Green Career Pathways

Senior Project Packet

2013-2014

Table of Contents Introduction..2 Timeline/Due Dates.3 Terminology.4-5 Instructions for Paper and Project Proposal.6-8 Potential Initial Project Interview Questions...9 Letter of Intent Instructions...10 Letter of Intent Sample..11 Advisor Interview Instructions.12-13 Advisor Interview Sample........14-15 Speech Instructions...16-17 Thesis SOS.18 Style Sheet19-20 Research Paper Scoring Guide/Rubric.21-22 Speech/Boards Rubric.....23 Parent Agreement.24-25 Advisor Contract26 Notes.27-28

Introduction Senior Project Vision Statement

In the early 1980s, a high school in Oregon had such success with their senior projects that the idea grew, and now senior exhibitions are becoming popular throughout the United States. The Casa Grande Senior Project offers each of you an opportunity to select a topic of particular interest and showcase your best thinking, unique talents, maturity, creativity, and presentation skills. It offers a level playing field for ALL STUDENTS to excel because you choose how to document and showcase your best efforts, incorporating all that you have learned in your years of schooling. The Senior Project is not about competing with others for grades, but instead it is a personal challenge to learn something you will be able to value for the rest of your life. Teachers, students, administrators, parents, and community members have been very impressed with the exceptional quality of many Senior Projects. The goal of education is to have young people become lifelong learners and problem-solvers. The greater Petaluma community uses the Senior Projects to evaluate the school just as students are graded in classes. The school district believes that students should be able to demonstrate learning, be accountable to the standards that have been set, and be able to communicate well with othersall students should be able to show that they can read, write, think, speak, and act effectively in order to receive a diploma. More than a one-day test, the Senior Project is a truly authentic way of demonstrating to the public what you have learned. The Senior Project allows you to exhibit good time-management skills, diligence in designing and handling a long-term project, critical-thinking skills, and the ability to access and use information in this technological age. As many schools move towards more authentic learning experiences, this assignment is a partnership involving the home, the school, the community, and you. Together, local professionals, parents, and teachers will volunteer to sit on your senior board panels. The standards for evaluating the senior project are reflective of standards across the country. Many schools in Sonoma County are including exhibitions as a requirement for graduation; your Senior Project will help set the tone for Casa Grande students in the years to come.

Timeline/Due Dates

Component Paper and Project Proposal Letter of Intent

Due Date(s) Fri., Aug. 30 Fri., Sept. 6 Tue., Sept. 10 Tue., Sept. 10 Week of Sept. 16 Fri., Sept. 20 Mon., Sept. 30 Thurs., Oct. 10 Tues., Oct. 22 Thurs., Nov. 7 Fri., Nov. 22 Fri., Dec. 6 Mon., Dec. 9

Notes

F A L L

Parent Agreement Advisor Contract Initial Project Interviews Advisor Interview Paper Outline Draft 1 of Research Paper Draft 2 of Research Paper Draft 3 of Research Paper Draft 4 of Research Paper Coach Check-In Sheet Final Draft of Research Paper

Spring Assignments Due Dates TBD o Project Hours and Check-ins o Speech Outline, Drafts and Final o Portfolio (KEEP ALL SP PROJECT RELATED MATERIALS CLEAN & TOGETHER) o Powerpoint/Prezi/Digital Presentation o In-Class Presentations o Senior Project Boards (Night-time presentations in May)

Terminology

Senior Project yearlong, cluster-specific project for 12th grade students

Research Paper 6-10 page research paper that serves as the foundation for your handson component, MLA format

Hands-On Component think of this as your community service piece. You will be required to complete at least 20 hours of work related to your project (i.e. campaigning for e-Books in Petaluma public schools)

MLA Modern Language Association formatting for in-text citations and bibliographies

Green a practice, belief and/or philosophy that relates to the health and well being of the global community

Advisor a person outside of the CGHS community who serves as your expert for your area of study (i.e. for a project on the effects of poverty on the environment, you might seek the help of a Bay Area social worker)

Coach a GCP teacher who serves as a resource for you as you work on your Senior Project

Initial Project Interviews small group interviews in front of a panel of teachers, administrators, counselors and CGHS staff members. During this interview, you will defend your Senior Project idea. You should be prepared (i.e. research) to answer questions from the panel, and you should be in formal, business attire.

