Igniting Inquiry: The Art of the Entry Event in Project-Based Learning

In Project-Based Learning (PBL), the beginning is everything. We don't want to just assign a project; we want to ignite a fire. This is the purpose of the Entry Event.

An entry event is a learning moment at the start of a unit designed to provoke curiosity within an authentic context. The goal isn't just excitement; it is to inspire students to take action and generate the "Need to Know" questions that will drive their inquiry.

I collaborated with Gillian Lait, a 1st-grade teacher at Singapore American School, to transform a standard science unit on light and sound into a fully immersive project. Our Driving Question was: "How might we perform a shadow puppet show?"

To kick this off, we needed an entry event that would make the abstract concepts of physics feel real. We didn't just read about it; we went to the experts.

We visited our school’s Performance Arts Spaces, guided by Schoolwide Theater Coordinator Corey Gilliam. This wasn't a standard tour—it was field research. We wanted students to investigate how professional spaces utilize the very science concepts they were about to learn.

Exploring Sound and Light: Mr. Gilliam demonstrated how structural materials affect sound, showing students how soft panels are placed strategically to absorb sound and dampen echoes.

The highlight was the auditorium, which houses the Constellation Acoustic system. Using ambient sensing microphones and digital signal processing, Mr. Gilliam demonstrated how he could change the reverberation time of the room without changing the physical space. With the push of a button, he made the room sound like a massive cathedral with long echoes, and then switched it to sound like an intimate jazz club.

Students experienced this from both the audience seats and the stage, realizing that sound is something that can be engineered.

Next, they explored light. They observed how lighting illuminates performers and how shadow-casting lights can change the emotional mood of a scene—directly connecting to their upcoming puppet show task. By the end of the tour, the students weren't just ready to learn; they were desperate to figure out how to replicate these effects for their own show.

Versatility in Entry Events: Entry events can take many forms, from field research to guest speakers. They are defined by the authenticity of the challenge they present.

For instance, here is an example of an entry event in project-based learning for a design project:

Mr. Isaac Williams from Fielding International, who is leading the project for redesigning the elementary school in Singapore American School, introduced the design challenge for our 3rd grade students. They were asked to design recess structures or equipment for the new recess spaces and share it with his design team. This is part of the STEM project that focuses on science concepts of forces and interactions.

Whether it is touring a high-tech theater to understand sound waves or meeting with an architect to redesign a playground, the result is the same. The students are no longer just completing an assignment for a grade; they are solving a problem for the real world.

When we design these moments carefully, we move students from compliance to curiosity. And that is where the real learning begins.