Turning Themes into Projects

**ECP Credit Available** This workshop explores how familiar themes in early childhood classrooms can be developed into Project Based Learning (PBL) experiences. Participants will examine key distinctions between thematic units and PBL, with a focus on how learning shifts when it is organized around children’s questions, sustained inquiry, and authentic connections beyond the classroom. Using current classroom themes as a starting point, educators will analyze opportunities to deepen learning and begin adapting their work into developmentally appropriate, inquiry-driven projects. The session emphasizes practical strategies and incremental shifts that support the integration of academic content and social and emotional learning within meaningful PBL experiences. Participants will: Develop a foundational understanding of Project Based Learning and how it differs from thematic unitsExamine common themes or topics and identify the shifts needed to move toward PBLBegin adapting a familiar theme or topic into a developmentally appropriate project and identify next steps for implementation