Students will complete a Self-Directed Project to gain a new and meaningful level of understanding in a topic of personal interest. This will challenge each student to draw upon their academic and vocational skills and talents while creating a project that significantly extends their learning outside of the classroom environment. This experience will require each student to integrate critical thinking skills, problem solving, personal creativity, organizational skills, and perseverance to gain a higher level of understanding of how these skills may be applied in their future.
Requirements
- New Knowledge and Skills Proposal Form
- Project Commitment Poster
- Action Plan
- 40 hours minimum
- Documentation
Standards
1. Proposal Form
Overview:
- Description of the project
- Significance of the project
Determining Learning Goals:
- Describe prior knowledge and skills
- Describe the new knowledge and skills that will be pursued
- Describe final learning goals and outcomes
Proposal form must be approved BEFORE project work is started.
2. Project Commitment Poster:
- Create a visual representation of your culminating project and your commitment to its completion
- Use 18" x 24" poster board
- Display the title prominently and neatly
- Use pictures and/or graphics to represent your project
- Consider adding captions or drawings to the visual images
- Use correct spelling
- Use school appropriate word choice and images
- Write your name and student ID on the back and indicate whether or not you'd like your poster to be displayed
3. Action Plan:
- Must be completed AFTER the proposal form is approved.
For each goal and outcome from proposal:
- List each task needed to accomplish your goals and outcomes
- Identify resources needed for each task
- Create a feasible timeline that includes start and finish dates for each task
- Indicate what evidence there will be to show you've met each goal and outcome -- this will also shown in your documentation
Once the action plan is approved, the project topic cannot be changed.
4. Time Requirement:
- 40 hours minimum
- 60 - 80 hours recommended to meet standard
5. Documentation:
This component will include a combined journal and log.
Each entry will include: date, activity, time spent, degree of success (1-5), expenses and a journal entry.
Entries must be made within one week of the activity.
Journaling should include reflection on progress, accomplishments, successes, setbacks, next steps, etc.
Annotated Bibliography:
Explain how six credible resources, with at least one interview, were used to achieve learning goals and outcomes.
Use standard MLA format.
Other evidence of final product
Verify final learning goals and outcomes.
Examples may include photos, videos, recordings, sketches, etc.
