There are several advantages to organizing curricula and learning around anchors and then progressing to hands-on projects (CTGV, 1993a). First, it is more practical and manageable for teachers to create anchors in the classroom than to try to arrange all of the resources, planning, and meetings around actual community-based projects. Second, the chance to work through one or more anchored problems Prepares students for actual problems they may undertake at a later time. Third, anchors provide a common experience and knowledge base that helps students share information with each other and with community members.