Project Based Learning... Ideas, Resources, & Need Advice!!

MTBoS... I need your help!!!

This blog post is to explain the thoughts I have for next year and to find others out there that can share some advice, resources, or ideas on how I can achieve the plans I have for teaching my students. 

I want...

My goal next year is to work towards a project based learning style. I don't think I or my students are ready for only project based learning but I want to take lessons from that style and incorporate it into my classroom for deeper conceptual understanding. 

I love...

Dan Meyer's 3-Act Lessons that allow students to question and wonder in Act 1, determine what information is needed to solve the questions they came up with and solve them in Act 2, and finally the answers in Act 3. These are great because it peaks the students' interest in solving math problems. If you've never heard of these types of lessons check out this blog & video.

Andrew Stadel's Estimation 180 that shows a picture and asks the students to estimate how many or how much. This I love because I am horrible at estimating and I think students will truly benefit in life from this simple task if used as a long term routine in the classroom. 

I need...

I'm looking for some direction in which I can incorporate these ideas into my Math 1, Math 2, Math 3, and Advanced Functions & Modeling classes. Is there a certain 3-Act lesson that you use for a specific topic in one of these classes? Do you have different resources that you use to model concepts? Do you have an outline or order that you teach specific topics?


My Ideas... Resources from the Internet

Linear Inequalities - Woody's Raise
Linear Functions - Styrofoam Cups, Pixel Pattern, Walk the Line (My 1st 3act)
Standard Form of Linear Functions - Sweet Snacks
Systems of Linear Equations - Stacking Cups, Elevator or Stairs , Gym Choice
Quadratic Functions - Record Flip
Exponential Growth - Fry's Bank
Transformations of Geometric Shapes - Video Explanation, Pac Man
Right Triangle Trigonometry - Marine Ramp, Boat on the River
Law of Sines & Cosines - Laying Sod
Trigonometric Graphs - Ferris Wheel

Additional ideas loaded in a google doc to continuously build resources over the years.

Are there specific 3 act lessons that you use to teach a certain mathematical topic; if so what are they so I can add them to my list?


***FYI: To download videos straight from a website like YouTube go to KEEPVID***