2013-2014 senior culminating project packet€¦ · culminating project assignments to fulfill the...

2013-2014 Senior

Culminating Project Packet

Okanogan High School Page 1

THE PURPOSE OF OKANOGAN

HIGH SCHOOL’S SENIOR CULMINATING EXPERIENCE

IS TO COMBINE ACADEMIC SKILLS

WITH OUTSIDE EXPERIENCE IN ORDER TO INCREASE

PERSONAL GROWTH AND BROADEN INDIVIDUAL

HORIZONS IN PREPARATION FOR POSTGRADUATE LIFE.


Table of Contents Page

Senior Letter 3

Culminating Project Procedures 4

The Five Components 5

Selecting a Topic 8

Sample Projects and Expectations 9

Guidelines 11

Timeline – Assignments and Due Dates 13

Project Proposal Form 14

Parent Approval Form 16

Project Yes Test 18

Choosing Your Mentor 19

Mentor Approval Form 21

Mentor Guide 22

Mentor Directives and Expectations 23

Mid-year Mentor Evaluation Rubrics 24

Year-end mentor Evaluation Rubrics

SCP Timesheet

25

26

General Writing Requirements 27

Research Paper Rubric 28

Culminating Project Advisor Evaluation Form 29

Presentation Requirements 30

Presentation Scoring Rubric 31

Reflection Paper Requirements 32

Reflection Paper Scoring Rubric 33


The purpose of the Okanogan Culminating Project is to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your academic ability, to apply management, and problem solving skills to a project that reflects your individual talents and interests. One of the most exciting aspects of the project is that you get to select a topic about which you feel passionate! Your topic should be career oriented. Your project will help reaffirm your skills of writing, demonstrating, creating and speaking that will continue to be important to you after you leave Okanogan High School. The Okanogan Culminating Project is multi-faceted. You will write a proposal and set goals for what you wish to accomplish and make it clear how this will prepare you for postgraduate life. You must seek out and find a mentor who is a professional or expert in your chosen project area. This person will help guide you in completing the project. You will research your topic, finding out as much as you can about your chosen subject. Then you will develop a project in which you apply what you have learned through your research. The presentation and reflective phases of your project involve the presentation of your research and project to a panel of knowledgeable individuals as well as the writing of a reflective paper on your experience. Through each of these phases you will have the opportunity to share your accomplishments and successes as well as the problems that you experienced along the way. You will discuss what you have learned and make it clear how this will prepare you for postgraduate life. Your Culminating Project is an important graduation requirement required by the State of Washington. You must earn an overall mark of “P,” or passing, on all culminating project assignments to fulfill the requirement. Students must also attempt all five components (pre-project preparation, research paper, project with hands-on learning with final product, oral presentation, reflective paper) to fulfill the requirement and make it clear how this will prepare them for postgraduate life. You must also find a mentor and receive approval from your advisor and parents. Check the timeline page in the manual for specific assignment due dates. Although you might feel overwhelmed by the Culminating Project requirements at this time; it is really not that difficult to be successful. If you meet the deadlines, give it your best effort, enjoy the process, and risk a little; you will not only graduate from Okanogan High School, but you will feel like you have really accomplished something important.


Culminating Project Procedures Okanogan High School

1. All seniors receiving a diploma from Okanogan High School must

successfully complete the Culminating Project.

2. The project requirement is not included in any particular course grade.

3. Students must earn a passing grade for each item on the timeline. Sports eligibility will be determined by the current grade at progress report time.

4. Students must complete each item of the component before attempting the next component section.

5. Students must complete all five components of the project in order to fulfill the graduation requirement. Those components are: pre-project preparation; research paper; hands-on, independent learning project; oral panel presentation; and reflective paper.

6. Students must find a mentor and receive advisor and parent approval (the committee may assist if necessary). The mentor must have reasonable expertise in the student’s choice of project/product. See Mentor guidelines. The mid-year mentor evaluation must be completed September 4, 2013 if a summer project or January 10, 2014 if a fall project. The end of project mentor evaluation is due November 8, 2013 if a summer project or April 11, 2014 if a fall project.

7. A committee consisting of the three Culminating Project Advisors and the Principal may address any questions or concerns.

8. A project that results in a benefit to the community may receive special

recognition as exceptional. Public recognition of exceptional projects may be announced at commencement ceremonies. The Culminating Project Committee will determine the merit of all exceptional projects.