Boards night-time presentations in the Spring. You will present your entire project (but more specifically, the hands-on component) to a panel of CGHS staff members and Petaluma community members, using a web-based presentation format. You will present your speech, present evidence (pictures, video) of your work and speak authoritatively on your area of study. Your speech will be 6-10 minutes in length.

Instructions for Paper and Project Proposal

Your Senior Project is completely in your hands in that you get to determine the parameters of your own work by choosing a question to pursue in your research, your writing and your hands-on work, in 2nd semester. Consider the following classroom definition of green: a practice, belief and/or philosophy that relates to the health and well-being of the global community. Your Senior Project research paper and hands-on component must fall under this definition. As you create your Paper and Project Proposal, consider this definition and remember that your Proposal is a working draft that you may change at any time before we begin writing Draft 1. You will use your Paper and Project Proposal during your Initial Project Interview.

First and Last Name English 12/Owens, GCP Paper and Project Proposal August 28, 2013 (date you wrote it)

Paragraph 1 tell me about what youre interested in, in general. Think about careers that youd like to pursue and/or what youd like to study in college, graduate school, etc. Why are you interested in these things? What is your history with them? Have you always been interested in these things? What do you think you already know about them?

Paragraph 2 What questions do you still have about some of these topics/areas in which youre interested? What would you like to still learn about, discover, experience related to these areas? Now, consider how these areas of interest for you might relate to our definition of green (see Terminology page). Describe what you think those connections might be.

Paragraph 3 In this paragraph, propose and idea for your research paper. (HINT: use your answers from Paragraph 2 to describe your research. For example, if Ive always been interested in basketball, and I think that basketball relates to health, and health relates to our definition of green because its about the well being of people, I might decide that my area of study should have something to do with Physical Education. I might want to find out if theres a connection between peoples physical health and the amount they give back to their communities.)

Paragraph 4 Describe the ways in which your research paper might support your handson component. What might that hands-on component be? (My hands-on component might be connected to incorporating community service into Physical Education programs in local public schools.)

*Note: the language we use for this Paper and Project Proposal is loose. You are not committing to anything, nor will you have a defined concept for your paper and project by completing this assignment. Allow yourself the freedom to brainstorm on paper. Dont get hung up on the phrasing. This is merely a starting point.

Think of the entire year like this:

helps you do the hands-on work later

Research now Strong foundation and materials (research) for a solid house (hands-on component)
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Potential Initial Project Interview Questions

1) Please describe your research topic and thesis statement. 2) Please describe your project concept. 3) Why did you choose this topic? 4) How do you feel the two connect/relate? Why? 5) What research methods do you intend to use? Why are these methods appropriate for your research in particular? 6) What steps will you take toward expanding your research beyond the internet? 7) In what ways will your research make your spring project more effective? 8) What kind of impact do you think your research and/or project will have on Casa students, staff, parents and/or the Petaluma community? Might your research/project have an even wider effect? Please explain.

Letter of Intent Instructions

123 Dairy Street Petaluma, CA 94954 September 19, 2011

(Students address) (Todays date) (4 spaces)

Ms./Mr. English Teacher 333 Casa Grande Road Petaluma, CA 94954 Dear Ms./Mr. Teacher:

(English teachers name) (School address) (Salutation)

Describe the general area of interest, i.e., history, art, music, etc., and why you chose this area. Also explain what you already know or have accomplished in this area.(Paragraph 1) Include the specific topic on which your project and paper will focus, the essential question, some of the ideas you hope to include, and possible resources you may use. (Paragraph 2) Begin with a transitional sentence showing the relationship between your paper and your physical product/fieldwork, what it will be, your projects Statement of Worth, who will be involved, potential cost, potential time spent, and possible resources. (Paragraph 3) Sincerely, (double-space here and between each paragraph) (4 spaces for students signature) Bill Duncan (students name word-processed)

