Making PBL Easier: Real Teachers Share Real Impact with PBLWorks TEACH™

How two math educators are transforming learning with project-based teaching with our ready-to-use PBL curriculum units. 

PBLWorks TEACH™ is our web-based application that provides ready-to-use, Gold Standard PBL units and embedded professional learning to make project-based teaching easier, scalable, and impactful.

When math teachers Kaci McCoy and Melanie Grosso implemented their first PBLWorks TEACH™ project, they didn’t just see higher engagement; they witnessed transformation. Students who once hesitated to participate became collaborators, creators, and even classroom experts. 

In this conversation from our recent webinar, PBL Made Easier: Real Teachers, Real Projects, Real Impact with PBLWorks TEACH, they share what happened when they brought high-quality, ready-to-use PBL curriculum units into their classrooms—and why they believe every school should make the leap.

1. Choosing Their First TEACH Projects 

Kaci: 
I teach middle school math—seventh and eighth grade. The project I chose was the eighth-grade unit Get Your Game On. It’s built around transformational geometry standards—things like basic rigid motions and dilations on a coordinate plane. The driving question was How can I create a digital game on Scratch to reflect the interests of teenagers? 

Our district does six-week cycle assessments, and this project aligned perfectly with our geometry cycle. It lasted about seven weeks instead of four, but that’s the beauty of PBL—you can modify, extend, or shorten to fit your students’ needs. 

Melanie: 
I also did a geometry project. I teach sixth-grade math and chose Pack Perfection, which focuses on volume and surface area. But like all PBL projects, it touches more than just one concept—you get multiplying decimals, unit rates, and more. 

The driving question asked: How can we make a backpack that fits the needs of our clients? Students loved it because they got to design for different kinds of clients and adapt accordingly. They had a lot of fun making their backpacks. 

2. Finding the Right Flow 

Kaci: 
It was designed for four weeks, but mine ran closer to seven because I added lessons to make sure all standards were covered. We wrapped up with a Game Expo, where students invited others to come play their Scratch games—complete with snacks, of course. It was a hit! 

Melanie: 
Mine ran for about five weeks. It was my first time using TEACH , and we had some schedule adjustments, but by the end, my students barely needed me. They were moving through independently; it was very hands-on and autonomous. 

In the beginning, there’s an adjustment for both teacher and students, but by the end they really take ownership. It’s beautiful to watch. 

3. Covering—and Going Beyond—the Standards 

Melanie: 

There’s a misconception that PBL skips content. I actually found we covered more standards.

In Pack Perfection, when we talked about surface area, students had to calculate how much fabric was needed to cover a bag. They researched materials, prices, and quantities using resources already provided in the TEACH slides. That led naturally to unit rates and ratios for our next unit. 

It’s all connected—it’s not about sprinkling concepts in isolation. The curriculum feels cohesive and purposeful. 

4. Assessment, Feedback, and Flexibility 

Melanie: 

If you’re worried about assessment, don’t. I assessed more in this project than ever before. 

With PBL, you’re constantly checking for understanding through conversations, peer critique, and reflection. One of my favorite mantras from PBLWorks is Critique the work, not the person. Students give feedback to each other, and they’re often tougher (and more honest) than I am! 

For example, one student wanted to make a backpack for Hermione Granger, so we used a chatbot to interview her. That creativity and flexibility kept students invested. I found myself assessing all the time, but it felt natural, not forced. 

Kaci: 
You get to assess the whole child, not just their math skills. 

In Get Your Game On, I saw growth in self-regulation and collaboration—true SEL skills. Because the project leaned on coding in Scratch, students practiced literacy and problem-solving in ways traditional lessons can’t. 

While groups worked, I could pull individuals for quick mini-lessons. It was the perfect way to implement a workshop model for instruction. 

5. Student Transformation in Action

Melanie: 
One student stood out—a boy who really struggled but wanted so badly to learn. During this project, he blossomed. 

One day, I overheard a group debate: No, it can’t be cubed—there are only two dimensions! They were arguing about exponents in geometry. I almost cried. They were using academic language and reasoning on their own. 

They’re starting to look at the world differently—through math lenses. Now every day they ask, When’s the next project? They’re hooked. 

Kaci: 
My project leaned heavily on coding using Scratch. I’m not proficient in coding, but I have so many kids who love it. They even spend their free time coding. These aren’t usually the loud students who stand out. They tend to stay in the shadows. 

I made them the experts. When a student had a question, I’d ask who knew how to solve it and direct them to each other. Seeing them light up when they realized their classmates valued their expertise was amazing. 