The Five Components Reminder: make it clear how all components will prepare you for postgraduate life. Pre-project Preparation: This component includes your Project Proposal, Parent Approval Form, and Mentor Approval Form. These must be completed before you can begin the Research Paper component of your project. A crucial part of this component is mentor selection. Students must find a capable mentor to assist in their work. The mentor needs to be able to meet on a monthly basis with the student to provide input, suggestions, feedback, resources, and judge how the project is progressing. There may be laws, rules, and regulations that limit your ability to work in areas due to being under the age of 18 or other factors. Make sure to research and confirm with the mentor what you will be able to accomplish during your project timeframe. The Research Paper: The research paper outlines what learning took place before the actual project begins. Your research should give you the information you need to complete this “hands on” component of your project. The research can be varied amongst many different sources, but at least five sources are required. Once you have completed your research, you need to write a five-to-seven-page paper explaining what you have learned. Your research sources should be noted using parenthetical notes within the paper. Those notes will refer to your “Works Cited” page at the end. The “Works Cited” page does not count as one of your seven pages. Check your MLA packet for more details. The final draft of this paper will be due May 31, 2013 for a summer project and October 24, 2013 for a fall project. The Project: This is the “hands-on” component of the culminating project and where you apply what you have learned. You will learn through doing. Though the requirements of the project will vary, the end result is that you should have a product to showcase. A crucial part of this phase is working with your mentor. The mentor will evaluate each student’s project and will complete an evaluation sheet twice during the project in order to assess how well you have completed the project. You must keep careful track of your hands-on learning hours and activities. You will need to record total hours and your activities on your mentor evaluation forms, as these will be the official record of your completion of the minimum 40 hours required for project completion. Make sure to look over this grading sheet early in the project because it lays out the expectations you should be striving to master. Upon project completion and the submittal of the mentor’s end or project evaluation, students make a presentation of their project to the panel of advisors for evaluation. The project must be completed by November 8, 2013 for a summer project or April 11, 2014 for a fall project and advisor project evaluation will take place November 12-13, 2013 for a summer project or April 24-25, 2014 for a fall project.


The Panel Presentation: The component pulls everything together and justifies what you have done. You will be presenting to a panel of three to five people from our communities. At least one of these people should have some level of expertise in your project area. The presentation will be 10 to 15 minutes long and must incorporate the use of visual aids. Your presentation will need to include a Power Point slideshow and this must be loaded onto a portable “thumb drive”/”jump drive” in a Windows format that is compatible with the school’s technology by the scheduled time for oral panel presentations. The presentation should include all aspects of your project including:

1. An introduction to the general topic with discussion of your research and reasoning for your choice in topics

2. A discussion what you did and what you learned about the topic during the project portion

3. Your project should be visually represented (you need a product or demonstration)

4. Discuss what you learned about yourself along with self-critiques and areas of strength or weakness

5. The conclusion will summarize your learning and how you may apply any aspect of your newfound knowledge to potential future employment.

This information can be organized in a way that makes sense to you. Be prepared to field up to five minutes of questions on the particulars of your experience. You may use note cards for your presentations. Dress appropriately. Oral community panel presentations will be in the evenings of November 18-20, 2013 for a summer project or April 28-30, 2014. Family and friends are welcome to attend the oral community panel presentations. Reflective Phase: This component is a five paragraph, double-spaced, and typed paper, which reflects on your culminating project experience. This is a process paper in which you will discuss what you did, the process you went through, what you learned, and how you plan to apply your learning to your life, future classes, projects, etc. Make sure that you discuss your learning experiences, and feel free to discuss both positive and negative feelings. Most important of all is that this paper exhibits self-understanding. Make sure you have an introduction and concluding paragraph. Some questions you might address in your reflection include:

1. What did you gain in experience and knowledge from your project? 2. What problems did you encounter? 3. What did you learn from the process of the project? 4. How did you feel about your presentation? 5. How do you intend to apply your newfound insights to future career

opportunities?


The Reflective Phase must be completed by December 2, 2013 for a summer project or May 7, 2014 for a fall project. You must complete this component as well as all the other components of the project in order to pass the culminating project. Paperwork and deadlines stretch from the beginning to the end of your culminating project. All deadlines and forms are listed on the “Timeline for your Culminating Project.” Original forms are to be submitted for grading and cannot be accepted if filled out in pencil. Your graded assignments will be scanned and returned to you for your records. The scanned assignments will be posted in a folder on one of the school server’s computer drives. You will be notified during advisory of the name and location of the folder. Students must complete all paperwork and meet all deadlines throughout the project and earn a “P,” or passing, on these assignments in order to pass the project. Any changes to your project – Project Scope/Product, Mentor, etc. will require new forms to be submitted for advisor approval and grading. Changes to the project scope/product cannot be made after January 6, 2013. If you planning on completing your project during the summer of 2013, you must discuss this with your advisor and obtain their approval before you can begin the project. Please follow the summer due dates listed on the SCP timeline. Components 1 and 2 must be completed and each piece must receive a passing grade before June 7, 2013, so you can begin Component 3 over the summer.


