From exploring seasonal changes to celebrating cultural festivals, here are some of my favorite activities to keep learning fun and meaningful in your classroom this November. Gobble up these activities and keep your students (those little turkeys!) curious and engaged before the holiday break.

1. Seasonal Compare and Contrast

Autumn vs. winter—how do these two seasons stack up? Using our 2-Circle Venn Diagram, students can explore differences in weather patterns, holidays, and seasonal activities. When I taught this, it sparked rich conversations about why leaves change color and how animals adapt to seasonal shifts. This activity can keep those discussions alive in your classroom.

Teacher Tip: Connect this activity to cultural traditions during fall and winter for a deeper discussion.

2. Spooky Storytelling

No tricks, just TREATS! Get your students’ creativity flowing with our 5Ws and 1H graphic organizer. This tool is perfect for helping students build the foundation of a spooky Halloween story by answering Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?

Teacher Tip: Have students brainstorm eerie story elements to build characters, settings, and plot twists before writing their Halloween masterpiece.

3. Cultural Festivities Timeline

Lights, celebrations, and traditions! As Thanksgiving approaches, introduce students to other festivals and holidays. Using our Visual Timeline graphic organizer, students can explore holidays like Diwali, Hanukkah, and Boxing Day and dive into the history and significance of each through images and key events.

Teacher Tip: Have students create and present their timelines to share fun facts about each festival with the class.

4. Animal Adaptations

How do animals survive the cold? Use our Cause and Effect Map to explore how seasonal changes impact animal behavior and survival strategies. This activity is perfect for building critical thinking and observation skills.

Teacher Tip: Pair this activity with videos about animals to provide visual examples of adaptation in action.

5. Exploring Photosynthesis

How do plants turn sunlight into energy? Use our T-Chart graphic organizer to break down the process of photosynthesis. Students will learn how sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide work together to create the oxygen we breathe.

Teacher Tip: Tie this activity into life science lessons on plant biology and ecosystems for a complete understanding of how nature works and what happens to outdoor plants during fall.

6. Thanksgiving Gratitude Reflections

Encourage gratitude with our Main Idea and Detail Web this Thanksgiving. Have students reflect on what they’re thankful for by identifying key ideas and supporting details.

Teacher Tip: Have students share their gratitude reflections with the class in a brief presentation.

7. Winter Weather Wonders

What causes snowstorms and icy winds? Use our Cause and 3-Effects Web to help students explore the science behind winter weather. It’s a great way to link weather patterns with their effects on the environment.

Teacher Tip: Have students compare winter weather in two different regions, such as a tropical vs. a colder area, to show how geography influences weather patterns and effects.

These activities spark inspiration and help you tackle the busy days ahead. Explore Teach Britannica today and see how easy it is to engage your students with resources crafted for busy educators like you.

The post 7 Activities (That Work!) to Keep Students Engaged Before Thanksgiving appeared first on Britannica.

Pumpkin carving is a beloved tradition, but how much do you and your students know about where that tradition comes from? 

Test your knowledge with our fun Halloween-themed quiz. And, explore Britannica School’s resources to learn more (if you dare!).

Read: Halloween

Watch: Halloween Fun Facts

Watch: The Origins of Halloween

Read: Pumpkins

Test your knowledge!

1. How big does the largest pumpkin variety, C. maxima, usually get?

• a) 34 kg (75 pounds)
• b) 23 kg (50 pounds)
• c) 45 kg (100 pounds)
• d) 14 kg (25 pounds)

The largest pumpkin variety, C. maxima, can reach 34 kg (75 pounds) or more.

2. What vegetable was originally used in jack-o’-lanterns instead of a pumpkin?

• a) melon
• b) eggplant
• c) turnip
• d) squash

The custom of creating jack-o’-lanterns originated in the British Isles using a large turnip or other vegetable rather than a pumpkin.

Score: 0

3. Which mythical Irish figure may jack-o’-lanterns have been originally intended to scare away?

• a) the kelpie
• b) the will-o-the-wisp
• c) Stingy Jack
• d) the banshee

In Ireland, people may have started to carve demonic faces out of turnips to frighten away the wandering soul of Stingy Jack, an alleged trickster figure.

