Instructional design and practice of project-based learning for cultivating scientific attitudes

Project-Based Learning (PBL) has demonstrated considerable effectiveness in fostering scientific attitudes among primary school students. This study conducts an in-depth analysis of the Grade 5 Science textbook published by the Education Science Press and selects the lesson "Building Boats with Floating Materials" as a suitable case for PBL-oriented instructional design. The story of Noah's Ark from the Bible is employed to construct a cognitively challenging and thought-provoking scenario, immersing students in dual challenges involving both engineering and ethical considerations. Students are thereby guided to adopt the dual roles of engineers and decision-makers, engaging in dynamic reasoning between scientific evidence and value judgment, with the aim of cultivating scientific attitudes. The effectiveness of this PBL approach is evaluated through teacher and student interviews. The findings indicate that employing project-based learning to cultivate scientific attitudes in primary school students receives strong positive affirmation. Based on the teaching practice, four pedagogical recommendations are proposed: prioritizing cognitive development in scenario design; flexibly and appropriately adapting instructional content; maintaining classroom order while fostering a supportive learning environment; and promoting the participation of students with higher levels of dependency in classroom activities.