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Letter of Intent Sample 123 Dairy Street Petaluma, CA 94954 September 19, 2011

Ms. Owens 333 Casa Grande Road Petaluma, CA 94954 Dear Ms. Owens: I chose the area of entertainment to research and explore, more specifically, magic. I have about two years of experience in magic, mostly consisting of watching close-up small shows. I have also worked with a partner in magic shows although never independently. I am taking Drama II this semester. I have also taken a speech class and love being in front of people. In my research paper I will link some of the great magicians to their marketing skills, i.e., Houdini, Thurson, Blackstone, and Copperfield. I will also describe my inspiration to study magic. My resources will come from the use of the SOSC college library, the local public library, and the school library. I also hope to interview the owner of the Magic Man and two magicians who do childrens parties. Because my paper is factually based and ties magicians and marketing together, I plan to put on a large, independent magic show for my project. I hope to perform at La Tercera Creek Elementary School for an audience of two or three hundred; the money generated from the cost of admission will be donated to Heifer International. My cost factor will be in set design, costume, and props. I plan to build all my own sets and practice my new magic tricks every day. I will recruit some of my friends to be stage hands for me. I cannot, at this time, begin to estimate the hours all this will take. Sincerely,

Jane Doe

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Advisor Interview Instructions Part of your Senior Project necessitates a professional interview with your advisor. Your advisor should be actively involved in your project from beginning to end. This preliminary interview will help establish or deepen your connection and it will also hopefully supply you with research information sources for your paper. Although you are encouraged to ask questions that will also help you to get to know your advisor on various levels, the questions that you include in the write-up of your interview should pertain to your Senior Project topic. Before you interview your advisor, you should first decide the purpose of your interview. What do you hope to learn from the interview? After you are able to answer this initial question, write out clearly phrased questions that reflect your purpose. Organize your questions in a logical fashion, for example, from simple to complex or from objective and factual to personal (or vise-versa). Lastly, make sure you have all of the materials you might need before the interview (i.e. pen/pencil, ample paper, tape recorder, video or digital camera.) For the actual interview, dress appropriately and be punctual. If you are using a tape recorder, you should first ask the permission of the interviewee. Try not to stray off topic during the interview; stay on task. Listen for other possible leads, and be ready to pose new questions. Ask for clarification if needed and dont be embarrassed to ask your advisor to repeat an answer. Take the time necessary for you to keep accurate notes. It is important to review your notes and complete the assignment as soon after the interview as possible. You should be ready to turn in a clear, readable, organized interview before, or on, the due date. This typed summary should include: A formal header (follow the example exactly) o A short introduction in which you tell a little about your advisor and identify what you hoped to get out of the interview. o A minimum of 10 questions (italicized) and the advisors answers (each must be at least two sentences long). o Concluding paragraph or two summarizing your final thoughts and feelings about the interview. Follow the guidelines listed below when you set out to word process your interview.

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1. Use 12 point Times New Roman font (yes, this is a part of your overall grade) and one-inch margins. Microsofts Word programs automatically set the margins to 1.25, so you will need to adjust this. 2. Remember that the answers to at least ten of the questions need to be at least a minimum of two sentences long. If you ask a question that gets you a one-word answer, and then you ask a follow up question, you may combine those questions into one and then combine the answers (see Q2 on the sample). 3. Format your paper exactly in the manner shown in the example. Note the use of single and double spacing. The first part shows what the heading of your paper should be like. 4. You are expected to use proper grammar and punctuation when writing up someone elses words.

