The purpose of Nathan Hale High School is to ensure that ALL students will become honorable, thinking, skillful citizens

The purpose of Nathan Hale High School is to ensure that

ALL students will become honorable, thinking, skillful citizens.

PROJECT JOURNAL, PROJECT LOG, AND PORTFOLIO GUIDELINES

Due April 11, 2008

The Project Journal and Project Log:

You will complete three reflections as part of your work on your culminating project.

Specifically, reflect on the following questions:

Ø How does this project and my work on it demonstrate who I am as a learner?

Ø How is this project important to me or to my community?

Ø How have I developed or applied the five habits of mind (viewpoint, evidence, relevance, connection, supposing) through the culminating project experience?

These reflections will be completed at the beginning, midpoint, and end of culminating project process.

You will log the hours you spent working on your project. Remember, if your project involves service, you can count them toward your service learning hours!

Formatting Requirements

All culminating project journals should have:

The goal and purpose of the project
Three reflections on your growth as a learner. You can use the Five Habits of Mind (viewpoint, evidence, relevance, connection, supposing) to help this reflection.
Documentation of 20 authentic hours of work on the project. These hours may also count toward service learning hours if the project has an impact on the community or school.
A clear and organized log of activities done (including: dates, time spent, a description of the tasks/activities worked on, and the total number of hours completed)

Sample Goal and Purpose:

Since I’m interested in a either a career in Science or Social Work, I wanted to spend time in an elementary school classroom, observing teaching and learning, and also helping students learn to read and use the scientific method. The purpose was for me to a) help students in my old elementary school, b) understand how the Scientific method is taught to young students and how it helps them to grow intellectually, and c) see how younger students can benefit from having a positive relationship with an older student.

Sample Reflection:

When I first arranged to observe and hopefully teach in a third grade classroom, I thought that I was ready to take over. From my perspective, I knew all about the scientific method, and I had ideas for interesting projects for students. I had also studied Washington’s Science standards and read some articles from the NSTA (National Science Teachers’ Association) website. I was ready to teach Science the right way!

After my first day of observing and sharing a short lesson on butterflies, I was hit by reality. Teaching third graders is more complex than I imagined. First, their attention span is much shorter than I thought it would be. Second, they are less coordinated than I thought. I brought them some butterflies to look at from my collection, and they tore the wings apart. I’m going to have to think about teaching the scientific method in short, step-by-step phases.

Sample Log

Date Activity Time

October 3 Volunteered in 3^rd grade classroom 2 h

October 10 Volunteered in 3^rd grade classroom 2h

October 12 Read book about teaching reading 4 h

October 31 Volunteered at Halloween party at 3 h

Community center

Reflection 1: The Beginning

This reflection should include thoughts, feelings, and reflections related to the planning and initial work done to structure the culminating project. This initial reflection should speak to how you think this project will demonstrate your depth of learning. You should predict how this project might affect your future learning and actions. The following questions, related to the Five Habits of Mind, should also be considered as you choose your project and begin meaningful work:

VIEWPOINT: What viewpoint(s)/perspective(s) are you considering and/or serving when thinking about the purpose of and in implementing your culminating project?
EVIDENCE: What evidence has directed you in forming ideas about your project? What are the needs you are trying to address? How will you know that you have demonstrated your presence as a learner?
RELEVANCE: How do you know that this is an important task to be undertaken? Why does what you are doing matter to you, to the greater community? Why and how does this project attend to your learning goals?
CONNECTION: How is your project intended to meet the needs of the community you are serving? In what ways are your goals aligned with the goals of the person/community/organization that you are working? How will this project demonstrate who you are as a learner?
SUPPOSING: What if things do not go as planned? What alternative routes could you take in your work to serve the same purpose?

Reflection 2: Midway

This reflection should include your thoughts, feelings, and reflections related to the progress made thus far in the culminating project process. This second reflection should speak to your growth and learning through the culminating project process.

