CAPS-aligned, globally influenced
Project-Based Learning Designs for Grade 4–7
Each weekly Learning Lab guides learners in solving real-world problems, building tangible projects, and explaining their thinking with confidence.
The studio
Learning designs with purpose.
Primary Project Labs is a South African education design studio specialising in structured supplementary project-based learning experiences.
Alongside rebuilding our CAPS-aligned Learning Labs, we partner with schools and organisations to design bespoke project-based learning experiences for a wide range of curricula and educational contexts.
Every Learning Lab is carefully designed to develop knowledge, curiosity and the confidence to explain, create and present meaningful work.
Designed by Werner Guderian, a teacher and curriculum designer with 18 years of international education experience.
A new kind of learning experience
The Lab lives in the Portal.
The PPL Portal is the guided learner home for five Grade 6 Discovery Labs. Eco-Base is free, and the other four are available through Payhip.
Across six days learners move from observing and investigating to designing, building, testing, explaining and reflecting. Their own words and work are saved as they go, and every text response can be written or entered through record-and-say.
The rest of the Grade 4–7 catalogue stays in academic review and will return only after each Lab passes the same content, scaffolding, language, evidence and Portal gates.
How our Labs work
What learners experience
Five Discovery Labs are now delivered through the PPL Portal. Each design follows a six-day evidence journey with 80–90 retained responses, including the build and closing reflection on Day 6.
Each lesson takes approximately 40 minutes and is carefully designed to develop knowledge, thinking, creativity and confidence through meaningful project-based work.
- Each family signs in with its own private email
- Work saves automatically as learners go
- Parents are emailed once when a Lab is finished
- Designed by a teacher with 18 years of international experience
Grade pathway
Primary Grades 4–7
Each grade is designed as a 36-week project pathway, organised into four terms with nine Learning Labs per term.
Five Grade 6 Discovery Labs are available now. The full Grade 4–7 weekly catalogue remains in academic review.
In academic reviewGrade 4The Careful Observer
Learners practise careful observation, organise details clearly and build confidence with structured project work.
Learning Journey →
In academic reviewGrade 5The System Explorer
Learners explore systems, spot patterns and connect cause and effect across subjects.
Learning Journey →
In academic reviewGrade 6The Evidence-Based Designer
Learners work through design problems, compare evidence and explain the reasoning behind the solutions they build.
Learning Journey →
In academic reviewGrade 7The Strategic Defender
Learners prepare for high school by improving their work, defending complex ideas and backing their choices with evidence.
Learning Journey →
In academic reviewTailor-MadeCustom Designed Projects
Custom-designed project-based learning experiences for homeschool families, primary schools and after-school programmes. Each project is shaped around your learners' academic needs, school curriculum goals, timetable and priorities.
Enquire Now →Who it's for
Learners ready to excel
PPL gives homeschool families, schools and after-school programmes structured Learning Labs with clear missions, guided learning and visible project outcomes.
Homeschool Families
- What they need
- Families who want purposeful project-based learning without planning every prompt, task and reflection question themselves.
- What we give
- A clear mission, guided steps, facilitator notes and a final project learners can show, explain and reflect on.
Schools
- What they need
- Schools that need credible project-based learning without adding another planning burden.
- What we give
- Ready-to-guide Learning Labs with facilitator notes, flexible levels, reflection tasks and visible evidence of learner thinking.
After-School Programmes
- What they need
- Tutors, centres and enrichment programmes that want purposeful project sessions where learners make decisions, build ideas and explain their thinking.
- What we give
- Complete project blocks with clear tasks, discussion prompts, guided activities and a final build learners can present.
Insights
PPL Engine Fuel
Short reflections on learning, curriculum design and how PPL is built.
- 01
Why Project-Based Learning Works
Why learners often do stronger work when each task is building towards something they can make and explain.
Read article → - 02
Why South Africa Needs Better Learning Support Now
How structured Learning Labs can support families, schools, tutors and centres in the South African context.
Read article → - 03
Why I Started Building Primary Project Labs
Werner Guderian shares the teaching, curriculum design and family learning experience behind PPL's structured Learning Labs.
Read founder story →
Connect
What are your learning goals?
Tell us about your learner, school, centre or programme, and what you want to strengthen through project-based learning.
You may be looking for a structured add-on for your child, a richer project pathway for your learners, or academic and curriculum design guidance for a new or developing school.
We'll start with a conversation and point you toward the most suitable PPL route.
Enquiry form
Start with a short introduction.
Use our Google Form to tell us about your context, learner grade and what you would like to explore. We’ll review your enquiry and reply by email.
Open the enquiry formOpens securely in Google Forms.