Project Based Learning

     I honestly cannot remember the last book that I read that used the word water. I can't.  Yet, I remember precisely the last time I went swimming, I remember who i was with, how long I swam, what I wore, even the time of day. I find it curious that we don't have more projects in school. I looked at the "My Healthy Self" project, which is a project based learning project for the first graders at Duke School in Durham, NC; this project follows a method of learning that maintains retention for long periods of time with incredible depth. I chose this project to read about because it was so well organized by the staff overseeing it, and was so well supported by the guests that were assisting the class. The teachers and guests outlined many solid aspects of health that were still a part of the original question posed. I liked it so much because a first grade teacher gave a broad question and then gave the students the tools to give a complex answer.
     The process of moving from knowledge to application (synthesis) was done in such an efficient manner, the kids may not know that imitating the doctors gives them insight into how their bodies work. Once the young ones learned why and how their bodies stay healthy, and what a doctor does to help that process along, the kids could effectively mimic the job of the doctor. What is mimicry besides a derogatory term for retention? That could be argued, but hey, it is my blog.
     The project did not get to the judgment level of high thought processes. I really wish the kids themselves could have come up with a hierarchy of healthy activities or something to that effect.