by TeachThought Staff
In 13 Brilliant Outcomes Of Project-Based Learning, we gave a quick example of project-based learning to illustrate the relationship between learning objectives and the products and artifacts produced by project-based learning.
“As the name implies, project-based learning is simply learning through projects. What is being learned and how that learning is being measured isn’t strictly dictated by the project and any products or artifacts within that project. Rather, the reverse should be true: the desired learning objectives should help dictate the products and artifacts within the project.
For example, instead of wanting students to plan a garden as the core of the project, then deciding which learning objectives and academic standards fit that idea, planning backward–looking first at the learning objectives and academic standards, then brainstorm project ideas and components of that project (audience, purpose, duration, etc.) This can be useful in making sure that in the course of completing the project, they are actually learning what you want them to learn. That is, you can help align the work of the project with the desired learning outcomes and objectives.”
With that in mind, we thought it’d be useful to actually provide some real-world examples of project-based learning (as we’ve done in the past with project-based learning examples in math). They are more or less grade-agnostic though most lend themselves. as stated, more towards late middle and high school.
Obviously, these are just examples of project-based learning but not necessarily examples of how and why these ideas are considered ‘pbl’ why others may not be. For that, we’d have to explain and illustrate different scenarios for each project, then anticipate and annotate the learning process itself–especially in light of specific learning objectives. The difference between projects and project-based learning is a crucial shift and without that shift, these are just ideas for projects.
However, that would be a short book in and of itself and is beyond the scope of our purpose here: to communicate what project-based learning might actually look like–especially in a ‘modern’ world. What actually makes each project idea actually an example of project-based learning depends on how the project is mapped out and planned, what learning is assessed and how, the degree of agency and voice the student is allowed, the period of time over which the ‘project’ is ‘completed,’ and so on. There is, obviously, a lot to consider.
See also What Is Project-Based Learning?
With that mind, here are 65 examples of project-based learning in a modern world with resources and technology available in most communities.
Examples of Project-Based Learning by Grade Level
Kindergarten
1. Our Neighborhood Helpers
Purpose: To Inform
Audience: School community, families
Students create a class book or video showcasing local helpers (e.g., police officers, doctors, sanitation workers), including drawings, interviews, or photos. They share their work during a class event that invites community members to attend and answer questions.
2. How Plants Grow
Purpose: To Explore
Audience: Classmates, visiting parents
Design and maintain a classroom garden, documenting plant growth through observation journals and photos. Students reflect on plant needs and compare the results of different care routines over time.
3. Weather Watchers
Purpose: To Inform
Audience: Other classrooms, school website viewers
Track daily weather and produce a weekly classroom forecast using visuals, charts, and simple meteorology vocabulary. Students may present their reports via video or a shared bulletin board to keep the school updated.
4. All About Me Museum
Purpose: To Create
Audience: Families, peers
Students create personal displays (photos, drawings, and artifacts) to share with classmates and families in a gallery walk format. The event gives students a structured opportunity to build speaking skills and express personal identity.
5. Kindergarten Kindness Project
Purpose: To Contribute
Audience: School staff, students
Plan and carry out small acts of kindness throughout the school and reflect on their impact in a group presentation. Students might clean up shared spaces, write thank-you notes, or make friendship posters to display.
1st Grade
1. Animal Habitats Dioramas
Purpose: To Explain
Audience: Peers, school library visitors
Research a chosen animal and construct a shoebox habitat including labels, written facts, and environmental features. Students explain their diorama to classmates and answer questions about how the animal survives in its ecosystem.
2. Community Map Project
Purpose: To Represent
Audience: Local government, families
Build a 3D model or large mural of the local community and label important buildings and landmarks. Students may walk the neighborhood or use Google Maps to identify structures and propose additions like parks or safety features.
3. The Water Cycle in Action
Purpose: To Demonstrate
Audience: Younger students, classroom guests
Conduct simple experiments to observe evaporation and condensation, then write and illustrate a story from the perspective of a water droplet. Students present their story aloud and build a model to show the full water cycle in action.