The midway point provides a great opportunity for you to make sure you are on track in the culminating project process. In late February/early March, your mentorship teacher will go over your time logs, journal, and reflections that have been completed up to this point.

Reflection 3: Final thoughts

This reflection should include your thoughts, feelings, and reflections related to your completed culminating project. As this is your final reflection, special attention should be given to HOW you have grown as a learner through this experience with their culminating project, and WHAT demonstrates that growth. The following questions, related to the Five Habits of Mind, may be helpful to consider as you reflect on the completion of your culminating project work:

VIEWPOINT: How has this project affected your personal viewpoint? If another person was reporting on your culminating project work, what would they say?
EVIDENCE: How has this project demonstrated who you are as a learner and/or your growth as a learner? How do you know your project goals were met?
RELEVANCE: What has your culminating project meant to you? What has it meant to the person/community/organization that you served? What will you remember about your experience five years from now?
CONNECTION: How is your culminating project experience related to your growth as a learner? In what ways does your experience compliment the academic learning you have done?
SUPPOSING: If things could have gone differently, what might you change? What would you leave the same? If you had not been required to complete a culminating project, how would you be different as a learner and/or as a person?

PORTFOLIO AND INTRODUCTION GUIDELINES

Choose three pieces of school work that show your growth as a learner. These can be from any class and from any year in high school! Write a SHORT introduction that explains why you’ve chosen these pieces for your portfolio by answering the following questions:

Ø How do these pieces demonstrate who I am as a learner?

Ø What learning challenges did I face as I entered high school?

Ø How did I overcome my learning challenges?

Ø How does my portfolio work reflect my learning this year through the culminating project experience?

Ø How will my learning help me in my future plans, beyond High School?

Ø What are my future plans?

Ø How did I use the Five Habits of Mind in my portfolio work? (Evidence, Viewpoint, Relevance, Supposing, and Connection)

Brainstorming/Notes:

CULMINATING PROJECT EXHIBITION GUIDELINES

May 12 and 13, 2008~Details to follow

The overall questions to be answered are:

Ø How has growth occurred for me over the past four years?

Ø How am I prepared to achieve my goals after High School?

The exhibition will start with an introduction by the student. The introduction will include a summary of the student’s classroom work pieces and answer the question, “How do all of these pieces demonstrate who I am as a learner?”

The student will also explain the impact of her/his culminating project work and answer the following questions:

“How was my culminating project a part of my growth and learning during my senior year?” and
“How does this direct me for my plans next year, after high school?”

The students will submit four questions that s/he is willing to answer about the portfolio and/or the culminating project.

Staff will have a pool of seven questions to ask.

· The panel will ask a minimum of five questions:

2 from the student’s submissions

2 from the staff’s submissions

1 from the parent

CP Journal, Portfolio, and Exhibition Timeline

Dates	Mentorship Activities
February 13-14	Review next steps document with students Specific check-in with each student for journal entries and time logs.
February 27-28	Specific check-in with each student Talk about possible portfolio pieces Interventions for students who are behind (contact Campbell/Shearer)
March 12-13	Specific check-in with each student Journal entry one should be complete Check time logs Review portfolio choices Interventions for students who are behind (contact Campbell/Shearer)
March 26-27	Specific check-in with each student Journal entry two should be complete Portfolio pieces should be chosen and assembled in a folder Work on portfolio introduction Interventions for students who are behind (contact Campbell/Shearer)
April 9-10	Final work days and check-ins Journal entries one, two, and three should be complete Portfolio introduction should be written Interventions for students who are behind
April 11	Journal and portfolio due to mentorship teacher
April 16 -17	Students rehearse presentations
April 23-24	Students rehearse presentations
May 7-8	Presentations to 9^th to 11^th grade mentorships
May 14-15	Presentations to 9^th to 11^th grade mentorships
May 12-13	Exhibitions to the community