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Advisor Interview Sample First and Last Name English 12/Owens, GCP Advisor Interview August 28, 2013 (date you wrote it) Interview with John Smith, D.V.M. Large Animal Veterinarian This interview was conducted on February 12, 2009 By: Joanne Riley Dr. John Smith is a friend of my parents, and Ive known him for about five years. We own three horses, and he has treated them whenever they have needed care. Although I have seen him working on our animals, I have never really had a chance to talk with him one-on-one about what its like to do his job. By doing this interview, I hope to find out more about the veterinary profession and more about Dr. Smiths experiences. Q1: A1: Why did you decide to become a large animal veterinarian? Several reasons. I was raised on a ranch and worked around animals my whole life. I rode around with a vet since fourth grade until I graduated vet school. It was a good experience, and I really enjoyed it. I did well in sciences and liked school, so I went to vet school. Have you ever regretted a diagnosis of an animal, and what do you fear most when dealing with animals? Oh, yeah! If youre a good vet, youre constantly second guessing yourself, and thats what makes you a better vet. Thinking I should have done this or that differently. Its not like putting an engine in a truck; youre working with a live organism. Sometimes you can do everything right, and still lose animals. The other most fearful thing would have to be putting animals down because you dont get used to it, unless you dont care.

Q2: A2:

The rest of the interview write up will be formatted as the questions and answers shown above. Notice the way the questions and answers are numbered, that they are single spaced, and that a double-space is used when transitioning to the next question. No quotation marks need to be used. After you have included at least ten questions and twosentence answers, you will include your summary paragraph. I think that by asking Dr. Smith these questions, I have found myself. Many of the things that he said, I can relate to. Like him, I have also wanted to be a vet my entire life. He taught me what a good vet is like, and what it takes to be a vet. He made me 14

realize that not all people are perfect and that mistakes happen. I will always fear, but may be a little more relaxed about making the right diagnosis. Things go wrong even when they are done right; its a fact of life. By doing this interview, I gained more knowledge about him and the veterinary practice in ten questions than I ever have from anything else I have done. He has demonstrated to me through this interview the type of person and the type of veterinarian that I want to be.

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Speech Instructions

By following this format, your speech will be organized and will cover all the points that the judges will be evaluating; you will also submit this in a typed outline to your English teacher upon the day of your in-class presentation. You will then recreate this outline on one 4x6 or 5x7 card that you will be able to use for your final presentations both in and out of class. Your final speech must be 6-10 minutes, not counting the question and answer portion at the end of your speech. Good Luck!

Introduction: Catchy hook or introduction that creatively gets the attention of the judges. *Do not start with a question. Introduce your first and last name. Describe what you did for your project (in a general manner). Describe how your project connects to your cluster, GCP.

Body: Describe how you chose your project and what the motivation behind this choice was. Describe your project in great detail. Describe the learning stretch for you and what skills were involved Describe specifically how your twenty hours were spent. Point out a few key anecdotes from your project that were amusing, interesting, enlightening or exciting. Detail at least two or three observations you made about this subject while doing this project. Describe who your advisor is and how he or she helped you out. Describe what you learned about the subject that you chose. What were the challenges and successes? How did you overcome challenges and how did you achieve success? What did you learn about the professional world through this project? Describe your visual. Describe what you are proud of.

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Conclusion: Explain life lesson(s) you learned through this project Explain what you learned about yourself (be positive). Bring your speech to a close in a creative and engaging manner. Thank your judges!! Ask your audience what questions they have for you. We suggest that you shake hands with your judges *Proceed to your seat and watch the rest of the seniors present in a quiet and respectful manner. You may leave after everyone is finished and only then. You must check out with me in the Library.

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Thesis SOS

Fill in the blanks to the following sentences with either a pre-existing or new thesis statement.

1) The effect of ______________ is that it will cause __________________ because 2) ____________________is a concept/idea that our community should promote because of 3) ____________________is a better alternative to____________________ because 4) By (doing) __________________________, ________________________ will occur because 5) ________________________ is a detrimental theory because it

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Style Sheet Owens/12th Grade GCP Senior Project Research Paper

