PBL Example: PenPal Stars Share Their Projects

With over 10,000 students learning together on PenPal Schools this October, it’s no surprise that we have many exceptional students to celebrate as PenPal Stars! This month’s PenPal Stars include a student from Canada who created a college budget, students from the USA who designed their dream schools, a student from Russia who created a global cookbook, and many more.

Josiah, USA - The Solar System

​Our PenPal Star, Josiah, an 8th grader from the USA recently participated in The Solar System PenPal topic. After learning about outer space with PenPals, Josiah decided to write a science fiction story about Pluto to share what he learned in a fun and creative way. Read Josiah’s Story!

We asked Josiah to tell us more about himself and explain how he came up with the idea for his story. Josiah explained that, “my favorite subject is science, because it is interesting to know how and why the world works how it works.” He continued to tell us that he participates in an after school robotics club and loves to design programs and see how machines work.

Hanady, Thailand - World Explorer

Hanady, a 9th grade student from Bangkok, Thailand, participated in the World Explorer PenPal topic. After studying daily life, history, and popular culture with PenPals, Hanady decided to make a project to share her culture. Hanady created a showcase of legendary figures from Thai mythology including Pret, a ghost-like figure from Buddhist legend, and Krahang, a figure who flies using rice baskets as wings! See Hanady’s Project!

When asked what advice you have about being a great PenPal, Hanady recommends that students, “Just try your best and think outside the box.”

Ahmed, Canada - Financial Literacy

Ahmed from Canada recently participated in the Financial Literacy PenPal topic. For his PenPal project, Ahmed learned with PenPals, conducted research, and created a budget that would help him study at a top university. See Ahmed’s Financial Plan.

Masha, Russia - A World of Food

Masha, a PenPal from the Krasnoyarsk Territory in Russia, recently participated in the World of Food PenPal topic. For her PenPal project, Masha created a recipe book comparing breakfast foods in countries around the world. See Masha’s Global Cookbook.

Liam & Reilly, USA - Schools Around the World​

Liam and Reilly and PenPals from the United States who recently participated in the Schools Around the World PenPal topic. 

After learning about schools around the world and discussing similarities and differences with PenPals, Reilly and Liam each designed plans for their dream school. Reilly’s names her dream school C.A.I.G. which stands for Cooking, Arts, Games, and Sports. See Reilly’s Dream School Project. 

After researching exemplar schools like Harvard and CalTech, Liam presented a plan for his dream school that focused on the school’s structure, the subjects offered, the clubs and activities offered, and even the salaries of school employees! See Liam’s Dream School Project!

Nominate a PenPal Star

Is there a PenPal Star in your classroom? Click here to nominate a PenPal Star!