4. Our School Recycle Plan
Purpose: To Persuade
Audience: Principal, school custodians, classmates
Investigate waste in the school and design a plan to improve recycling habits, presenting findings to school leaders. Students may develop posters, announcements, or classroom routines to promote recycling behaviors.
Related: 25 Questions To Guide Your Project-Based Learning Planning
5. How We Move
Purpose: To Describe
Audience: Parents, other classrooms
Explore types of transportation, then build models and explain how each one works using basic physics and vocabulary. Students may also categorize vehicles by speed, purpose, or environmental impact.
2nd Grade
1. Invent a New Playground
Purpose: To Design
Audience: PTA, principal, community planners
Use math and persuasive writing to design an inclusive playground, then pitch the idea to school staff or parents. Students may sketch blueprints, build 3D models, and explain how their design supports safe, active play.
2. Life Cycle Experts
Purpose: To Teach
Audience: Kindergarten students, parents
Choose a plant or animal, research its life cycle, and share findings through a live or recorded classroom tour. Students create labeled diagrams and prepare interactive questions for their audience.
3. Living History Museum
Purpose: To Perform
Audience: Families, peers, other grade levels
Portray a historical figure and present in costume with memorized speeches during a museum-style event. Students research their figure’s life and rehearse answers to audience questions in character.
Related: 50+ Tools & Resources For PBL
4. Save the Bees
Purpose: To Advocate
Audience: Local beekeepers, community members
Research the importance of pollinators, then launch a classroom campaign with posters, digital media, or outreach to raise awareness. Students may also plant flowers or write letters to local organizations supporting bee populations.
5. Our Solar System Exhibit
Purpose: To Display
Audience: School families, STEM fair visitors
Create a scaled model of the solar system with student-made planet displays and informational cards. Students host a space-themed walk-through and explain facts about orbit, distance, and planetary features.
Related: Getting Started With Project-Based Learning In Elementary School
3rd Grade
1. State Brochure Project
Purpose: To Inform
Audience: Tourists, classmates, online readers
Research a U.S. state and create a digital or printed travel brochure highlighting landmarks, geography, and cultural facts. Students share their brochures during a “travel fair” to simulate tourism marketing and peer feedback.
2. School Energy Audit
Purpose: To Analyze
Audience: School administrators, maintenance staff
Investigate how much energy the school uses and identify areas for conservation or improvement. Students create reports and present recommendations supported by charts and simple calculations.
Related: What Is Project-Based Learning?
3. Author Study Book Club
Purpose: To Explore
Audience: Peers, school library visitors
Read and analyze multiple books by a single author, then host a “book club” event where students compare themes, styles, and characters. They may also write letters to the author or create a multimedia presentation.
4. Community Land Use Proposal
Purpose: To Design
Audience: City council, neighbors, planners
Design a new community space (e.g., park, garden, playground) and justify the choice with maps, surveys, and visual models. Students simulate a town hall meeting to present and vote on proposals.
5. Native American Culture Showcase
Purpose: To Represent
Audience: Parents, community members
Research a Native American tribe’s traditions, housing, and beliefs, then build artifacts, digital media, or poster exhibits to showcase findings. Projects culminate in a culture night where students guide attendees through displays.
4th Grade
1. Inventor’s Workshop
Purpose: To Create
Audience: STEM fair visitors, engineers, classmates
Identify a problem in everyday life and build a prototype solution using simple materials. Students present their inventions with design sketches, user instructions, and peer testing feedback.
2. Historical Time Capsule
Purpose: To Preserve
Audience: Future students, school community
Choose a historical period and curate artifacts, letters, and objects that reflect its culture and events. Students seal their items in a class capsule to be opened in a future year, adding reflective writing about historical impact.
3. Biome Survival Guide
Purpose: To Explain
Audience: Hikers, explorers, younger students
Research a world biome and create a survival guide that includes flora, fauna, dangers, and how humans adapt. The guide may be published as a booklet or site for other students to use during science units.