Selecting a Topic The careful selection of a topic for your Culminating Project is absolutely vital for your success and your interest in this long-term project. Think about a job related interest that you might like to expand upon. Your Culminating Project might be an opportunity for you to explore some career related arena that you have never had the time to investigate. If the selection of your topic seems in any way to be questionable, please see your advisor to discuss the proposal. Below and on the next page, you will find a variety of types of potential projects. This is just a suggestion list! Let you imagination be your guide with, of course, the parameters in mind! Have fun and be creative!

Possible Topics

Advertising Develop and ad campaign Aerodynamics Design/build an RC plane Architecture Design/draw blueprints/build a model Art (painting) Paint a series of abstract painting Art (painting) Design and paint a mural Art (3-D) Create a totem pole/or a sculpture Auto body Restore a vehicle Broadcasting Create a TV or radio program Business Develop/start a small business Computers Write a software program Computers Create animation sequences Computers Design a web site Cooking professional level Drama/Dance Produce/direct a play Drama/Dance Produce/direct a dance show Drama/Dance Design and build a set Drama/Dance Write/perform a monologue Fashion design Design and make a dresses Education Develop pre-school program Furniture Design/build furniture History Plan/hold a mock election History Plan/hold a political forum Journalism Write articles for the local paper Landscaping Design and create professional grade

landscape Photography Learn/apply photographic techniques Robotics Design and build a robot Writing Submit a series of poems for publication Writing Submit for publication a novel/short story


Sample Projects and Papers Pathway Topic Research Paper

Thesis Product

Arts/Communication Foreign Language Interpreter

Police forces with interpreters on staff have better community relations

English/Spanish phrasebook for common law enforcement situations, designed in consultation with local law enforcement.

Arts/Communication Literary Magazine

Students’ skills improve when they wrote for publication, not just for class

Produce a high school literary magazine

Business & Marketing Advertising Newspaper advertising must learn from TV to be effective

Series of advertisements designed for local businesses to reach a teen audience

Business & Marketing Business Plan

Undercapitalization is the biggest factor in most small business failures

Business and financial plan for a business you intend to start after high school

Science, Agriculture & Environmental Resources

Greenhouse Greenhouse production can extend season for Northwest market growers

Design and build a self-ventilating greenhouse

Science, Agriculture & Environmental Resources

Stream Restoration

Habitat is the critical element in a salmon run’s survival

Demonstrate your learning by improving the salmon habitat on a section of a stream

Industrial Technology and Engineering

Wood Splitting

Hydraulic technology is the most efficient method to split wood quickly and cleanly

Design and build a hydraulic wood splitter


Industrial Technology and Engineering

Architecture Innovative uses of recycled wood products

Design for vacation cabin

Health/Education/Human Services

Early Childhood Education

Brain research indications young children should not watch TV

Create packet of low-cost family alternative to watching TV. Present to families at an elementary school parent night.

Health/Education/Human Services

Aerobics Elderly people can live longer and improve their quality of life through regular aerobic exercise

Design and lead a low-impact aerobics class at a senior center

Project Parameters and Basic Expectations Appropriateness of projects: Parameters for the selection of project topics have been established with your safety, OKHS, and district policies in mind. All project topics, including those which may focus on controversial issues, must meet the standards of Okanogan High School and the Okanogan School District. All proposals will be reviewed for appropriateness. If you think your desired topic might be considered questionable, it needs to be submitted early to the Culminating Project Advisor and the principal before you proceed. Projects That Are Not Allowed

No on-the-water or underwater projects (boating, sailing, water skiing, fishing, white water rafting, jet skiing, scuba diving, etc.)

No above ground projects (flying, sky diving, bungee jumping, hang gliding, hot air balloons, etc.)

No mountain climbing

No rollerblading/skateboarding

No skiing or snowboarding

No motorized races or contests (auto racing, demolition contests, motorcycles and go-cart races, tractor pulls, stunting, etc.

No weapons or the making of weapons Fund Raising: Any senior project which includes fundraising efforts must be approved by the principal.