4. How heavy have the most massive pumpkins ever weighed?

• a) 907 kg (2,000 pounds)
• b) 454 kg (1,000 pounds)
• c) 227 kg (500 pounds)
• d) 113 kg (250 pounds)

The most massive pumpkins ever have weighed upwards of 907 kg (2,000 pounds).

5. Where did the custom of carving jack-o’-lanterns come from?

• a) Spain
• b) Northern Africa
• c) the British Isles
• d) Middle America

The custom of creating jack-o’-lanterns originated in the British Isles.

Score: 0

The post Quick Quiz: Pumpkin Carving appeared first on Britannica.

Do you spend your planning time searching for standards-aligned and trustworthy resources and assembling them into lessons? According to the School Pulse Panel, public school teachers in the United States spend an average of 4 hours and 26 minutes per week on planning. This does not include lesson preparation, grading, and possibly reteaching content that students do not grasp. Time is important for teachers and having instructional tools that make lesson planning easier is always helpful. 

Expedition: Learn! has ready-made lesson plans so teachers can spend their time focusing on the academic needs of their students.

Let’s dive into some of the ways Expedition: Learn! can save valuable time while enhancing students’ learning experience!  

1. Finding standards-aligned materials

With a built in search by standards function you can use Expedition: Learn! to find standards-aligned lessons, teaching materials, and hands-on activities. The content, assessment, and activities are high-quality, trustworthy, and work together seamlessly! No more scouring the internet to put together a patchwork of materials.

Search by Standards on the Expedition: Learn! home page

Search by Standards Framework

View results and find lessons

View results and find lessons

2. Planning your lesson

Just click on the teaching materials, which include lesson vocabulary, common misconceptions, formative assessment questions, teaching activities, and extension activities all in one handy PDF.

Download Now

3. Getting hands-on

No need to find or develop hands-on activities. Our Hands-On pdfs include teacher and student pages, materials lists, background information, and teaching tips to make standards-aligned investigations, research, modeling, data analysis, and STEM activities a breeze to prepare for and carry out.

4. Addressing diverse learners

Individualizing lessons to meet the needs of all students can be time-consuming. Let Expedition: Learn! meet your differentiation needs. Scaffold instruction with Lexile leveling, read-aloud mode, and translation tools to support students with various proficiencies and learning styles.

5. Reinforcing skills

Grab information from the Teacher Toolkits to focus in on important skills. 

6. Assessing student learning

Developing rigorous, standards-aligned assessment questions can be very time consuming! Expedition: Learn! provides standards-aligned assessment questions at three DOK levels, using a variety of technology-enhanced item types including short answer, fill-in, matching, choice matrix, multiple choice, matching, and more! Also, spend less time grading assessments. Our assessments provide immediate feedback on foundational content knowledge but also measure science and content-area reading skills.

7. Tracking results

Use our dynamic assessment tracking with skill-based reporting to save time on data analysis. These results can foster collaboration that can help improve instructional strategies, identify trends, and improve the effectiveness of data-informed school improvement efforts.

Planning, preparing, differentiating, grading, and supporting student learning takes time! Having tools that ease the process are essential for teacher preparedness and student success. Expedition: Learn! provides reliable, thoughtful, ready-made lessons that add ease to your lesson planning process, with engaging content and real-time student data. Let Expedition: Learn! save the day (or at least your planning period)! 

The post 7 Ways Expedition: Learn! Helps Save Time on Lesson Planning appeared first on Britannica.

Welcome to our exclusive behind-the-scenes look at our latest innovative resource hub, Teach Britannica! Expertly crafted by our Britannica Education curriculum experts, this dynamic platform is a free resource for current and potential Britannica customers that aims to revolutionize how educators utilize our digital resources in the classroom.

We had the opportunity to sit down with the team responsible for Teach Britannica to discuss its inception, development, and the benefits it offers to educators.

What is Teach Britannica?

Teach Britannica was developed specifically with teachers in mind as a powerful resource to support their daily work. This platform is thoughtfully curated with impactful teaching strategies and flexible resources that help teachers bring our trusted products and tools into the classroom.