It built confidence and broke down social barriers—students collaborated across groups, shared ideas, and learned to see each other differently. That was my favorite part. 

6. The Most Helpful Parts of TEACH

Kaci: 

I’ve taught in a PBL environment for almost 10 years at a STEM-based school, so I’m familiar with the Gold Standard PBL model. But using a fully developed Gold Standard project from start to finish was incredibly valuable—it gave me a clear model for improving my own projects. 

The coaching videos were also a game-changer. When I’d get stuck or hyper-focused on something, I’d watch the short clip for that lesson and always walked away with new insight or strategy. It felt like having a thought partner right there with me. 

Melanie: 
The teaching videos are my favorite part too. I had Bryon as my facilitator at PBL World, and he’s in many of the videos—he’s so motivating. They push you to think about things you might not have considered.

For anyone new to PBL, it’s incredibly guided and user-friendly. You can toggle between teacher and student resources, which helps you see both perspectives. 

Honestly, this has been my dream as a teacher. It’s so clean, easy to navigate, and full of ready-to-use supports. If you’re worried it’s one more thing on your plate, think of it this way: TEACH is the plate. You already have the ingredients—it just holds everything together. 

7. Advice for Educators and Leaders Considering TEACH 

Melanie: 
Do it. Definitely bother your admin, bother your district leaders. I felt really blessed that when I approached my admin about attending the TEACH workshop at PBL World, they were immediately supportive. They even said, let’s get your whole team to go. I know I’m lucky in that way, but there’s actually a letter template from PBLWorks you can use to approach your admin—it gives you great tips on how to make the case. 

Ultimately, your customer is your student. Students are hungry for something different. I don’t know how many math educators get the When are we going to use this? question—but during PBL, I never hear that. Students make those real-world connections naturally. 

They want to learn in ways that make sense to them. They want autonomy over their learning and to feel like they’re part of it. Something Kaci said really stuck with me: students want to be heard. And this approach gives them that. 

At PBL World, I remember Bryon saying to us, "You are the genius." You already have the knowledge. The teacher’s role is to push students out of the nest so they can fly on their own. That’s exactly what TEACH does—it gives you the confidence and tools to let students lead. 

Kaci: 
My advice is to think about what Sir Ken Robinson said: we’re no longer in the industrial era of students sitting in rows, absorbing information. That’s not how today’s world works. 

If you’re looking for a way to move toward a PBL model—across a grade level or an entire school—TEACH provides the scaffolding for everyone. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I’m still learning from these Gold Standard projects. It supports veteran teachers, new teachers, and onboarding staff so everyone shares a consistent vision of what great learning looks like. 

I’m a type A person, and even I had to remind myself to trust the process. It all comes together beautifully in the end. 

Kids love these PBL units because they can learn through play—and that’s what big kids need, too. We always talk about wanting more play, more collaboration, more movement. This is it. It gives them a chance to work together, build soft skills, and still be kids. It’s amazing. 

Melanie (follow-up): 
I know some teachers think, My kids can’t do PBL. I’ve heard it in every setting. But I’ve done PBL in charter, public, and private schools, and students thrive in every environment. Everyone wants to learn. Everyone wants to feel engaged. 

So even if you think your district wouldn’t support it, or that your school has too many challenges—it’s adaptable for every context. 

We often say, “Teach the lesson, then the project is the dessert.” But PBLWorks flips that, the project is the main course meal. Students learn by doing. And because it’s designed with flexibility in mind, it’s easy to differentiate for your students. Every kid really can do it. 

Kaci (follow-up): 
Melanie made me think of someone in the chat who mentioned being a speech-language therapist and wanting to try PBL. You absolutely can. At our school, even our librarian implemented PBL after going to PBL World with us. 

Our librarian designed library science projects that helped kids practice research and collaboration. So it’s not just for classroom teachers; anyone who works with students can adapt these approaches to their setting. 

The Power of Real Teachers, Real Projects, Real Impact 

Both teachers agreed that TEACH has made PBL easier to implement, and PBL far more sustainable. With built-in supports, examples of student work, and coaching videos, it eliminates guesswork and amplifies what teachers already do best: empower students. 

As Melanie summed up: 

TEACH isn’t just another curriculum. It’s the plate that holds it all together. 

And as Kaci reminded us:

Don’t fear the mess, because learning is meant to be dynamic, playful, and alive. 

🎥 Watch more: 

1) Full webinar on YouTube — tune into the entire conversation with Kaci and Melanie. 
2) PBLWorks TEACH demo video — see how it brings high-quality PBL to life in classrooms and supports teachers in real-time.