Guidelines

In order to complete the Culminating Project, you will need to complete the following steps. Many of these steps are outlined further in this manual. Others will be discussed in detail in your English class. You will need to manage your time, work independently, and solve problems. On all assignments and presentations you will receive a ‘P’ for pass or ‘F’ for fail. Assignments receiving an ‘F’ will be returned to the student for revisions and corrections. Students are required to resubmit revised assignments for a new grade. You must receive a passing grade on each assignment of a component before you can proceed to the next component section. You must obtain at least a ‘P’ on the overall grade for the Culminating Project. Honesty Policy Honesty and integrity are important characteristics of an upstanding citizen. Dishonesty or plagiarism on any part of the Culminating Project will result in not being allowed to take part in commencement exercises and possibly not graduate at all. Running Start Students Although your Running Start schedule may not allow you to attend the advisory sessions at Okanogan High School, you are still expected to be in contact with your advisor on a regular basis throughout the project. Component 1 - 1. Select a topic. Spend some time thinking about this. Your choice will be instrumental in your enjoyment and satisfaction of the entire project. Please read the page titled “Selecting a Topic” for further information. 2. Complete and return the “Culminating Project Proposal” form in this packet. Proposals will be reviewed by the advisory panel and approved or returned with suggestions for revision. 3. Select a mentor who can be of assistance to you on your project because they have expertise in your chosen topic area. 4. Complete the required “Mentor Sheet” and give a copy of the “Mentor Guidelines” to your mentor. Also have your parents complete the “Parent Approval Form”. Turn both in to your advisor for approval.


Component 2 - 5. Conduct research and write a paper according to guidelines specified in English or get guidelines from your advisor if not in English A total of five sources are required. This is only a minimum. You may have many sources. In fact, we encourage it! Examples of sources are: manuals, interviews, newspapers, magazine articles, audio or video tapes, books, pamphlets, meetings, websites, etc. Keep track of bibliographical information for each source for your “Works Cited” page. After you have compiled your notes, you need to write a rough draft of your research. Your Works Cited page and internal parenthetical notes must be included. Then write a final draft of no more than seven pages for submittal. Component 3 - 6. The hands-on project piece of the Culminating Project is when you get to apply the research you have completed. You will work with the guidance of a mentor to complete the activities. Both your mentor and advisor will evaluate this component. You must have a product or demonstration to use for your advisory panel project evaluation. Project requirements will be varied according to your project. 7. At least forty hours of hands-on project learning are required to complete the project phase of the Culminating Project. This is a minimum number of hours and it may include class days that will be dedicated to your project. Keep accurate records of the time spent on your project. You will be required to discuss these hours with your mentor and document your time on the Mentor Evaluation sheets. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! Your hands-on project learning time only counts from the date that you receive a passing grade on your Research Paper. Time spent before you receive a passing grade on your Research Paper will not count as part of your required forty hours of hands-on project learning time. Component 4 - 8. The oral panel presentation piece of the Culminating Project requires speaking to a panel of interested individuals from our community. You may invite guests if you wish. Prepare the following items for the oral presentation: - 10 to 15 minutes of presentation - Visual aids, product, demonstration - Note: prepare to answer questions from the panel. Component 5 - 9. After your oral panel presentation, you will write a five-paragraph, typed reflective paper. In the reflection paper you may examine the experiences and learning that occurred during any part of the project. If you have been documenting properly you should have ample details for your paper.


Timeline for Your Culminating Project

Assignments and Due Dates Checklist

Summer/Fall Due Dates Component 1 Project Proposal May 17/Sept. 13 _________ Parent Approval Form May 17/Sept. 13 _________ Mentor Form May 24/Sept. 27 _________ Component 2 Final Draft Research Paper May 31/Oct. 24 _________ Component 3 Mid-year Mentor Evaluation Sept. 4/Jan. 10 _________ Presentation Outline Oct. 30/March 26 _________ End of Project Mentor Evaluation Nov. 8/April 11 _________ Advisor Project Evaluation Nov. 12-13/April 24-25 _________ Component 4 Oral Panel Presentation Nov. 18-20/April 28-30 _________ Component 5 Reflective Paper Dec. 2/May 7 _________ Note

You must complete at least 40 hours of hands-on project learning which

must be documented on the Mentor Evaluation forms.

If you plan on completing your project during the summer of 2013, you must discuss this with your advisor and obtain approval first. Components 1 and 2 must be completed and each piece must receive a passing grade before June 7, 2013, so you can begin Component 3 over the summer.


