Free Teaching Resources ▸ Project Based Learning Lesson Plans ▸ English Project Based Learning Plans

Last updated: December 9, 2018

My First English PBL Experience

I used to struggle with putting together PBL lesson plans. My first English project idea was to turn the dreaded book report into an authentic book review. My third graders published their reviews on Amazon.com (with the help of parent volunteers). It was rewarding to see the kids embrace the project and write more eloquently and thoughtfully than they would for a typical book report.  But like many other first-time project based learning plans, the whole thing required much more planning time than I had imagined.

Then I discovered these time-saving PBL resources. These lesson plans serve as guides and ready-made formulas to help teachers bring authentic, inquiry-based learning experiences to their students. It’s relatively easy to adapt quite a few of them to a broader variety of grade levels or to a homeschooling curriculum.

The projects are listed by grade level below. If you find one that your students really embrace, please let me know in the comments section!

Sources of English Projects for All Grade Levels

These sites are a world-wide resource of collaborative projects for combined grades K-12. They connect students in two or more classrooms. Use their search tools to select topics for your grade, subject, and other attributes such as language or country.

• iPopp | GlobalSchoolNet.org
  The number and type of projects change continually on GlobalSchoolNet.org. They have defined start and end dates for joining, so are available at various times throughout the school year. Current projects include creation of a cyber dictionary and a virtual classroom web design contest.
• iEARN Collaboration Centre
  Projects listed here have a global citizenship focus. For elementary students, they range from dance and music to storytelling. For middle school students, examples include co-writing autobiographies, a joint novel, or a piece about local environmental concerns. High school level projects encompass seven foreign languages, the environment, and cultural exchange packets, to name a few.

Language Arts Projects for Elementary School Grades

• Choose Your Own Adventure | PBLU.org
  In this grade 4 project, students research their state’s and family’s histories, asking with question “What makes people take risks?” They use that info to collaborate with other students in creating “Choose Your Own Adventure” interactive stories.
• Google Historical Voyages and Historical Events | Carol LaRow
  This project is designed for upper elementary and older students. Children mine research about significant events and explorers of their local area. Then they create a historic web page of their community.
• Make a Difference | PBLU.org
  This cross-curricular project is targeted to grade 2. Children partner with a local organization to plan a project that fills a need or addresses a problem in their community. They analyze their impact, and display their work at a public showcase.
• Flat Stanley Community Heroes | PBLU.org
  Target grade level is 3. Children perform an act that positively impacts a person or people in their community. They gather data to measure their impact. And then they publish an online magazine about a person their were able to help.

Middle School Language Arts Projects

• Community Photojournalists | PBLU.org
  For students in 6th grade. They investigate community-based or cultural stories to create photo essays and recordings. They then publish their stories online.
• Inside the Writers Studio 8 | Curriki.org
  For 8th grade, this curriculum guide has three mini-units of study that address diverse genres of writing through a writing workshop. It culminates with students creating a “Best of” guide for food and entertainment in their hometown.
• Resilience Cafe | PBLU.org
  For 8th grade students. Based on their knowledge of African-American resilience exhibited from the Civil War era to the Civil Rights era, students write stories or spoken word poetry of their personal experience with resilience.

High School Language Arts Projects

• Consumer Product Development & Production Cycle | Ford PAS Curriculum
  These 20 modules are cross-curricular and include extensive resources for teachers and students to take a product from concept to consumer. Free registration required.
• Banned Books & Censorship | Edutopia.org
  English teacher Andrew Miller’s idea: Nothing inspires the need to read like banned books! Here’s how to incorporate literacy, voice and choice, and social studies into one engaging PBL project.
• Project Work in (English) Language Teaching | CA Favier
  Although designed for adults, this project is easily adaptable to students in grades 9-12 with intermediate skills in a foreign language or English as a second language. The project involves creating and presenting a short film in any language.
• Why Do Emos and Punks Write Poetry? | Bianca Hewes
  Designed for students in grades 9-10, this poetry analysis project using popular music does an excellent job explaining and modeling the eight elements of project-based learning.
• George Segal Meets the One Act Play | Edutopia.org
  For students in grades 10-12. This project, created by an AP government teacher and an art teacher, combines art, politics and playwriting. Watch a video about this project above.
• Children’s Book Project | ReadWriteThink.org
  For students in grades 9-12, ReadWriteThink’s interactive project involves students in composing a children’s picture book, complete with illustrations, a front cover, and back cover.
• Back in the Day | PBLU.org
  For students in grades 11-12 to compile a collection of family stories about how they grew up and came of age. Free registration required to download project details.
• Cyrano’s Funk | PBLU.org
  Students in grades 9-10 will read and analyze Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, select a character, and create a Facebook page and soundtrack based on the characters and themes. Project culminates with a live performance, video, or written product.