The platform will feature:

• Flexible Lesson Minis to help teachers implement Britannica products, supporting impactful teaching and personalized educational experiences
• Cross-product graphic organizers and instructional strategies to support differentiated instruction by allowing teachers to address the various learning needs within their classrooms.
• Integrated Academic Toolkits to foster essential research proficiencies, from source evaluation to data synthesis

When Teach Britannica launches in the coming weeks, teachers will have access to resources for Britannica School (Early Elementary, Elementary, and Middle School levels), Britannica Academic, ImageQuest, and ImageQuest Jr. Moving forward, we will continue to add robust resource collections for each of our solutions.

Q&A with Curriculum Learning Specialist Kristie Bangali and Senior Product Manager Julee Schuster

Kristie Bangali has over 20 years of experience in pedagogy and curriculum development. She specializes in aligning educational content with academic standards and adapting to diverse student needs. Her impact extends beyond direct teaching, influencing the broader educational landscape.

Senior Product Manager, Julee Schuster brings over 20 years of experience in education technology. She has a passion for creating innovative solutions that solve complex customer challenges. Julee has developed award-winning products used by millions of educators and students worldwide. 

Kristie and Julee played instrumental roles in ideating and developing Teach Britannica. With decades of combined experience at schools, in classrooms, and with Britannica Education, our experts understand first-hand how important it is to equip teachers with resources that save them time and make their jobs easier, so they can devote their efforts to growing their students. Learn more about curriculum specialists like Kristie and Julee, along with the entire Britannica team below.

Q: What was the inspiration behind Teach Britannica?

Kristie: “When we started talking about the concept of Teach Britannica, we really wanted to do our best to help classroom teachers who are using Britannica School by providing them with helpful, easily accessible resources for the classroom. The whole design of Teach Britannica is created with the educator first, providing resources that are not only easily adaptable but meet the needs of all learners, from those struggling to those who need more of a challenge.”

Q: What kinds of teaching supports will be available?

Kristie: “Our platform is packed with collaborative teaching tools that work hand-in-hand with Britannica Education solutions. Teachers can mix and match these resources or use them in a specific order — whatever works best for their learning goals. We’ve also put together a treasure trove of teaching strategies that are backed by data and proven to work. These focus on things like building vocabulary, discussion and collaboration, inquiry, and more! We’ve woven these strategies into our Lesson Minis to model for teachers how those instructional strategies and graphic organizers can be used in a variety of ways.” 

Julee: “Teach Britannica will also offer a wide range of digital and non-digital resources to allow teachers the flexibility to personalize instruction according to their own styles and classroom needs. Our goal is to help give teachers their time back with ready-made resources for efficient lesson planning and implementation.”

Q: Can you tell us more about the Lesson Minis?

Kristie: “Our Lesson Minis connect with Britannica Education solutions and offer individual activities that teachers can pick and choose to use modularly. We’ve designed them with adaptable timing in mind. So, if I am a teacher looking for a mini that’s 20 minutes long, I can look through the topic I’m interested in and glean something from the embedded Lesson Minis and cross-product resources.”

Julee: “Not only can teachers adapt Lesson Minis for their needs, these customizations are also designed with students in mind. Lesson Minis feature an active learning approach that involves group collaboration, whole-class discussions, and real-world applications to ensure that students are engaged and learning actively.”

Q: What resources will be available when Teach Britannica launches?

Julee: “For the launch, the bulk of the content is going to be focused on providing robust content for Britannica School, including its comprehensive Lesson Minis. We are also going to add content for the high school level of Britannica School in the coming months. And, we will be adding new content continuously, making it a constantly evolving resource with new, extensive materials available all the time.”

Q: How have you ensured the resources are practical and accessible for teachers?

Kristie: “We’ve been in a lot of communication with teachers and partners, getting feedback on their direct needs and how they use our solutions. This has been crucial in shaping Teach Britannica to be as useful and effective as possible.”

Julee: “The website will be an open platform and all materials will be available to download for free. Teachers will be able to visit teachbritannica.com, navigate to resources for each solution, and find exactly what they need for their grade level and subject area.” 

Q: How will Teach Britannica continue to evolve?

Kristie: “Our hope is that Teach Britannica will be a self-driven professional learning site for teachers, where they can rely on evidence-based materials that are easily accessible and implementable.”

Julee: “Our plan is to continuously update the site with new materials based on analytics and feedback from teachers about their experience and what they would be interested in.”

