Designing and planning your first (or second or third) project can definitely be a challenging prospect. It takes time and intention to figure out how to expand learning beyond the walls of the classroom, involve experts in the field, and mimic the work adults do in the world outside of school. Choosing the right content around which to build a project is essential in order for deeper learning to occur. Consider the standards identified by a 3rd grade teaching team as the basis for an upcoming social studies project:

• Identify the three branches of state government and the powers of each.
• Distinguish between roles of state and local government.
• Identify the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.