John Sammon

Exciting News! We are thrilled to announce that the Second Edition of The Tapas Approach to Project Based Learning is officially on Amazon! a.co/d/1mIsjew This new edition has an updated framework, a new chapter highlighting community partners and more. Whether you’re new to PBL or already cooking with Tapas, this edition offers something for every classroom. Thank you to the @WCSDEmpowers teachers, students, administrators, school board and community partners who continue to inspire this work. We can’t wait to share what’s next in 2026! @TKtalksSTEAM @drbonkwcsd @OakGroveES40 @sheaferoadrocks @MyersTigersRoar @FishkillFrogs @EvansEaglesPTA

So grateful and lucky to be part of WCSD!

Love collaborating across grade levels at Evans Elementary. Digging into data and using AI to strengthen rigor across science and math: developing and using models, Claim-Evidence-Reasoning, leveled science texts, video searches, simulations, and math Must Do/Can Do/Spiral Reviews . We’re also using it to build strong workshop structures, target small groups, and design differentiated, leveled math tasks for varied learners. From teacher-facing to student-facing tools, the best part is watching K teachers add personal touches that make it meaningful for their kids. That juxtaposition is everything! @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @briskteaching @GetSchoolAI

Attention educators! If your Portrait of a Graduate goals include collaboration, creativity, inquiry, and real-world problem solving, The Tapas Approach to PBL is your roadmap. The NEW 2nd Edition strengthens community partnerships + authentic products students care about. 📚 Ready to bring this to your district? Contact us to set up your school or district book club! #steammachineinnovations @SammonSTEAM a.co/d/gnDeKnC

Grade 2 students @PlainsPanthers are taking collaboration to the next level. Ss used @briskteaching AI brainstorm as a partner to merge and refine their ideas for a mini golf hole prototype. AI served as a co-designer in designing pathways, obstacles and recycled materials that really work. Students applied their knowledge of properties of matter, scaling and measurement with creativity and precision! @SammonSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd @ANikolaTech #PBL #STEAMMachineinnovations

From classroom innovation to districtwide workflows, AI has elevated our work these past few years and the progress is undeniable. Check out the STEAM PBL experiences on our @WCSDEmpowers STEAM PBL Webpage! sites.google.com/wcsdny.org/wwa… Where are we headed next? Keep following… you won’t want to miss what’s coming! @SammonSTEAM @briskteaching #PBL #STEAMMachineinnovations

If you’ve been following the tweets, you’ve seen how @WCSDEmpowers is using AI to transform teaching and learning—designing smarter, deeper, diverse PBL experiences that boost creativity, personalize support, and prepare students for the future. And it’s not about using AI as only teacher-facing tools or one-off tricks—the real magic happens when STEAM PBL-AI are together, empowering students to think, build, and solve like true innovators. @TKtalksSTEAM @briskteaching @GetSchoolAI @drbonkwcsd

PBL @MyersTigersRoar in action! Our students are using criteria and constraints to design interactive wall-art prototypes that model energy transfer and food webs for treatment rooms @WMCHealth MidHudson Regional Hospital. These prototypes will be brought to life by the talented high school manufacturers @KetchamNation. Compassionate engineers. Thoughtful scientists. Real-world impact. @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd

PBL @EvansEaglesPTA our students are collaborating with @briskteaching AI to design interactive energy-themed escape rooms aligned with @CentralHudson’s concepts! These student-created adventures will be featured on Central Hudson’s Kids Corner—bringing science, creativity, and problem-solving to life for kids across the Hudson Valley! @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd

PBL @EvansEaglesPTA our students are diving into @PhETsims and @briskteaching AI to level up their energy-themed escape rooms for @CentralHudson! They’re exploring how to turn simulation challenges into interactive puzzles that teach, excite, and inspire. Coming soon to Central Hudson’s Kids Corner! @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd

PBL @EvansEaglesPTA our students are tackling energy design challenges through @PhETsims and using @getschoolai to brainstorm how to transform them into interactive escape-room puzzles for @CentralHudson! Creativity + science + AI = powerful learning. @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd

PBL Sustaining Humanity continues! Our students @OakGroveES40 have explored ecosystems, biodiversity, the formation of the Hudson River, and how our river impacts all life. With support from @briskteaching AI, they drafted thoughtful letters and questions after analyzing a bipartisan EPA letter from Senators Hinchey and Rolison. Today, they met virtually with Senator Rolison to share their learning. During the Q&A, he held up their questions and letters and told the students, “My favorite part of being a Senator is this—listening to you.” @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd

PBL Sustaining Humanity continues! Our students @OakGroveES40 investigated the formation of our home—the Hudson River Valley—and used simple water tables to explore how forces shape our environment. By connecting Newton’s laws, erosion, gravity and other concepts, they discovered how pollution can move through the river system and impact the life it sustains. @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd

PBL Sustaining Humanity… After reviewing the bipartisan EPA letter from Senators Hinchey and Rolison, our students were inspired to take action. They collected firsthand data by testing Hudson River water for potential contamination. In analyzing the water in its untreated state, they identified elevated lead levels—revealing how pollution can impact both our local ecosystem and community health. Their findings sparked meaningful work with @briskteaching AI about how innovation and modern solutions can help remove pollution and protect the river we call home. @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd

PBL Sustaining Humanity… Our students, already learning about ecosystems, interconnected systems, and biodiversity, made powerful real-world connections. With civic leaders like Senators Hinchey and Rolison as our community partners. The students used their bipartisan letter to the EPA along with @briskteaching AI to help understand and develop models how potential remaining pollution in our Hudson River can affect all life. @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd

Our Grade 6 PBL project “Sustaining Humanity” kicked off in September with students creating local biodiversity maps of the Hudson Valley. Using AI @briskteaching and @inaturalist, they documented species across our community—several observations even reached research grade. 🔬 One discovery? An invasive species in Dutchess County: the Spotted Lanternfly. Proud of our young scientists at @OakGroveES40! @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd #PBL #STEM #Biodiversity #HudsonValley #StudentScientists #InvasiveSpecies

One of my favorite interdisciplinary PBL projects 🌎✨ @OakGroveES40 students are exploring how ancient river civilizations, civic leaders, modern energy systems, ecosystems, and space science all connect — they are using that knowledge to design solutions for a better future. Real history. Real science. Real-world impact. @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd #PBL #STEMeducation #InterdisciplinaryLearning #FutureReady #TapasApproach