Culminating Project Proposal

Student Name___________________________________________________ Advisor ________________________________________________________

1. I am going to accomplish the following for my Culminating Project:

2. My end product for this project will be:

3. Major steps for reaching this goal are (list at least 5 major steps, in order):

4. I estimate the cost of this project to be _________________.

5. A minimum of three specific and relevant topic areas I will research for my project and paper are:

6. The career pathway that this project involves is:_____________________


7. This project relates to my future in the following way(s):

8. Write a paragraph describing why you chose this project.

9. This project will challenge me in at least the following three ways:

10. Three types of evidence or proof of my progress, excluding my final product will be:

11. My product will be evaluated in at least the following three ways:

12. Two types of assistance I will require from my mentor are:

13. If my project is not accepted my second choice for a project is:


Parent/Student Informed Consent and Commitment Section: As parent(s)/guardian(s) and student, we are aware the Okanogan School District requires that all four phases of the project: research paper, project, presentation and reflection must be passed in order to graduate from Okanogan High School. We understand that if the project is a product, it must be physically present at school as a part of the presentation. If too large to physically take to school, the project will be subject to other methods of verification. If the project is a service or an activity, it must be documented by photos or a video which will be a part of the presentation, showing the student doing the activities. We fully understand that this project selection decision is made independently of the staff and administration of the high school, but is subject to school approval. This project selection and approval is student and parent centered. We therefore assume all responsibility for any risks and costs which might be inherent in the project chosen. ____________________________ (Student’s full name) has my/our consent and authorization to participate in ______________________________ as part of the student’s Culminating Project. My/our student will participate in activities which include _____________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________. I/we realize that the Okanogan School District will not have staff present during the time that our student is participating in Culminating Project activities. I/we assume full responsibility of supervising our child for all activities involved in their Culminating Project. I/we understand that the educational purpose of the Culminating Project is to help students to organize and conduct a project, carry out and document research and learn to present to a panel of adults in an organized and professional manner that is up to standards required for the business world. I/we understand that grades for any part of the Culminating Project may be connected to assignments in English. Students may receive credit for written reports detailing their experiences and research. Students not enrolled in senior English class will not receive any grades but are required to meet the same minimum standards of accomplishment for any and all parts of the Culminating Project as students enrolled in OKHS English class. The district is not sponsoring the activities and will not be responsible or liable for any activities the students choose for the Culminating Project.


Further, we as parent/guardian and student understand that faking or plagiarizing the paper or project will lead to failure of the Culminating Project, resulting in possible failure to graduate, participation in commencement as well as loss of assignment grades in the corresponding English class. I/we are fully aware of the special dangers and risk inherent in the activities my student has chosen to participate in for this project, including any and all physical injuries, death or other consequences that may arise or result directly or indirectly from the activities. Being fully informed and aware of the risks associated with these activities, I/we hereby give my/our consent for the above named student to participate in the activities described. Additionally, I/we assume all risk of injury or liability and waive any right of recovery from or to bring suit against the Okanogan School District for any personal injury, death or other consequences arising of our participation in activities, except for the sole negligence of the District. Parent/Guardian Signature _____________________________Date__________ (Parent or legal guardian signature reflects their knowledge and approval of the activities described) Parent email address _________________________________ Cell __________ Student Signature ____________________________________Date__________ Student email address ________________________________ Cell __________


Proposal ‘Yes’ Test Content Requirements:

_______ 1. Clear plan of accomplishment

_______ 2. Project must be career oriented and incorporate two of the following criteria:

Academic

Community Service

Personal Growth

_______ 3. Clear end product

_______ 4. Major steps in reaching goals are clear and attainable

_______ 5. Cost estimate included

_______ 6. Three specific and relevant research topic areas identified

_______ 7. Career pathway identified

_______ 8. Relationship to student’s future identified

_______ 9. Project represents a challenge for this student

_______ 10. Three proofs of progress identified

_______ 11. Three evaluation criteria for student’s projects are listed

_______ 12. Identifies assistance required from mentor

_______ 13. Required signatures from parent/guardian and student are included

NOTE: No proposal will be accepted or reviewed until it meets all the ‘Yes’ Test requirements.

Please attach this page to your proposal. Do not fill out! – To be completed by advisor only.

Proposal: Accepted__________ Rejected____________

Advisor Signature__________________________________________________


Choosing Your Mentor

What is a Project Mentor? A mentor is “a wise and trusted counselor or guide.” Your mentor will be your most valuable resource. He/she must be a practicing professional or someone well versed and cannot be an Okanogan Middle or High School employee. He/she will provide you with the advice and feedback necessary for you to complete your project successfully. The quality of your project will be directly affected by the choice of your mentor. What is the Role of the Mentor? The role includes the following:

Clarify with the student what the student’s project will be, including scope, timeline, learning goals, level of hands-on experience and expected outcomes;

Communicate clearly to the student what the mentor’s role will be, when they can meet with the student and what their time and skill limitations are;

Meet monthly with the student during his/her work on the project to provide input, to make suggestions, to see how the student is applying feedback and to judge whether or not the student understands the feedback;

Provide topic suggestions and resources to support the student’s research paper;

In the middle and at the conclusion of the student’s Culminating Project discuss and evaluate the experience to determine if and how well the student met his/her goals;

Verify the time the student spends on the project (minimum of 40 hours hands-on time) by completing and signing the Mid-year and the Year-end Mentor evaluation forms. Students must have all required documents turned in by November 8, 2013 for a summer project and April 11, 2014 for a fall project in order to proceed to advisor project evaluations.