Discover Teach Britannica

Teach Britannica is the new all-in-one, open-access resource hub created by educators for educators. With high-quality, customizable digital and print-ready resources, it’s designed to save you time, streamline lesson planning, and engage students across every grade level. Whether looking for comprehensive strategies or lesson minis, it delivers tools that empower educators and transform learning experiences.

The post Teach Britannica: Behind the Scenes with Britannica Curriculum Experts appeared first on Britannica.

Let the games begin!

All questions are inspired by Britannica School articles. Visit the newly enhanced Britannica Education Olympics page for instant access to a wealth of trusted, enriching articles, multimedia, lessons, and supplemental resources to help you beat the trivia odds!

1. Which city is hosting the 2024 Summer Olympic Games?

• a) Tokyo
• b) Los Angeles
• c) Paris
• d) Rome

The correct answer is c) Paris. Held exactly 100 years after the last Paris Games in 1924, the 2024 Paris Olympics have innovated greatly, including an attempt to be the first Games that align with the Paris Climate Agreement goals, with lower carbon emissions and eco-friendly buildings powered by renewable energy. Even more, each medal will also contain a small piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower.

©Delphotostock/AdobeStock

Score: 0

3. When and where were the Stoke Mandeville Games, which became known as the first Paralympic Games, held?

• a) 1960 in Rome, Italy
• b) 1956 in Melbourne, Australia
• c) 1964 in Tokyo, Japan
• d) 1972 in Munich, Germany

The correct answer is a) 1960 in Rome, Italy. Different groups organized the Paralympics until 1989, when the International Paralympic Committee was founded. In 2001, the practice of “one bid, one city” was brought about in which every city that bids to host the Olympics also bids to hold the related Paralympics.

© Andre Ricardo Paes/Dreamstime.com

5. When and where were the first Special Olympics held?

• a) 1960 in Rome, Italy
• b) 1972 in Munich, Germany
• c) 1968 in Chicago, USA
• d) 1980 in Moscow, USSR

The correct answer is c) 1968 in Chicago, USA. This event brought together about 1,000 athletes from 26 states and Canada and inspired the Special Olympics International. By the 21st century, there were chapters in nearly 200 countries.

© Tokarsky/Dreamstime.com

8. At which Olympic Games was surfing first included?

• a) The 2016 Rio Olympics
• b) the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
• c) the 2012 London Olympics
• d) the 2024 Paris Olympics

The correct answer is b) the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. While many competitions have been around for years, new sports are still being added to modern-day Olympic games. In addition to surfing, the 2020 Tokyo Games (held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic) also recognized karate, sport climbing, and skateboarding.

© Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images; photo illustration Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Are you a trivia Olympian? Tag us at @britannica_edu and use the hashtag #OlympicsTrivia to share your scores!

Header photo: ©Ivonne Wierink via Canva

The post Light the Learning Flame with New Olympics Trivia! appeared first on Britannica.

We’re thrilled to unveil new platform features designed to enhance educational experiences for classrooms around the globe, including immersive, redesigned homepages, visually captivating media additions, streamlined enhancements, and compelling lesson innovations. In addition to the latest updates, we’re also highlighting some of the most valuable platform features. See for yourself!

Britannica School

At Britannica Education, we recognize the power of knowledge, and our recent updates emphasize that. Our goal is to encourage learners to discover new topics and deepen their understanding of the world around them with updates that liven up lessons and improve the overall user experience for both teachers and students. 

• New! Boost engagement with new and exciting content on our refreshed homepages for Elementary and Middle School levels.

• New! Finding your favorite articles and media is easier than ever with a convenient new search bar design for Elementary and Middle School levels.

• Create lessons based on curriculum-aligned topics and significant events and observances, frequently updated on the homepage by our in-house editorial team.

• New! Experience improved visual entry points into popular features such as Animal Kingdom, World Atlas, and Biographies.

• New! Shine a spotlight on fascinating new subjects with “Video of the Week” features.

• Find age-appropriate, timely “In the News” articles, created at least once a week for both Elementary and Middle School levels.

Create lessons based on curriculum-aligned topics and significant events and observances, frequently updated on the homepage by our in-house editorial team.

Finding your favorite articles and media is easier than ever with a convenient new search bar design.

Experience improved visual entry points into popular features such as Animal Kingdom, World Atlas, and Biographies.

Shine a spotlight on fascinating new subjects with new “Video of the Week” features.

