What is the difference between an Authentic Project and Themed Learning. Basically, when a project is authentic, the student is allowed to explore and learn about what interests them.
In a Themed Unit, the students are usually presented with worksheets and assignments with little to no allowance for authentic exploration.
Think of it this way. You introduce a driving question about tornadoes. (This popped into my head because we are traveling in the Midwest and seem to be a day behind some horrible weather that has spawned tornadoes.) In a Themed Unit the students learn about tornadoes, do research about tornadoes, write about tornadoes…they may even create posters, displays, and diagrams about tornadoes. But the unit ends there.
In an Authentic Project you can start with the same driving question. Perhaps, “What causes a tornado?” But from there, students may follow other paths of interest based on your introductory lessons and their research. One student may want to explore how to build tornado resistant structures. One student may find that hurricanes spawn tornadoes, and become interested in learning more about hurricanes. One may want to start a fundraiser for recent victims of tornadoes.
I have discussed before how even though this sounds like an impossible scenario for the classroom teacher to control, it is actually easier as you have motivated students who are creating their own authentic learning situations.
Need to teach percentages during this time…pull everyone back together to do a lesson on the percentage of your country that is prone to tornadoes (this is a themed unit – then return the students to their authentic learning).
The Educational Journey 