Monelison Middle School

Monelison Middle School launched an innovative Project-Based Learning (PBL) pilot that gave 8th grade students the opportunity to apply classroom learning to a real-world challenge: designing a sustainable power plant for a specific region in Virginia.

The pilot grew out of ongoing teacher professional learning at MMS focused on performance-based tasks and the integration of core instruction. With guidance from Dr. Marvin McGinnis, ACPS Supervisor of Innovation, a team of 8th grade teachers participated in a PBL design sprint aimed at bringing innovative, student-centered practices to life in the classroom.

The project centered on the essential question: How can we design a power plant that provides sustainable energy for our community while considering geography, the environment, and the people who live there? Working in small teams, students researched regional characteristics, explored forms of energy and energy transformations, and developed proposals that balanced human needs with environmental impact. Each student took on a defined role - researcher, designer, or presenter - to support collaboration and accountability.

Over the course of three days, 98 students moved through a structured PBL process. Day one focused on research and building background knowledge, day two on design and development, and day three culminated in a live gallery walk where students presented their work. Final products included promotional billboards for their power plants, “job cards” highlighting career pathways connected to their projects, and scale models of power production equipment.

This multidisciplinary project integrated standards from world geography, science, English language arts, and career and technical education, reinforcing both content mastery and essential skills such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Following the pilot, teachers and students participated in a debrief to reflect on engagement, effectiveness, and learning outcomes. Insights from this experience will help guide future decisions about expanding project-based learning opportunities at Monelison Middle School.

Through hands-on, collaborative learning experiences like this PBL pilot, MMS students are developing the skills and knowledge needed to be thoughtful problem-solvers and effective members of their communities.