The Power of Passion & Inquiry In PBL Project-Based Learning

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPg9PPMPnoU

What happens when you combine student passion with a framework for deep learning? You get meaningful engagement. This year, the Grade 5 Learning Community embarked on Personalized Inquiry Projects (PIPs)—long-term, transdisciplinary experiences co-designed by students based on their own interests.

From Passive to Active

Traditional learning can often feel passive, short-term, and siloed. PIPs flip the script. They are active, open-ended, long-term, and deeply personalized. Students weren't just completing assignments; they were driving their own learning journey.

The variety of projects was staggering:

• Two students used Blender to design and mint NFTs, actually selling one on a marketplace.
• Another student prototyped custom sneaker colorways using design software.
• One group created a website with strategies for students with autism.
• Others built a Minecraft solar system, wrote original music, or designed digital comic books.

This wasn't improvised. It started with teacher Gabe Haydu's vision and months of planning by the G5 team (Brandi Long, Jess Jordon, Jess Harrison). We mapped content standards—like writing, reading, and inquiry practices—onto the project framework to ensure academic rigor.

The Process: From Passion to Project

1. Home Connection: We sent "passion questions" home (inspired by Trevor Mackenzie) to spark family discussions about interests and goals.
2. Ideation & The "Wonder Wall": Students brainstormed passions and filtered them through critical questions: Could this solve a problem? Could it help a friend?
3. The 5 Whys: To validate their topics, students asked "Why does this matter?" five times, drilling down from a surface interest to a deep purpose.
4. Driving Questions: We moved students from solution-based ideas ("I want to make a slideshow") to open-ended inquiry ("How might we inform people about endangered animals?"). This small shift opened the door for creativity.

Students used Mind Maps to break down big goals into actionable steps, visualizing the connections between tasks. This fed into a detailed Action Plan, incorporating the MISO method (Media, Interview, Survey, Observation) for research.

Throughout the build phase, we grouped students by topic or tool. For example, our Makerspace technician supported the 3D printing group, allowing for targeted expertise.

The Showcase

The culmination was a presentation of both product and process. We saw presentations on gender bias, financial investment, and interactive jewelry-making workshops.

PIPs proved that when students are given the agency to pursue their passions within a structured inquiry framework, the learning isn't just personalized—it's profound.