, mini-lessons that allow students to build capacity and gain understanding, as well as multiple rubrics to objectively assess student performance. The lessons are presented in an easy-to-follow format, enabling teachers to implement projects immediately.

Grades 3–5

Webinar on Project-Based Learning

Project-Based Learning for Gifted Students from Prufrock Press on Vimeo.

10 Performance-Based Projects for the Science Classroom is very teacher friendly with pacing guides and pre-made rubrics.  The topics are engaging and promote student led learning. Research skills are taught and reinforced through well designed projects aligned to Next Generation Standards. 

The topics are high interest, it is organized well in a teacher-friendly way, the timelines are useful when planning, and the rubrics are detailed.

Each project is laid out step-by-step and follows the scientific method.  There are suggestions for research, data collection, products, peer review and teacher evaluation.  This is an excellent resource for teachers who are new to performance-based teaching.  Teachers can also use the lessons as models on how to create their own performance-based projects.  Thank you!