by Tricia Murata, Island Pacific Academy
Imagine a classroom of fourth graders buzzing with excitement as they learn about economics and Hawaiian culture by creating a real marketplace for their community – from brainstorming business names and designing a logo, to applying for job positions and crafting local products to sell. This is not your parents’ fourth grade lesson plan! It’s an example of Project-Based Learning, an innovative teaching practice that provides transformative, student-centered experiences that enhance knowledge retention, develop life skills, and help foster a life-long love of learning.
What is Project-Based Learning?
Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a rigorous, inquiry-based educational approach where students learn by actively engaging in hands-on and personally meaningful projects that have real-world relevance. In PBL, the focus is on inquiry-based learning in which students start with a driving question or problem and engage in inquiry and research to find solutions. It is also a student-centered approach that allows students to take the lead in their learning by making decisions and managing their projects, giving them a sense of ownership and accountability.
The real-world relevance that is a key component of PBL projects enhances student-based learning and outcomes by giving students a reason for what they’re learning – it provides the “why” behind what they’re learning. This relevance provides motivation and fosters engagement as students work on projects that spark their interests – learning is an active process, rather than passive experience. That, combined with an interdisciplinary approach that enables students to apply and make connections across various subjects, leads to a deeper and lasting understanding of the content.
With traditional learning approaches, the focus is on the final product (think performance on standardized tests) as the means to measure learning outcomes. In PBL the learning process itself, which includes reflection and iteration, is as important as the final product. Both the process and product are evaluated through teacher, peer, and self-assessments. One of the most valuable benefits of PBL is that it encourages students to think critically and work together, helping them develop valuable 21st century skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and communication.
Island Pacific Academy Embraces Project Based Learning
One private K-12 school in Kapolei is taking the lead in educational innovation with its dynamic PBL program in its Elementary division. At Island Pacific Academy (IPA), students in kindergarten through fifth grade take part in unique and engaging PBL projects tailored to their specific grade-level units of inquiry. Whether it’s second graders exploring concepts in trade and commerce through a bracelet sale or third graders collaborating to organize a School Spirit week election as they explore ideas about democracy and government, every student has the opportunity to experience and benefit from PBL.
“Through our PBL program, our students develop critical thinking skills, creativity, and a deeper understanding of academic content by engaging in meaningful projects that connect classroom learning to practical applications,” explains Saʻo Faulkner, IPA’s Elementary principal. “PBL fosters strong teacher-student relationships and prepares students to succeed academically while equipping them with essential lifelong learning and problem-solving skills.”
Spotlight on Grade 5 American Revolution Museum PBL
On May 10, IPA’s fifth grade students provided a shining example of the power of PBL with their unit on the American Revolution. Their inquiry-based learning was driven by the question, “How do we as artists connect our community with the people and events of the American Revolution?” Their answer was to create a live, interactive American Revolution Museum.
There was no rote memorization of names, dates, and places of battles in this learning process. Instead, students were empowered to actively explore the events, issues, ideas, and experiences of that period in American history and make their own decisions on what they would create to best express their learning to visitors of the museum.
“Student voice and choice is such an integral part of the PBL experience. It gives them a sense of ownership and agency that they would not get just through traditional textbook learning,” says Joe Villaluz, fifth grade teacher at IPA. “Since students were free to choose what type of artists they would like to be, their choices spanned a variety of subject areas, which allowed for seamless interdisciplinary integration since the range of student interest and talent is so great.”
The students’ diverse exhibition concepts encompassed the visual, digital, performance, and culinary arts, as well as various digital technologies. They created artifact replicas, paintings, dioramas, speeches, animated videos, computer games, and even wrote and choreographed rap songs to perform in the museum. Each exhibit was backed by months of inquiry, a research paper, and an impressive attention to detail. The students dressed in period costumes and spoke articulately about their research to every visitor who stopped by their exhibits.
During their research phase, students benefited from a visit to the Honolulu Museum of Art and expert guidance from supportive museum staff, who provided valuable insights, feedback, and a real-world perspective, enhancing the authenticity of the project.
The students’ museum spread across five classrooms and included an art gallery of multimedia projects about important people of the revolution, a technology gallery focusing on the causes of the revolution, and another gallery dedicated to models and artifacts of the American Revolution. It also included a colonial era tavern, with traditional baked goods and cider, and a movie theater showing a student-created film about the Boston Tea Party. One classroom was transformed into the Assembly Room of Independence Hall where a group of students re-created the signing of the Declaration of Independence, even performing a Declaration of Independence rap for museum guests.
“The American Revolution Museum PBL stemmed from our belief in the power of hands-on, immersive learning experiences to deeply engage students with history,” explains Lisa Uesugi, fifth grade teacher. “We aimed to go beyond memorization of facts by fostering skills like teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication. By exploring history through this kind of project, we hoped to empower students to ask meaningful questions, understand diverse perspectives, and appreciate history as dynamic and evolving.”
IPA’s investment in PBL, and its commitment to transforming education into a dynamic, engaging, and deeply enriching experience, is paying big dividends for its students and families.
“I’ve had students from years past tell me that the American Revolution Museum is what they remember most from fifth grade. Oftentimes, they can recall in detail what their project was and what they learned, which is amazing!” says Villaluz.
Visitors to the museum are invariably impressed with the level of quality of the exhibits and the knowledge the students display.
“One parent said to me, ‘I knew that the students were making projects, but I never imagined it would be like this! I wish I were in fifth grade!’,” shares Villaluz.
“With PBL, it’s essential to embrace the student-driven nature of the approach. As teachers, we act as facilitators rather than directors. We stay open to our students’ ingenuity and creativity and remember that the most valuable learning occurs during the process, not just in the final product. This mindset fosters a dynamic and engaging learning environment where students take ownership of their education,” shares Uesugi. “Ultimately, the PBL approach is aimed to inspire a lifelong curiosity while equipping students with essential skills that they can use throughout their lives.”
For parents seeking an enriching, future-ready education for their children, IPA’s commitment to PBL offers a compelling reason to consider enrolling. By emphasizing real-world applications and hands-on learning, the school ensures that students are not only knowledgeable but also skilled, confident, and ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.