Avoid the nebulous people Because NOT since Check proper nouns First write out entire acronym then use parentheses i.e. the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). THEN you can refer to the FBI. Assumptions can be avoided with EVIDENCE or QUOTES o People think o Everyone has o The President believes (change to the President said he believes) ELIMINATE ALL QUESTIONS your job is to answer them No first person (includes we, us, our, my) No second person (includes you, one) He or she not they No slashes i.e. good/cost effective (choose or use and) That vs. who (i.e. the students who or the chemical that) 1 paragraph = 1 idea Do you have CCQC structure? Do you have a point or argument in every paragraph that supports the thesis? Construction: not onlybut also Read your sentences OUT LOUD (some of them do not make sense) Less vs. fewer Change a lot to a great deal Quotes within quotes o He said, When Bill told me, John you need to go green, I decided to make a change. o Do NOT leave quotes hanging. When I spoke to him, he said that he would recycle. Time elements WRONG: In 1996, it was now time for citizens to think about global warming. Soap box Does it need a citation? (i.e. The sky is blue sometimes. (Hobbs)) Check for double spaces Check parenthetical citations (see examples in packet) Check formatting (see examples in packet) Healthy vs. healthful o "healthful" means "contributing to the state of good health," whereas "healthy" means "enjoying the state of good health." o Hence: "Eating healthful foods can help make a person healthy." (The Washington Post) Children not kids 19

Students not kids No exclamation points Avoid well Try to NOT try and Eliminate obvious or obviously FBW Varied syntax Look for fragments and phrases (i.e. and, as a result,) Avoid vagueness (i.e. over the years how long?) Hyphens for two words put together to make an adj. (i.e. long-lasting) Numbers one-nine write out, above 10 are digits UNLESS it involves: o Starting a sentence o Casual uses (i.e. a thousand times no) o Proper names (i.e. 3M) o Percentages o Age (the boy is 5 years old or the 5-year-old boy) o Fractions greater than one (two-thirds but 2 4/5) Percent not % Quotations: A speculator said the practice is (no comma) too conservative for inflationary times. (period inside the quotation marks)

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CASA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR RESEARCH PAPER SCORING GUIDE 5/A PAPERS RESEARCH Research is clearly demonstrated. Research is properly cited. Research is supported with concrete (specific) examples with excellent commentary (analysis) relevant to thesis. There are at least five different sources with a minimum of three different types.

ORGANIZATION Thesis and topic sentences are clear, interesting, and thought provoking. The order and structure are compelling and move the reader through the text easily. WRITING CONVENTIONS The writing demonstrates strong control of standard writing conventions. T he writing uses academic voice (3rd person). Sentences are carefully crafted with strong and varied structure and powerful vocabulary. All MLA formatting rules are followed. Parenthetical citations and works cited page are formatted correctly. 4/B PAPERS RESEARCH Research is substantially demonstrated is cited. Research is supported with some concrete (specific) examples with commentary (analysis) relevant to thesis, although with fewer than five sources and/or three types of sources.

MLA FORMAT

ORGANIZATION Thesis and topic sentences are clear and present. The order and structure move the reader through the text easily. WRITING CONVENTIONS MLA FORMAT The writing demonstrates control of standard writing conventions. The writing uses academic voice (3rd person). Sentences are crafted with some variety and effective vocabulary. MLA formatting rules are followed, although there may be minor errors.

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3/C PAPERS RESEARCH Some research is demonstrated and cited. Support from concrete (specific) examples is limited. Commentary (analysis) relevant to thesis is limited. Fewer than five sources and/or three types of sources. Thesis and/or topic sentences are vague. Paper lacks clear order and structure. The writing demonstrates inconsistent control of standard writing conventions. The writing inconsistently uses academic voice (3rd person). Sentences have little variety and basic vocabulary. MLA formatting rules are followed inconsistently. 2/D PAPERS RESEARCH Minimal research, support, commentary, and/or citations are present.

ORGANIZATION WRITING CONVENTIONS MLA FORMAT

ORGANIZATION No thesis present. Vague or missing topic sentences. Paper lacks order and structure. WRITING CONVENTIONS MLA FORMAT The writing demonstrates minimal control of standard writing conventions. The writing lacks academic voice (3rd person). Sentences have minimal variety and limited vocabulary. Numerous errors in MLA formatting. 1/F PAPERS RESEARCH ORGANIZATION WRITING CONVENTIONS MLA FORMAT Research, support, commentary, and/or citations are not evident. No thesis. No topic sentences. Paper is unclear and disorganized. The writing does not demonstrate control of standard writing conventions. The writing does not use academic voice (3rd person). Sentences are poorly constructed. MLA formatting is not demonstrated.

