Project-Approach to Literacy and Civic Engagement (PLACE) Project

Overview

PLACE is a second-grade Project Based Learning program that integrates social studies and content literacy. Led by principal investigators Dr. Nell Duke from the University of Michigan and Dr. Anne-Lise Halvorsen from Michigan State University, this partnership allowed for the scale-up of rigorous research to examine whether the project-based pedagogy helps teachers significantly narrow the achievement gap between low-income students and those in more affluent school communities.

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Nell Duke from the University of Michigan and Dr. Anne-Lise Halvorsen from Michigan State University

Year of Funding:

2014-2015

Curriculum

The Project PLACE curriculum consists of four project-based units, designed for second-grade students. Each unit focuses on social studies and informational reading and writing. The projects in each unit were designed to address nearly all Michigan second-grade standards in social studies and many Common Core State Standards for informational reading and informational writing.

The first unit, Economics, teaches students economic concepts and content literacy skills. The ultimate goal of their project is to sell their own goods or services to their school community. Students begin by studying some key economics concepts, the resources needed to produce goods and services, the means of distributing goods/services, and the market for those goods or services. Through the unit’s writing experiences, students develop their knowledge of persuasive and informative/explanatory text.

In the second unit, Geography, each student creates their own brochure that includes a map of several student-selected human and natural characteristics of the local community. Through the study of their community, students learn about the geographical concepts of human and natural characteristics, the ways humans affect the natural environment, cultural diversity, movement, and urban/suburban/rural environments. During the course of the project, as students create a detailed map of their community, they also develop skills in map construction and map reading. Through developing the brochure, students develop their skills in reading informative/explanatory text and their skills in writing persuasive text.

In the third unit, History, each student creates a set of historical postcards about the local community that could be sold, displayed in the community, or given to community members. In the course of the project, students learn historical content and historical thinking skills by studying the following aspects of life in the history of their community. Students learn how to “do the work” of historians: how to create and interpret a timeline and how historians make sense of the past through the examination and analysis of sources. In doing so, students develop an understanding of point of view/perspective, and how point of view/perspective influences the ways in which people interpret events.

In the fourth unit, Civics and Government, students write a proposal to improve a local park or public space in ways that enhance its value for community members. Students create and deliver a persuasive multimedia presentation for a local governmental official. During the unit, students learn about the purposes of government and about the responsibilities of both citizens and the local government. They read informational texts about civic leaders and the responsibilities of the local government. Students develop their writing skills and their public speaking skills and expand their use of technology as a medium of research and communication. In summary, students learn through the project that—and how—they can play an active role in improving their local community.

Related Publications

The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Social Studies and Literacy Learning in Low-Income Schools

Brief based on the following paper:

Duke, N.K., Halvorsen, A-L., Strachan, S.L., Kim, J., & Konstantopoulos, S. (June 2020). Putting PjBL to the Test: The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Second Graders’ Social Studies and Literacy Learning and Motivation in Low-SES School Settings. American Educational Research Journal. doi.org/10.3102/0002831220929638

This brief describes the findings of a study into the effects of a project-based learning (PBL) social studies curriculum, Project PLACE, on social studies and literacy achievement among second graders in low-income communities. The study by University of Michigan and Michigan State researchers found the PBL curriculum led to gains in social studies and informational reading. Students using the curriculum experienced a 63-percent gain in social studies learning, translating to five to six months of increased learning. The approach resulted in a 23-percent gain in informational reading, or an additional two months of learning for the year.

Project PLACE calls for a combination of teacher-led and student-led activities all driven by authentic purpose. An important contribution of the study is that it makes the case for the benefits of PBL in high-poverty schools. Research has shown students in low-income schools have fewer opportunities than more privileged students to engage in inquiry-based, student-directed activities.

Putting PjBL to the Test: The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Second Graders’ Social Studies and Literacy Learning and Motivation in Low-SES School Settings

Duke, N. K., Halvorsen, A., Strachan, S. L., Kim, J., & Konstantopoulos, S. (2020). Putting PjBL to the Test: The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Second Graders’ Social Studies and Literacy Learning and Motivation in Low-SES School Settings. American Educational Research Journal.

This cluster randomized controlled trial investigated the impact of project-based learning with professional development supports on social studies and literacy achievement and motivation of second grade students from low–socioeconomic status school districts.

Project-Based Learning in Primary-Grade Social Studies

Halvorsen, A.-L., Duke, N. K., & Strachan, S. L. (2019). Project-Based Learning in Primary-Grade Social Studies. Social Education, 83(1), 58-62.

This journal article examines how PBL impacts early elementary social studies education, specifically the ways in which project-based learning helped reduce the achievement gap and improve student engagement with the curriculum.

Engaging the Community With a Project-Based Approach

Halvorsen, A.-L., Duke, N. K., Strachan, S. L., & Johnson, C. M. (2018). Engaging the Community With a Project-Based Approach. Social Education, 82(1), 24–29.

This journal article discusses the pedagogical approach and benefits of Project PLACE, a Michigan-based project-based learning (PBL) initiative that examined the impact of a PBL curriculum on a group of second-grade social studies students, and how community involvement impacts classroom experience.

Project-Based Learning Not Just for Stem Anymore

Duke, N.K., Halvorsen A-L., & Strachan, S. L. (2016). Project-based learning not just for STEM anymore. Phi Delta Kappan, 98 (1).

The popularity of project-based learning has been driven in part by a growing number of STEM schools and programs. But STEM subjects are not the only fertile ground for project based learning. Social studies and literacy content, too, can be adapted into PBL units to benefit teaching and learning, the authors argue.

Project-Based Instruction: A Great Match for Informational Texts

Duke, N.K. (2016). Project-Based Instruction: A Great Match for Informational Texts. American Educator, 40 (3).

Research increasingly shows that project-based approaches-in which students build something, create something, solve a real problem or address a real need- improve students' knowledge and skills.