4. Local Government Simulation
Purpose: To Simulate
Audience: Classmates, invited officials
Run a mock city council or mayoral election, complete with campaign speeches, voting, and issue debates. Students study real civic processes and apply them to fictional but realistic problems.
5. Renewable Energy Showcase
Purpose: To Advocate
Audience: Parents, science fair judges
Research different renewable energy sources and build working models (solar ovens, wind turbines, etc.). Students explain how each model works and why sustainable energy matters for the future.
Related: Understanding The PBL Process
5th Grade
1. Colonial Life Living Museum
Purpose: To Perform
Audience: Families, peers, community
Research roles from colonial America and present as historical figures in costume during a museum-style event. Students answer questions in character and reflect on differences between colonial and modern life.
2. Ecosystem Documentary
Purpose: To Educate
Audience: Other students, school YouTube channel
Investigate a local or global ecosystem and create a narrated documentary using video footage, animations, and interviews. Students focus on balance, food chains, and environmental threats.
3. The Math of Architecture
Purpose: To Analyze
Audience: Architects, STEM teachers
Study famous structures and analyze the math behind them—angles, symmetry, scale, and area. Students then design their own structure using measurements and geometry concepts.
4. Business Startup Project
Purpose: To Create
Audience: Classmates, parents, guest judges
Design a small business (product or service) and develop marketing materials, pricing, and a budget. Students pitch their business idea in a “Shark Tank” format with optional fundraising or product sale.
Related: Project-Based Learning As A Business Card
5. Global Water Crisis Campaign
Purpose: To Advocate
Audience: Nonprofits, school decision-makers
Research water scarcity in developing nations and launch an awareness campaign. Students may create posters, websites, or host a water walk simulation to build empathy and raise awareness.
6th Grade
1. Ancient Civilizations Interactive Exhibit
Purpose: To Represent
Audience: School museum guests, other classes
Research a major ancient civilization (e.g., Egypt, Mesopotamia, China) and create an interactive display showcasing its culture, innovation, and daily life. Students might include QR codes linking to videos, games, or audio guides.
2. Local Watershed Investigation
Purpose: To Analyze
Audience: Local environmental groups, city officials
Study the local watershed system and collect data on pollution, erosion, or wildlife health. Students collaborate with experts and share their findings in a public forum or community report.
Related: 40 Questions To Ask About Data
3. Identity & Culture Digital Storytelling
Purpose: To Reflect
Audience: Peers, families, future students
Use writing, photography, or video to tell a story about one’s cultural background or personal identity. Students may publish their stories in a digital anthology and reflect on shared values and differences.
4. Food Justice Research Project
Purpose: To Advocate
Audience: Local nonprofits, cafeteria staff, families
Investigate issues related to food insecurity, access, or nutrition in the local community. Students propose realistic solutions such as community gardens, donation drives, or revised school menus.
5. Book Trailer Film Festival
Purpose: To Promote
Audience: School library, student viewers
Choose a novel and produce a 60–90 second video trailer that captures its themes and tone without spoiling the ending. Students host a screening event and vote on categories like “Most Compelling” or “Best Cinematography.”
7th Grade
1. Human Rights Case Study
Purpose: To Investigate
Audience: NGOs, school community
Choose a global or historical human rights issue and research its causes, stakeholders, and outcomes. Students produce multimedia case studies and propose future-facing solutions in a summit-style presentation.
2. Science Mythbusters
Purpose: To Test
Audience: Classmates, science fair attendees
Identify a common science myth (e.g., “goldfish have a 3-second memory”) and use experimentation to prove or disprove it. Students explain the scientific method they used and publish results in poster or video format.
3. Historical Podcast Series
Purpose: To Chronicle
Audience: Podcast listeners, peers, educators
Research a historical era or figure and script a series of short podcast episodes using primary and secondary sources. Students incorporate music, interviews, and historical quotes for narrative engagement.
4. Teen Mental Health Awareness Campaign
Purpose: To Empower
Audience: School staff, peers, mental health advocates
Study teen mental health challenges and design a campaign with tips, resources, and student perspectives. Projects may include posters, PSAs, and a peer support proposal.