Find age-appropriate, timely “In the News” articles, created at least once a week for both Elementary and Middle School levels.

Britannica ImageQuest

Bring the excitement of visual learning to the forefront with an attractive look and easy access to high-quality, rights-cleared imagery for stimulating curriculum materials, beautifying presentations, and enhancing student projects. 

• New! Experience a more usable and mobile-friendly site with an enhanced, fully responsive design.

• Explore popular images and videos with curated galleries featuring dozens of visually appealing and topical multimedia.

• Showcase your favorite media collections and help students collaborate with simple album sharing.

• Elevate lessons with more than 11,000 downloadable video clips about science, nature, geography, and more.

Experience a more usable and mobile-friendly site with an enhanced, fully responsive design.

Explore popular images and videos with curated galleries featuring dozens of visually appealing and topical multimedia.

Showcase your favorite media collections and help students collaborate with simple album sharing.

Elevate lessons with more than 11,000 downloadable video clips about science, nature, geography, and more.

Britannica ImageQuest Jr.

This new product provides a safe space where children can explore a large variety of hand-selected, age-appropriate media for early elementary through fifth-grade learners. Since its launch, we have added thousands of new images and videos to continue to help educators bring topics to life for young learners.

• Pique interest and ignite a love for learning with an extensive lineup of more than 50,000 curated images and videos. 

• Invite students to freely explore engaging image and video galleries in a controlled space with a delightful, easy-to-use interface.

Pique interest and ignite a love for learning with an extensive lineup of more than 50,000 curated images and videos. 

Invite students to freely explore engaging image and video galleries in a controlled space with a delightful, easy-to-use interface.

Britannica Escolar y Moderna

Our commitment to providing up-to-date cross-curricular content includes expanding and streamlining our Spanish language platforms.

• Updated! Enjoy extensive content additions, now with more than 60,000 full-text articles and 33,000 media assets.

• Easily search and find words with digital, Spanish-language encyclopedias for grades K-8 (Escolar) and 9 and up (Moderna).

Enjoy extensive content additions, now with more than 60,000 full-text articles and 33,000 media assets.

Easily search and find words with digital Spanish-language encyclopedias for grades K-8 (Escolar) and 9 and up (Moderna).

Access and Integration

To help increase ease of access and provide more support, we’ve added new authentication and integration methods with many popular school and library technologies. We also became a member of 1EdTech Learning Tools and Content Alliance to ensure more standardized integration.

Our Editorial Endeavors

In addition to the many new updates at our Elementary and Middle School levels, our Editorial team also introduced an incredible 3,000 new articles to Britannica School: High level through our “March to 3000” initiative.

Meet the experts behind our trusted content, and learn more about our seven-step editorial process to deliver trusted information worldwide in this video.

As we continue to uncover the latest enhancements and possibilities, we’ll strive to ensure our solutions aren’t just helping you and your students adapt to the changing landscape; they’re helping you thrive. Join us in this exciting journey towards creating more engaging, informative, and inspiring learning environments, as together, we shape the future of education. Stay tuned for more advancements to come!

Header image: Prostock-studio via Canva

The post What’s New: Britannica K-12 appeared first on Britannica.

We’re thrilled to unveil new platform features designed to enhance educational experiences for libraries, including immersive, redesigned homepages, captivating content additions, and streamlined enhancements. In addition to the latest updates, we’re also highlighting some of the most valuable platform features. See for yourself!

Britannica Library

We’ve introduced features to help young library patrons and their families access top-tier content in recent years. Now, we’ve extended these efforts to improve accessibility for a diverse public and to make learning memorable.

• New! Boost engagement with new and exciting content on our refreshed, accessible homepages for Children and Young Adult levels.

• Inspire intrigue and discussion through unique, child-friendly “In the News” articles featuring multimedia, “Did you know?” facts, words of the day, and more—all specially created at least once a week by our in-house Editorial team.

Boost engagement with new and exciting content on our refreshed, accessible homepages for Children and Young Adult levels.

Inspire intrigue and discussion through unique, child-friendly “In the News” articles featuring multimedia, “Did you know?” facts, words of the day, and more—all specially created at least once a week by our in-house Editorial team. 

Britannica Escolar y Moderna

Our commitment to providing up-to-date cross-curricular content includes expanding and streamlining our Spanish language platforms.