Before You Choose a Mentor:

Clearly define your project.

Be clear and specific about what you expect from your mentor, including the time commitment from mentor.


How Do I Choose a Mentor?

Brainstorm for possible experts within your chosen field of interest

Talk with parents, friends and teachers for possibilities

Look for someone who has expertise and interest to mentor you through your project (one of the purposes of a mentorship is to connect you to the larger community)

When you approach a potential mentor act as though you are doing a job interview. Dress nicely, give them the facts about your plans and sell yourself! A personal discussion will be far more effective than a phone call.

Who is NOT a Mentor?

A fellow student, at this or any other high school

A recent graduate – within five years

A parent or close family member

Anyone with a criminal record

Anyone your parents aren’t 100% comfortable with


Mentor Approval Sheet

The following is to be completed by the student and signed by the mentor and parent. Due Date: May 24, 2013 for a summer project and September 27, 2013 for a fall project Student Name: _________________________________________________ Advisor: ______________________ Email: ___________________________ I plan to do my research on: _______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ My project will be on: _____________________________________________ Mentor’s Name: ______________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________ Telephone: __________________ (Day) ________________ (Evening) Email: ________________________________________________ How much time do you see yourself spending with your mentor?

You will need to touch bases with you mentor at least once each month. Will you need a great deal of guidance? _______________________________________ What kind of information will you need from your mentor? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I have received and understand the mentor guidelines: __________________________________ __________________________ Mentor Signature Date __________________________________ __________________________ Parent Signature Date


Mentor’s Guide All components shall show evidence that will prepare the student for postgraduate life. S 1. Pre-project Preparation – This component of the culminating project includes

the Project Proposal, Parent Approval, and Mentor Approval Forms. A crucial part of this phase is mentor selection.

2. Research Paper – The research paper outlines what learning took place before the actual project begins. Once the student completed his/her research, she/he wrote a seven page (maximum) paper explaining what he/she has learned. The final draft of this paper, with the notes, is due May 31, 2013 for a summer project and October 24, 2013 for a fall project.

3. Project – This component of the culminating project is where students apply what they have learned. Though the requirements of the project will vary, the end result is that students should have a product to showcase. The mentor will meet with the students monthly and will be given an evaluation sheets to assess how well students have completed their project. Make sure to look over these evaluation sheets early in the project because it lays out the expectations students should be striving to master. The project must be completed by November 8, 2013 for a summer project and April 11, 2014 for a fall project and advisor project evaluation will take place November 12-13, 2013 for a summer project or April 24-25, 2014 for a fall project.

4. Oral Presentation – The students will appear before a panel of judges and give a ten to fifteen-minute summary of the results and findings of their paper and project. Following this there will be a five-minute questioning period where the students will be required to field questions from the judges and defend their experience. The panels will be made up of three to five judges, one of which will have some degree of expertise in each of the students’ project areas. You may be asked to be a member of a panel. Oral presentations will be in the evenings of November 18-20, 2013 for a summer project and April 28-30, 2014 for a fall project.

5. Reflective Paper – One of the most valuable lessons we can learn is to look back and take stock of our accomplishments. The reflective paper is two pages long. The seniors have the opportunity to ponder what they have accomplished in this activity. The Reflective Phase must be completed by December 2, 2013 for a summer project and May 7, 2014 for a fall project.

Paperwork and deadlines start at the beginning and continues throughout the project. Students need to complete forms and meet the deadlines of each component of their project before they can begin the following section.


Mentor Directives You are an important part of the Culminating Project experience. Students are expected to do their own work. However, help is sometimes needed to:

1) Provide guidance as to the shape and form of the project. For example, a student’s project might be too large in scope. The mentor would need to help the student narrow the focus to more manageable size.

2) Get them started! Sometime it is necessary to guide (not direct) the

student through the process of deciding what steps need to be taken, and in what order.

3) Provide suggestions as to where to go for reference materials.

4) Provide emotional support.

5) Complete mid-year and end of project evaluations including the sign-

off on hours spent on hand-on project learning.

Mentor Expectations

1) Be able to attest to what you have observed. Of the 40 hours

minimum the student is to spend on hands-on project learning - How many were you directly involved in or personally aware of? Was the final product worthy of forty hours effort? What have you seen?

