An important component of Project Based Learning is that the students take responsibility for their learning. When we studied the Five Senses the students became the experts and taught their classmates about one of the five senses. Small groups of children researched each sense using a variety of materials then chose an activity to teach the rest of the class. The hardest part was relying on each other, not the teacher for decisions. Of course, being our first project there was a lot adult support but we encouraged the children to make decisions together. At this stage a decision might be, "Will we make a book or poster for the class?" We practiced ways to decide as a group and trusted their decisions.
