Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Sunflower Trilingual School implements a project-based learning (PBL) strategy in which the students gain knowledge and skills by actively engaging in real-world and meaningful projects. Through PBL, the teachers make learning come alive for the students – engaging them in solving real-world problems, developing their social minds, applying Sufficiency Economy Philosophy and answering complex questions that may arise. Moreover, PBL leads to further understanding of content knowledge from multiple subject areas as it allows them to apply skills learned to new situations – this promotes deep and long-lasting learning. Seeing a real-world impact gives them a sense of purpose and appreciation in life and their environment.
Each project topic will begin with the students being assigned to collaborative working groups, then the students are presented with a real-world problem that they can relate to. Parameters for completing the project are set. Throughout the duration of the project, the teacher provides input and feedback while guiding the learning of the students. At the end of the project, students will share their findings with the other groups in class and compare their results.
Grade 1: We Are at STS
The Project-Based Learning for Grade 1, "We Are at Sunflower Trilingual School", builds students’ curiosity about school surroundings and also develops their social, and emotional learning skills toward issues around them. It gives them an opportunity to develop critical thinking skills by investigating problems and observing their cause, and applying reasoning to come up with solutions.
Grade 2: Backyard Gardening
Students learn the important role soil plays in nature. While working in a garden, students learn the different components of soil and how to maintain it to encourage food production, while also learning the benefits of growing their own food instead of relying on fruits and vegetables from the supermarket.
Grade 3: Recycled Bank
In these projects, students learn the importance of recycling. While learning about the negative impacts of human interaction with nature, students will also become involved in cleaning up their surroundings and managing their own waste products. Students will be in charge of maintaining the recycling bins on campus and sorting out the recyclable materials from the general waste, while also promoting recycling as a responsible duty to their fellow school mates.
Grade 4: Turn Your Spoils into Soil
Students build on their knowledge of soil by learning its composition and making their own. Through learning about composting and what food waste materials create the most fertile soil, students will develop and test their own recipes. Students will investigate what mixtures create poor soil conditions and what conditions create the type of soil that produces the best vegetation.
Grade 5: Mushroom Farm
Students learn the importance of fungi within ecosystems while also distinguishing which mushrooms are edible and which are poisonous. Students will also be educated in the economics of mushrooms and the pristine conditions for growing the most nutritious fungi.
Grade 6: Chicken Farm
For this project, students will learn what goes into getting the most popular protein in Thailand onto their plates. Students will maintain a chicken farm at school by collecting the eggs every day, feeding the chickens and keeping the coop properly protected. Students will also learn the economics of maintaining chickens and how to operate in a market setting with the products that the chickens provide them. Through this, students learn the hard work and responsibility required to take care of animals.