2) Encourage students to maintain work that is acceptable and reflects as

honest attempt to do the best job possible.

3) You will be asked to complete an evaluation of the student in the middle and at the end of the project.

Our expectation is that mentoring for these students will be enjoyable, challenging and rewarding. We have high expectations for the quality of work that Okanogan seniors are capable of demonstrating. Please hold them to these high standards. If any problems or questions arise, please call (509) 422-3770 - Kathleen Ferguson (ext. 3110), Zach Spaet (ext. 3155), or Aaron Nickelson (ext. 3106). If email is more convenient, try: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




Mentor Evaluation Rubric To be completed by mentor

Mid-Year

Yes No I have observed the following:

The student exhibited positive communication skills while working with me.

The student contacted me in a timely manner.

The student was respectful and considerate of my time and schedule.

The student shared sufficient information about their experience to reveal a work ethic I am confident will serve them well later in life.

I would be willing to write a recommendation for this student.

The student demonstrated personal growth through the experience.

The student demonstrated how this experience broadened their horizons.

The student has made it clear how this experience will help prepare them for postgraduate life.

Mentor Comments:

Attach timesheet (page 26 in SCP packet) - No pencil or black ink

Acceptable ________ Unacceptable ________

Mentor Signature__________________________________________________

Print Student Name ________________________________________________


Student Evaluation Rubric To be completed by mentor

End of Project

Yes No I have observed the following:

The student exhibited positive communication skills while working with me.

The student contacted me in a timely manner.

The student was respectful and considerate of my time and schedule.

The student shared sufficient information about their experience to reveal a work ethic I am confident will serve them well later in life.

I would be willing to write a recommendation for this student.

I have written a recommendation for this student.

The student demonstrated personal growth through the experience.

The student demonstrated how this experience broadened their horizons.

The student has made it clear how this experience will help prepare them for postgraduate life.

The student did not exceed their proposed budget.

Mentor Comments:

Attach timesheet (page 26 in SCP packet) - No pencil or black ink

Acceptable ________ Unacceptable ________

Mentor Signature_________________________________________________

Print Student Name ____________________________________________________


SCP Timesheet

(Attach to Mentor Evaluation Form - No pencil or black ink)

DATE HOURS DESCRIPTION

W/ W/O INITIALS

MENTOR

TOTAL HOURS FOR MONTH OF




TOTAL HOURS FOR THIS MENTOR EVALUATION FORM


General Writing Requirements

The Culminating Project Committee has requested that all written components of the Culminating Experience follow the same format. All written parts of your experience must conform to the following standards:

1. Typed or word-processed in black ink.

2. Double-spaced.

3. 12 font in plain text (acceptable fonts include Times, Times New Roman, and Courier, Century Schoolbook).

4. Left justified.

5. 1 inch margins.

6. Header:

student's last name [center], page number [right-hand side].

7. White paper only--no borders or other embellishments.

8. Perfect in conventions, spelling, grammar, and usage.

Smith

3


Culminating Project Research Paper Rubric

Advisor Name: Mr. Spaet, Mr. Nickelson, Ms. Ferguson

Student Name: _______________________________________________

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Quality of Information Multiply score by

10

Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples. All topics are addressed, all questions answered with at least two sentences about each.

Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples. All topics are addressed, most questions answered with at least two sentences about each.

Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given. All topics are addressed, all questions answered with at least one sentence about each.

Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic. One or more topics not addressed.

Sources Multiply score by

5

All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented in the desired format

All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but a few are not in the desired format.

All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but many are not in the desired format.

Some sources are not accurately documented.

Mechanics Multiply score by

5

No grammatical, spelling, punctuation, or sentence structure errors

Almost no grammatical, spelling, punctuation, or sentence structure errors

A few grammatical spelling, punctuation, or sentence structure errors.

Many grammatical, spelling, punctuation, or sentence structure errors

Paragraph Construction and Organization Multiply score by

5

All paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding/ transition sentence. Paragraphs are organized in a logical fashion including Intro paragraph and closing paragraph.

Most paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence. Paragraphs organized but the logic may elude the reader, includes intro and closing.

Paragraphs included related information but were typically not constructed well. Paragraphs may not show organization, intro or closing may be missing.

Paragraphing structure was not clear and sentences were not typically related within the paragraphs. Paragraphs unorganized, missing intro and closing.


Culminating Project Advisor Evaluation Form

1. _______ Introduction (P/F/E) – Introduce yourself and name you project area. Tell why or how you chose your specific project (narrative story?) Give a short introduction to your research and how you applied it to your project. Transition to explanation.

