Project Based Learning - one example

In one of our recent staff development trainings, we learned that good teachers don't "teach to the test" anymore - something probably all good teachers already knew - but that the new teaching trend incorporates "project based" learning. Project based learning is in theory, (isn't that all of the 'new teaching trends - just "theoretically"?) more "real world" and, hence, more "relevant" to the students.

So, as it turns out, despite my refusal to "T to the 4" (Teach To The Test) - as I was instructed to do the first day I got hired by my current district - according to the new definition, I've been a "good teacher" all along!

The following is a project I assign my students as one assessment of the epic poem "Beowulf."  This particular project is to recreate the story as a movie trailer - no more than 60 seconds - they have to tell the whole story without revealing the ending, incorporate the major theme/s of the story, and they can't use any scenes from the actual movie of "Beowulf."

This trailer is from a student who is currently studying film at a 4 year University, and hopes to be a movie director.  I'd like to think this project helped to fan the flames of that interest ... But either way, he did a great job!