• Updated! Enjoy extensive content additions, now with more than 60,000 full-text articles and 33,000 media assets.

• Easily search and find words with digital, Spanish-language encyclopedias for grades K-8 (Escolar) and 9 and up (Moderna).

Enjoy extensive content additions, now with more than 60,000 full-text articles and 33,000 media assets.

Easily search and find words with digital Spanish-language encyclopedias for grades K-8 (Escolar) and 9 and up (Moderna).

Access and Integration

To help increase ease of access and provide more support, we’ve added new authentication and integration methods with many popular school and library technologies. We also became a member of 1EdTech Learning Tools and Content Alliance to ensure more standardized integration.

Our Editorial Endeavors

In addition to the many incredible new updates at our Children and Young Adult levels, our Editorial team also introduced an incredible 3,000 new articles to the Britannica Library Reference Center through our “March to 3000” initiative.

Meet the experts behind our trusted content and learn more about our seven-step editorial process to deliver trusted information worldwide in this video.

As we continue to uncover the latest enhancements and possibilities, we’ll strive to ensure our solutions aren’t just helping you and your patrons adapt to the changing landscape; they’re helping you thrive. Join us in this exciting journey towards creating more engaging, informative, and inspiring learning environments, as together, we shape the future of education. Stay tuned for more advancements to come!

Header image: DarioGaona/Getty Images Signature via Canva

The post What’s New: Britannica Library appeared first on Britannica.

We’re thrilled to unveil new platform features designed to enhance educational experiences for higher education institutions around the globe, including immersive, redesigned homepages, visually captivating media additions, streamlined enhancements, and compelling lesson innovations. In addition to the latest updates, we’re also highlighting some of the most valuable platform features. See for yourself!

Britannica Academic

We’re pleased to upgrade the platform to not only better engage lifelong learners but to also help them discover trusted academic content easier and more effectively.

• Updated! Ensure a more compelling learner experience with a modernized look featuring a newly redesigned homepage that excites learners and streamlines searching.

• Discover the resources you and your students need with simplified page layouts, accessible navigation, and improved mobile usability. 

• Access the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Thesaurus for easy reference to thousands of concise definitions, synonyms, word choices, examples, and explanations.

• Improve your understanding of the world’s countries and peoples with the World Factbook in the homepage’s “Research Tools” section.

Ensure a more compelling learner experience with a modernized look featuring a newly redesigned homepage that excites learners and streamlines searching.

Discover the resources you and your students need with simplified page layouts, accessible navigation, and improved mobile usability. 

Access the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Thesaurus for easy reference to thousands of concise definitions, synonyms, word choices, examples, and explanations.

Improve your understanding of the world’s countries and peoples with the World Factbook in the homepage’s “Research Tools” section.

Britannica Moderna

Our commitment to providing up-to-date cross-curricular content includes expanding and streamlining our Spanish language platforms.

• Updated! Enjoy extensive content additions, now with more than 47,000 full-text articles and 13,000 media assets.

• Easily search and find words with digital Spanish-language encyclopedias for grades 9 and up.

Easily search and find words with digital Spanish-language encyclopedias for grades 9 and up.

Enjoy extensive content additions, now with more than 47,000 full-text articles and 13,000 media assets.

Access and Integration

To help increase ease of access and provide more support, we’ve added new authentication and integration methods with many popular school and library technologies. We also became a member of 1EdTech Learning Tools and Content Alliance to ensure more standardized integration.

Our Editorial Endeavors

As a trusted voice in content development, curation, and delivery, we are invested in providing reliable and up-to-date information. Our talented Editorial team makes unparalleled content and multimedia updates throughout our products daily and chronicles all major historical events in real time—all for the benefit of educators and students.

In addition to our recent product updates, our Editorial team also introduced an incredible 3,000 new articles to Britannica Academic through our “March to 3000” initiative.

Meet the experts behind our trusted content and learn more about our seven-step editorial process to deliver trusted information worldwide in this video.

As we continue to uncover the latest enhancements and possibilities, we’ll strive to ensure our solutions aren’t just helping you and your students adapt to the changing landscape; they’re helping you thrive. Join us in this exciting journey towards creating more engaging, informative, and inspiring learning environments, as together, we shape the future of education. Stay tuned for more advancements to come!

