From the requirements of the new curriculum reform of mathematics and the development of the core literacy, mathematics teaching should not be a single teaching of knowledge, but should pay attention to the comprehensive application of various teaching methods, and give students the opportunity to practice and explore their own learning. As a new learning method, project-based learning is guided by the teaching concept of "learning by doing". This method, advocating using group cooperation to complete specific project tasks, is no longer only to impart knowledge and skills to students, but to guide students to master knowledge and exercise skills in the process of completing project tasks. In this process, students’ abilities in all aspects can be improved.

In recent years, project-based learning has been widely used in mathematics teaching in China. Rural students are a special group of students in our country, then can project-based learning be used in teaching mathematics in rural primary schools? Based on this question, this study adopts the approach of action research. By using classroom observation, test, interview, work analysis and other methods, the study focused on the development and implementation process of project-based learning in rural primary schools and mainly solves two problems: (1) How to carry out mathematics project-based learning in rural primary schools? (2) What is the effect of  using project-based learning in mathematics teaching in rural primary schools?

Focusing on the research problems, this study develops the project-based learning curriculum resources of graph and geometry in the sixth grade mathematics textbook of Jiangsu Education Edition, and carries out a one-month action research. A design process of mathematics project-based learning curriculum resource for rural primary schools has been formed, and it is found that group cooperation preparation, full use of materials in project process, teachers’ timely feedback, and better pre-learning and review guidance can help the project-based learning to be carried out better. The results of this study show that using project-based learning in mathematics teaching in rural primary schools can improve students’ enthusiasm of participating in class, give most students positive emotional experience, and can improve students’ problem-solving ability of proposing problems. However, it can not effectively improve students’ academic performance. Through the analysis of the process and result data collected, it is found that there is a possibility of implanting project-based learning in mathematics teaching in rural primary schools, the effect of group cooperative learning is an important factor affecting the mathematics project-based learning of rural primary schools, the influence of mathematics project-based learning on rural students is mainly reflected in the non-cognitive factors, and the influence of project-based learning on the students of different levels is different.