Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life.
Our field trip to the Gates Foundation was an example how we can make a difference in the world. It supported our PBL project with the driving question: How Can Everyone in the World Have Access to Safe Water? The Foundation opened our eyes beyond water and focused on global and local health and development. Under this umbrella of a driving question, our class has broken up into five expert groups addressing the following essential questions:
1. In places where people have to walk for water, what impact does this have on those communities? (education)
2. Why don't some people have safe water? (development)
3. What happens when people don't have safe water? (health)
4. Where do we (Seattle) get our water from? (water cycle/water treatment)
5. Why do we need to conserve water? (conservation)
Your child will be working with his/her group to research, plan, and create a project teaching others about their topic. When we return from Thanksgiving break we will be gathering as much information as we can. A few very self-directed learners have already done some research at home. Students are encouraged to interview adults or experts, gather books, articles, and web print-outs and bring notes and resources to school.
Look for PBL developments on the PBL page on this website.
1. In places where people have to walk for water, what impact does this have on those communities? (education)
2. Why don't some people have safe water? (development)
3. What happens when people don't have safe water? (health)
4. Where do we (Seattle) get our water from? (water cycle/water treatment)
5. Why do we need to conserve water? (conservation)
Your child will be working with his/her group to research, plan, and create a project teaching others about their topic. When we return from Thanksgiving break we will be gathering as much information as we can. A few very self-directed learners have already done some research at home. Students are encouraged to interview adults or experts, gather books, articles, and web print-outs and bring notes and resources to school.
Look for PBL developments on the PBL page on this website.