Related: Mental Health Resources For Students
5. Microbusiness Economics Challenge
Purpose: To Experiment
Audience: Local entrepreneurs, guest judges
Start and run a microbusiness in teams, tracking income, expenses, and decision-making. Students analyze what worked, what didn’t, and how they would scale or revise the business model.
8th Grade
1. Civics in Action: Policy Change Project
Purpose: To Influence
Audience: Local government, school board
Identify a policy issue (school uniforms, environmental rules, etc.) and propose a formal change. Students write persuasive letters, collect data, and present to decision-makers in a simulated or real hearing.
2. Engineering for Accessibility
Purpose: To Design
Audience: Accessibility advocates, architects
Design or redesign a space or product to be more accessible to people with disabilities. Students create prototypes and explain how their solution improves equity in everyday spaces.
3. Climate Data Journalism
Purpose: To Inform
Audience: School newspaper, community readers
Use real climate datasets to investigate changes over time and how they impact local or global systems. Students produce articles, infographics, or videos explaining their findings.
Related: How To Teach With Data Visualizations
4. Literature vs. Film Comparison Project
Purpose: To Compare
Audience: English teachers, peers
Read a novel and compare it to its film adaptation, analyzing what was changed, omitted, or emphasized. Students present side-by-side breakdowns and argue for the more effective medium.
5. Design a Utopian Society
Purpose: To Imagine
Audience: Classmates, civics or literature teachers
Design the political, economic, and cultural structure of a fictional utopia and justify key decisions. Students present using maps, constitutions, laws, and social rules while reflecting on idealism vs. realism.
9th Grade
1. Community Needs Assessment & Service Project
Purpose: To Serve
Audience: Local nonprofits, neighborhood leaders, city departments
Conduct a survey or interview-based needs assessment of a local community, then design a service project to address one of the key findings. Students might organize a supply drive, create educational workshops, or partner with a nonprofit to implement their solution.
Related: What Is Service Learning?
2. Literary Journalism: Telling Local Stories
Purpose: To Chronicle
Audience: School paper, local media, community blogs
Choose a compelling person or event in the local area and write a long-form narrative using interviews, setting, and scene-building. Students work like journalists but apply literary techniques to tell true, human-centered stories that reveal local culture and context.
3. Sustainable Product Design Challenge
Purpose: To Innovate
Audience: STEM professionals, green businesses, local farmers’ markets
Design a product using recycled or sustainable materials that solves a small-scale real-world problem (e.g., food storage, single-use plastic replacement). Students create prototypes, marketing materials, and pitch decks for a mock or real showcase.
4. Digital History Curation Project
Purpose: To Curate
Audience: Historical societies, museum visitors, online audiences
Students choose a historical theme (e.g., civil rights, immigration, labor) and build a digital exhibit using archival sources, maps, and multimedia. They create timelines, oral history recordings, or virtual tours to share online or with local cultural organizations.
5. Public Speaking + Advocacy Campaign
Purpose: To Persuade
Audience: Peers, local board, civic groups
Choose a current social or political issue, research opposing viewpoints, and deliver a persuasive speech or multimedia PSA. Students present to live audiences and reflect on the impact and ethical use of rhetorical strategies.
Related: Using PBL To Teach Rhetoric
10th Grade
1. Career Shadowing & Reflective Portfolio
Purpose: To Explore
Audience: Mentors, guidance counselors, future employers
Spend time shadowing a professional in a field of interest (in-person or virtually), then create a portfolio that includes a reflective journal, a summary of skills observed, and an evaluation of potential fit. Students may also conduct an informational interview and share takeaways with classmates.
2. Global Issue Case File
Purpose: To Investigate
Audience: Human rights groups, Model UN delegates, teachers
Research a global crisis (e.g., water rights, refugee displacement, education equity) and compile a dossier with maps, infographics, policy summaries, and proposed resolutions. Students present case findings in a simulated Model UN or international summit format.
3. Documentary Film Project
Purpose: To Reveal
Audience: Public screenings, festivals, social media viewers
Choose a topic of local or national significance—such as housing access, urban farming, or youth mental health—and produce a short documentary. Students handle pre-production, filming, editing, and distribution strategy.
