by Rob Carey
TeachNOW Cohort 14
Project Objective:
The Project Unit is titled Adventure Challenge. It is Project Based Learning Unit that I adapted from the ‘Adventure Challenge Planner’ by Andrew Vasily. Understanding that solving problems with others involves communication, perseverance, teamwork, and an open mind.
Grade Level:
Upper Elementary School Physical Education Class (Grade 5 or 6)
Project Description:
Adventure Challenge is a 6-week project where students work together in small and large teams to solve physical challenges. Students will be challenged individually with their own communication and open mindedness. Students will also be challenged as a group to complete adventures and compete against each other.
Students will need to demonstrate teamwork skills, as they will always be working in groups. Conflict is sure to arise and they will develop plans to communicate and share ideas. In order to successfully complete the adventure challenges, students must persevere through difficult moments.
Several of the adventure challenge games/activities require one or more team members to be blind folded. Another teammate is only allowed to speak to them to help accomplish the challenge. No touching is allowed. For example: Untangle Rope Activity. In this activity, there is a team of four students and everyone is blindfolded. A rope is tangled up in the center of the gym. Students must find the rope, untangle it, and form it in the shape of a square. Once they think they have completed the challenge, they call over a teacher. The teacher asks one person to remove their blindfold and assess if the formation on the ground is a square or not. If not, then that un-blindfolded person verbally guides their team to complete the challenge.
Over the 6-week project students solve a variety of adventure challenges and for each challenge there are discussions before and after to reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Students are asked about their communication, open mindedness, teamwork and perseverance.
Project Rubric
Monitoring and Feedback Plan
Reference:
Vasily, A. (n.d.). An Example PYP PE Planner. Retrieved January 11, 2020, from https://www.pyppewithandy.com/an-example-pyp-pe-planner.html.