2. _______ Explanation (P/F/E) – Explain your specific learning activities. How did you go about achieving the result you did? What specific, step-by-step things did you do? How many hours did it take? Have you accomplished what you originally proposed? Why or Why not?

3. _______ Expansion (P/F/E) – What have you learned from the things you did during the project? Where did you start and where are you now in terms of skills and understanding? Did you learn about anything in addition to what you proposed for your project? Personal knowledge?

4. ______ Product (P/F/E) –Show a product or visual that proves your effort and supports what you have said about your learning in #3 above. Sometimes you will actually be showing this while you are doing numbers 2 and 3.You may also do a demonstration that illustrates your ability. Make sure to save time in your presentation to show your product or demonstration.

5. ______ Conclusions (P/F/E) – Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as a learner. Focus on what went well and what created challenges in your project. How did this project prepare you for post-graduate life?

You should plan on 15 minutes to complete all five parts above. ‘P’=pass ‘F’=fail ‘E’=excellent


Panel Presentation Requirements

The following are the criteria for your score from the evaluating panel. You will be given a ‘P’ for pass, ‘F’ for fail or ‘E’ score for each criteria item. Final score will be calculated on an average of all evaluations and you will be given a ‘P’ for pass, ‘F’ for fail or ‘E’ for excellent. An averaged score of ‘P’ is required to pass this portion of your experience.

1. Presenter looks directly at the audience with interest and does not depend on

notes. 2. Presenter's vocalization is clear and well-paced with appropriate volume and

inflection. 3. Presenter uses proper grammar. 4. Presenter is dedicated to engaging the audience. 5. The introduction to the speech is creative, includes a clear indication of what

the presenter will be talking about and acknowledges the mentor. 6. The speech has a clear beginning, middle and end. It follows a logical

sequence and shows thought and planning. The speech, including question and answer period, is approximately 15 to 20- minutes in length.

7. The speech will include details and anecdotes from your experience. 8. In the speech, the presenter makes clear connections between the

Culminating Experience and other life experiences. 9. The presenter describes how the project prepared him or her for

postgraduate life. 10. In the conclusion of the speech, the presenter makes a strong statement or

powerfully impacts the audience with a unique insight gained from the experience.

11. Presenter has interesting quality visual/audio aids prepared with care and

attention to detail. 12. Presenter integrates and uses visual/audio aids effectively.


Presentation Scoring Rubric

‘P’=pass ‘F’=fail ‘E’=excellent

Comments:

Presenter’s Name _____________________________Date_______________ Overall grade: Pass - Fail - Excellent (Please circle)

Criteria (See “Presentation Requirements.”)

Score P-F-E

1 Presenter looks directly at the audience with interest and does not depend on notes.

2 Presenter’s vocalization is clear and well-paced with appropriate volume and inflection.

3 Presenter uses proper grammar.

4 Presenter is dedicated to engaging the audience.

5 The introduction is creative, ends with a clear indication of what the presenter will be talking about and acknowledges the mentor.

6 The speech has a clear beginning, middle and end. It follows a logical sequence and shows thought and planning.

7 The speech includes details and anecdotes.

8 The presenter makes clear connections between the Culminating Experience and other life experiences.

9 The presenter describes how the project prepared him or her for postgraduate life.

10 In the conclusion, the presenter makes a strong statement or powerfully impacts the audience with unique insight.

11 Presenter has interesting quality visual/audio aids prepared with care and attention to details.

12 Presenter integrates and uses visual/audio aids effectively.


Reflection Paper

A reflection paper is narrated in the first person tracing and encompassing all phases of the experience: the research, the application of learning, the presentation of the experience, and a final overview of the whole experience. Points to include in your 2-3 page Reflection Paper:

Review what you did.

Include what you liked and disliked about your experience.

Explain what, if anything, you would do differently.

Describe how you combined academic skills with outside experience.

Indicate how this experience broadened your horizons.

Explain how you grew personally as a result of this experience.

Indicate how this experience prepared you for postgraduate life.

Address how you met or revised your experience budget.

Describe how you worked with your mentor throughout your experience.


Scoring Rubric for the Reflection Paper

YES NO

Student has clearly demonstrated or described personal growth as a result of this experience.

It is clear that the student has broadened his/her horizons as a result of this experience.

The student has clearly defined how this experience prepared him/her for postgraduate life.

The student described how their budget was met or adjusted based on approval and described need.

For acceptance all items must be scored “Yes” by evaluator.

Reflection Paper Accepted ________ Resubmit Reflection Paper ________

2013-2014 senior culminating project packet€¦ · culminating project assignments to fulfill the...

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