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Casa Grande Senior Project Presentation & Speech Rubric Evaluation

Student Name: _____________________________________ GREEN Health Careers Pathway Liberal Arts Media, Marketing, Management

Small Learning Community:

(Circle One)
Attire N/A Visual Aids Public Speaking

Mastery-Level Performance

Knowledgeable Learning Stretch Overall Effectiveness Communication Presentation is extremely Extremely thoughtful, thorough There is evidence of Student demonstrates expertise, Student communicates truly & effective use of visual aids; considerable time & effort confidence and notable fluency; challenging and notable interesting & highly spent on preparation & abundant visual evidence of presentation clearly addresses all obstacles; student demonstrates informative; speaker project completion & process; rehersal; student demonstrates aspects of senior project, incl.: dedication & significant consistently holds the attention visual aids add considerable project goals, service work, role of perseverance to complete project of the audience; highly all elements of strong public depth and engagement advisors, learning stretch & speaking engaging & inspired; clear and challenges, project outcomes, key detailed communication of lessons learned, and relevant project goals and outcomes research & evidence

Speech/Boards Rubric

Good/Strong Performance

Attire is professional; all aspects of clothing & appearance are appropriate for formal public presentation; attire may relate directly to professional focus of the project (ie., uniform)

Considerable visual evidence of project completion & process; visual aids enhance and add depth to presentation

It is evident that the student prepared and rehersed; student demonstrates most elements of strong public speaking

Student demonstrates expertise, Student communicates clear confidence and fluency; challenges and obstacles; presentation addresses nearly all student demonstrates dedication aspects of senior project, incl.: to the project and some degree project goals, service work, role of of perseverance advisors, learning stretch & challenges, project outcomes, key lessons learned and relevant research & evidence

Presentation is interesting & highly informative; speaker consistently holds the attention of the audience; clear and detailed communication of project goals & outcomes

Satisfactory Performance

Attire is mostly professional; most aspects of clothing & appearance are appropriate for formal public presentation.

Ample visual evidence; some visual aids are present

Some evidence of speech preparation & rehersal; student demonstrates some elements of quality public speaking

Student communicates some Student demonstrates some obstacles and challenges; level of expertise and student demonstrates confidence; presentation addresses nearly some aspects of commitment to completing the senior project, incl.: project goals, project service work, role of advisors, learning stretch & challenges, project outcomes, key lessons learned and relevant research & evidence

Presentation is mostly interesting; speaker held attention of audience; informative, clear communication of project goals & outcomes

Below Satisfactory Performance

Attire lacks professionalism; inappropriate for formal public presentation

Minimal use of visual aids; incomplete visual evidence of project completion & process

Minimal evidence of preparation Student demonstrates limited Student communicates few if and rehersal; lacking elements of expertise and confidence; any true obstacles and quality public speaking presentation addresses few challenges; student aspects of senior project, incl.: demonstrates limited commitment project goals, service work, role of to completing the project advisors, learning stretch & challenges, project outcomes, key lessons learned, and relevant research & evidence

Presentation is only somewhat interesting & engaging; limited or incomplete information about project; lacking preparation and rehersal

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Yes Yes No No

Student used web-based presentation technology: (Circle One)

Constructive Comments:

Student met time requirement, 6-10 minutes: (Circle One)

Senior Project Parent Agreement

As the parent of ____________________________________, I am aware that all Senior Project assignments must be completed in good standing.

For the hands-on component of Senior Project, my student has decided to do the following:

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

For the Senior Project research paper, my students topic is:

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

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For the Statement of Worth component of Senior Project (where students must give back to community in an altruistic, charitable, or meaningful way), my student will:

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

I am aware that failure to complete any portion of Senior Project could result in failure to pass Senior English, or government and economics class, which are graduation requirements.

Parent/Guardian signature

Student signature

Date

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NOTES:

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NOTES:

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