Project Based Learning Activity

This is a PBL lesson designed for an 11th grade ELL Social Studies classroom.

It satisfies the CCSS standard:

ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

Overview

The goal of this assignment is for students to learn about the history of their city, Asheville, NC. The Biltmore Estate brings in over one million people annually, but what about the people who built it? How would Asheville be different without them?

The VanderbiltsWho are they?

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tfaoi.com/am/2am/2am76.jpg

To answer this question, the students will take a day trip to the Biltmore Estate.

During this trip students will observe...AshevilleWhat is Asheville like inside the walls of the Biltmore Estate?How has the Estate changed Asheville?

HistoryHow did this estate come into existence? Who built the house? What about the surrounding area which is now Pisgah National Forest?

the George Vanderbilt familyWhat effect did they have? Is there a bigger picture here?What can we learn from them?Why did they turn the estate into an attraction?

The class will create a webpage to explore a central question.

The project

Central Question:How did the George

Vanderbilt family influence the development of

Asheville?

Students will workin groups of 5 people.

Group 3Group 2 Group 4Group 1

Each group will choose a hypothesis to explore.

Group 3Group 2 Group 4Group 1

hypothesis

hypothesis

hypothesis

hypothesis

Some examples for exploration...

■ Biltmore Village■ Biltmore Estate■ Asheville as an artist haven■ Pisgah National Forest■ Railroads■ ...

The Biltmore Co. (n.d.) Retrived from http://www.biltmore.com/visit/biltmore-house-gardens/estate-history

Students will thencollaborate to bring their ideastogether.

Grou

p 4

Group 3Group 1

Group 2

The result will be one comprehensive web page.

How the Vanderbilts Influenced Asheville

Critical ThinkingStudents will need to support their hypothesis with well researched ideas.

21st century skillsCollaborationThis is a group project. All team members need to contribute and work together effectively.

Time-ManagementStudents will need to organize within their group to come up with a well rounded page for the hypothesis.

21st century skillsContent CreationStudents will create text and infographics. They will also provide maps, pictures and videos where applicable.

This assignment will be posted on the Internet.

Public Display

Revision will take place in 3 areas.

TeacherReview

PeerReview

Self Review

This project focuses on the why and how

regarding the development of Asheville.

Asheville was influenced by a number of factors, but this project focuses in on one central aspect, and in this case,

one family.I designed this assignment for ELL students for 2 reasons.

1)I think the Biltmore Estate will be of interest to them.2)However, the Estate is just the beginning. I want students to see how this Vanderbilt Estate fits into a

larger picture, which happens to be their city.