4. Climate Action School Plan
Purpose: To Propose
Audience: School board, administrators, sustainability advocates
Audit the school’s climate impact (waste, transportation, energy), then draft a policy or program to reduce emissions. Students may collaborate with the custodial team, cafeteria staff, and student council to propose real changes.
5. Historical Fiction Writing Workshop
Purpose: To Imagine
Audience: Student readers, literary magazines
Research a historical setting, event, or figure, and write a fictional narrative grounded in historical fact. Students workshop drafts, cite sources in annotations, and optionally publish their work in a class anthology or digital magazine.
11th Grade
1. Internship + Capstone Project
Purpose: To Apply
Audience: Host organizations, school leadership
Complete a short internship (virtual or on-site) and design a final project that demonstrates a real contribution—such as a social media plan, a research summary, or a process improvement. Students present their experience through a panel or portfolio.
2. Literature and Social Justice Project
Purpose: To Analyze
Audience: School library, peer circles, equity committees
Select a novel with social justice themes (e.g., The Hate U Give, Just Mercy) and explore its relevance through a creative response. Students may lead a book club, host a panel discussion, or create an advocacy campaign tied to the book’s issues.
3. Local Business Consultancy
Purpose: To Solve
Audience: Small business owners, entrepreneurs
Partner with a local business to solve a real problem—such as marketing, customer surveys, or workflow optimization. Students work in teams, conduct research, and present proposals as consultants.
4. College & Career Portfolio
Purpose: To Prepare
Audience: College counselors, application reviewers
Create a personal portfolio that includes a polished resume, letters of recommendation, essay drafts, career interest survey, and reflections on strengths and growth areas. Students participate in mock interviews or peer feedback sessions.
5. Urban Design Studio
Purpose: To Reimagine
Audience: City planners, architects, public officials
Identify an underused public space (a park, bus stop, intersection) and redesign it with aesthetics, safety, and community use in mind. Students produce digital models, zoning plans, and present to civic stakeholders.
Related: PBL Examples For High School
12th Grade
1. Senior Capstone Passion Project
Purpose: To Synthesize
Audience: Public exhibition, graduation panel
Choose a topic of personal or academic passion and complete a long-term project with research, creation, and reflection components. Students may write a novel, build an app, conduct experiments, or start a nonprofit—with regular mentorship and checkpoints throughout.
2. Civics & Constitutional Law Simulation
Purpose: To Debate
Audience: Legal professionals, civic leaders, classmates
Analyze real Supreme Court cases and prepare mock arguments for both sides. Students practice formal oral argumentation, legal writing, and constitutional interpretation before presenting in a courtroom-style setting.
3. Startup Pitch & Business Plan
Purpose: To Launch
Audience: Investors, business teachers, entrepreneurs
Write and present a full business plan including mission, market analysis, financials, and go-to-market strategy. Students pitch to a panel of community leaders in a Shark Tank–style competition and receive feedback on feasibility.
4. Community Oral History Archive
Purpose: To Preserve
Audience: Local libraries, historical societies, future generations
Interview older community members about a shared historical event (e.g., civil rights, industry closures, school integration) and create transcripts, audio recordings, and short bios. Students donate the archive to a public institution.
5. Policy Change Impact Study
Purpose: To Evaluate
Audience: Policy analysts, legislators, civic groups
Research a specific law or policy—local, state, or federal—and study its real-world outcomes using data and interviews. Students write an impact report and suggest revisions or next steps based on evidence.
Conclusion
Project-based learning (PBL) encourages students to engage in real-world problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking, making it a powerful instructional approach. One key aspect of successful PBL is organization—both for students managing their projects and teachers tracking progress, resources, and deliverables.
Tools like Online Free Invoice Generator can help educators streamline administrative tasks by quickly generating invoices for classroom expenses, grant funding, or student-led entrepreneurial projects. By reducing paperwork and increasing efficiency, teachers can focus more on guiding students through meaningful, hands-on learning experiences.
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