Background: 

Welcome! In this short self-paced module, you’ll explore what makes a strong PBL culture and how to begin strengthening it in your own classroom. You’ll start by watching a short video, then reflect and choose one area to focus on using our downloadable tool.

Step 1: Watch the Video

Directions: Watch the video below. You may want to take note of the words, actions, and feelings that stand out to you. 

Step 2: Reflect

Think about the classroom described in the video.

• What stood out to you about the learning environment?

• How does it compare to your current classroom or school culture?

• What would you like to replicate or shift?

Step 3: Explore the Conditions of PBL Culture

Directions:

Review the Top Conditions That Support a PBL Culture in a Classroom.  Read through each and consider:

• Which ones are already present in your classroom?
• Which ones could use attention?

Top Conditions That Support a PBL Culture in a Classroom

📥 Download the PBL Culture Conditions Chart
Want a copy of the six conditions to reference during planning or share with your team?
Click below to download the chart featured in this module.

👉 Download the Chart (PDF)

Step 4: Choose an Area of Focus

As you think about your upcoming project or unit, which of the six conditions will be most important to have in place?

This isn’t about fixing anything. It’s about making an intentional choice based on what your students will need most. Perhaps your project will require extensive collaboration, or perhaps it will ask students to grapple with significant ideas and take academic risks. What kind of classroom culture will help them thrive?

Below, we’ve shared a few potential ideas for each of the six conditions. This is not an exhaustive list—just a starting place to spark your thinking. Choose the one that feels most relevant for your upcoming work, and consider one small step you can take to support students in that area.

Step 5: Draft a Theory of Action

Now that you’ve selected one condition to focus on, take a moment to think about why that area matters for your upcoming project—and what you hope it will unlock for your students.

This is your theory of action: a simple, intentional connection between what you’ll do and the outcomes you’re hoping to see.

Use the sentence frame below to guide your thinking:

Theory of Action Sentence Frame:

If I [insert move you’ll make], then students will be able to [insert what it will help them do/feel/understand].

Examples:

• If I co-create classroom agreements with students, then we’ll have a shared foundation for how we collaborate during the project.

• If I build in weekly reflection routines, then students will better track their progress and manage their work.

• If I offer product choices, then students will feel more ownership and engage more deeply.

• If I curate diverse and relevant resources, then students will connect the content to their lives and experiences.

Your Turn:

Write your theory of action below. What is one move you’ll make and what do you hope it will make possible for your students?

Concluding Thoughts: Culture IS the Throughline within PBL

Project-based learning is more than a method. It’s a culture and way of being that is built on trust, purpose, reflection, and agency.

As you prepare for your next project, remember: you don’t need to have every condition perfectly in place. Culture isn’t a checklist. It’s something we cultivate through the choices we make and the space we hold for students.

You’ve taken time in this module to reflect, name a focus area, and draft a clear intention for what you want to make possible. That’s meaningful. That’s the work.

Start small. Stay curious. Trust that every intentional move you make shapes the culture of your classroom, and your students will feel it.

Coming by July 2025