Header image: Jacob Lund via Canva

The post What’s New: Britannica Higher Education appeared first on Britannica.

Our team is excited to introduce a brand-new, expert-led workshop series on Project-Based Learning (PBL)! This in-depth four-part cohort model is taught by PBL-certified educators at Britannica Education and is designed to immerse educators in the foundational principles and best practices of Project-Based Learning.

A Quick Refresher: What is Project-Based Learning?

You’re likely already familiar with the ins and outs of Project-Based Learning, but here is a quick look at what it is and why it’s crucial for student engagement and progress.

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively explore real-world challenges and complex questions. Unlike traditional education models that are often confined to theoretical knowledge, PBL immerses students in hands-on problem-solving and critical thinking tasks to promote deeper understanding and knowledge retention. This method not only enhances learning outcomes but also develops key skills such as collaboration, communication, and creativity. As students engage in projects over an extended period, they learn to manage resources, integrate feedback, and adapt their strategies to evolving challenges.¹

Britannica Project-Based Learning: About the Course

This course is specially designed for K-12 teachers, teacher leaders, and instructional leadership members to equip participants with relevant, evidence-based strategies through a hands-on, collaborative learning experience. This workshop will span critical aspects of PBL, from understanding its principles and how it enhances student learning to project design and assessment. Educators will leave the cohort equipped with the tools and knowledge to re-imagine and transform their classrooms into dynamic, student-centered learning environments.

Why Britannica’s PBL Workshop? 5 Ways We Stand Out

1. Comprehensive Approach: At Britannica Education, we’re all about meaningful content, and our Professional Learning Courses are no exception. Our PBL course introduces the structure and rationale behind PBL to provide a solid foundation upon which educators can build. Further, our PBL framework is built on nine components, derived from research and practice, that distinguish between traditional projects and true Project-Based Learning, giving you what you need to ensure all students have access to effective learning experiences.

2. Active and Applied Learning: Educators who participate in this workshop not only learn key Project-Based Learning techniques, but they also have the unique opportunity to experience this way of learning from a student’s perspective. Participants work on real projects and receive live support from our facilitators. The culmination of the cohort involves educators presenting their PBL units, which mirrors the student experience and reinforces learning. This ultimately deepens educators’ understanding of student interactions and promotes a more authentic learning opportunity.

3. Certified Expertise: Our workshops are led by PBL-certified educators at Britannica Education to ensure participants receive high-quality, research-based instruction. We also leverage Britannica’s trusted, high-quality resources to support PBL through relevant, issue-driven questions to drive learning and excite learners. This approach not only benefits educators but also makes learning more relevant and engaging for students.

4. Ongoing Support: As with all our resources, Britannica Education’s support extends beyond the workshop series alone. Our team recognizes PBL implementation is an ongoing process, as there is always an opportune time to grow PBL skills and facilitate application. We aim to complement existing school programs and show educators how to integrate PBL without reinventing the wheel. Through an ongoing partnership with your institution, we can run training courses for new and additional teacher cohorts over time.

5. Customizable Solutions: We understand that not every institution can dedicate four days to a workshop, so we are pleased to offer customizable solutions. Whether you’re looking for a standalone program, a development partnership, or educator solutions that pair well with your existing Britannica solutions (such as Britannica School, LaunchPacks, or ImageQuest), we can tailor our offerings to meet your unique needs.

When is the Right Time for Project-Based Learning Development?

It’s always the right time! Now is the perfect opportunity to lay the groundwork for the upcoming school year. By integrating PBL into your curriculum early, you can alleviate some of the burdens from administrators’ plates while setting the stage for a transformative learning experience. Our PBL training sessions are designed to do just that by offering both synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities to fit the diverse needs of your educational team.

By partnering with Britannica Professional Learning, you’re not just adopting a new teaching strategy; you’re embracing a pathway to more meaningful learning and teaching. Our tailored products and ongoing support are designed to grow with your educational community, ensuring that the benefits of PBL are realized both now and in the future. Let’s work together to create learning experiences that inspire, engage, and empower every student.

¹ Project-Based Learning | Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.) © 2024 Boston University. Accessed on April 24, 2023. www.bu.edu/ctl/ctl_resource/project-based-learning-teaching-guide

The post Build Better Learners with Project-Based Learning appeared first on Britannica.