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Filer High School Senior Project

2011-2012

Student/Parent/Teacher Manual

Informational Booklet–Forms, Handouts, Etc.

*Can be found online at www.filer.k12.id.us under FHS

http://www.filer.k12.id.us/

1

Table of Contents

Parent/Guardian Letter and Info ..........................................3

Breakdown of Senior Project Components ..........................6

Due Dates .............................................................................9

Letter of Intent ...................................................................11

Mentor Evaluation and Information Forms .......................14

Poster of Commitment .......................................................23

Project Journal. ..................................................................24

Interview Forms .................................................................28

Paper Requirements ...........................................................30

Self Evaluation ...................................................................32

Portfolio and Presentation ..................................................35

Scoring Rubrics ..................................................................39

2

PARENT/GUARDIAN

INFORMATION

3

Filer High School 3915 NORTH WILDCAT WAY

FILER, IDAHO 83328 208-326-5944

September 2011

Dear Parents/Guardians of Class of 2012:

As your student may have indicated to you, seniors are required to complete a Senior Project. The Project has

three components: a project (product), a research paper, and a presentation/portfolio. The Project will call upon

your son/daughter to use the skills he/she has acquired and practiced throughout twelve years of formal

education.

The first component of this Project is the actual ―hands-on‖ experience or product. The student will need a

mentor who will provide some expertise on the project and verify that the student has done the work. The

project is to be worked on and completed outside the regular classroom and school hours during the first

semester. For the project component of Senior Project, my son/daughter has decided to do the following:

I understand that at least 15 hours must be logged during the fall semester. Any project where my student

collects money or items, my student must provide a paper trail of items or money received and where said items

or money went. In order to complete the activity described below, my student will need access to the following

resources and assistance:

The second component of this Project is the research paper. The paper will require the student to use specific

skills such as research, organization, and time management to produce a fairly lengthy document which has

been typed or word processed. Some class time in senior English during the second semester will be devoted to

completion of this component.

The last component is an oral presentation given by the student. During this presentation, the student will

explain the learning that occurred in completing the research and project. In addition to the presentation,

students will compile a portfolio that documents the entire process—research and project.

One of the objectives of the Senior Project is to teach students to prioritize their time in order to meet deadlines.

Due dates for the components are given many weeks in advance, and students are expected to meet them. Not

being in school on the day of a deadline does not excuse a student from the responsibility of turning the

item in on the required date. The student is expected to arrange to have the item delivered to school

either by a friend or a parent, or electronically.

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A successful Senior Project involves student initiative and self-discipline as well as parent and teacher support.

We hope you will become involved with your son/daughter in the Project. If we all work together, this will be

one of the most rewarding experiences the students will have in high school. If you have any questions, please

contact the Senior Project Coordinator or your student’s Paw Track advisor at 326-5944.

As a parent/guardian of a student at Filer High School, I am aware that my son/daughter must pass all three

phases of the endeavor: Project, Research Paper, and Presentation/Portfolio, in order to graduate.

I fully understand that the Senior Project selection decision is made independently of the staff and

administration of the high school but is subject to school approval. It is assumed that costs of related activities

will be minimal; however, the decision concerning expenditures is up to the student and his/her parent/guardian.

I, therefore, assume all responsibility for costs which might be inherent in the Project. It is assumed that the

Project will meet two of three established criteria and will not involve unusual risk. If the Senior Project

Coordinators feel that there is unwarranted risk, parents will be notified before approval is given and may be

asked to assume liability.

I understand that if my student does not satisfactorily complete any portion of the Senior Project (Project, Paper,

Presentation, Portfolio), he/she will not participate in graduation ceremonies until completion. If students

cannot make these deadlines due to extenuating circumstances, he/she may appeal the deadlines to the Senior

Project Coordinator prior to the due dates. The diploma will be held until successful completion of the Senior

Project.

I have read the Senior Project manual and understand the requirements that our son/daughter must meet in order

to receive a diploma from Filer High School.

Finally, both my daughter/son and I understand that falsifying or plagiarizing any aspect of the Research Paper

or Project will result in failure of the Senior Research Project.

Parent/Guardian Signature___________________________________________

Parent’s e-mail address or phone number______________________________________________

Student Signature_____________________________________

Student’s e-mail address ____________________________________________

5

SENIOR PROJECT

COMPONENT

BREAKDOWN

6

Senior Project

Objective: Seniors will be able to demonstrate ability to read, research, write, listen, speak, problem solve,

analyze and apply knowledge, and use skills of time management and organization.

Major Components:

Physical Project

Research Paper (MLA Style)

Portfolio

Presentation

Other Requirements (these will go in portfolio):

Letters of Intent

Project Journal

Self-Evaluation

Resume

Mentor Evaluation Forms

Letters of Recommendation (2 minimum)

* One may be from a FHS faculty member/one must be from an outside source that is not a

relative.

Interview Forms

Project visuals taken throughout your project to document work

General Project Areas:

Careers

Environmental Sciences

Academic Studies

Biographical Studies

Products

Cultural Issues: Religion, Philosophy, Politics

Business and Finance

Community Service

Local, State, National, or World Problems

Technical Arts

Performing Arts

Fine Arts

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The Three Main Components of the Senior Project—An Overview

The Project

~~The project must address two out of three components.~~

1. ACADEMIC RESEARCH – The project involves formal guidance from a professional in the student’s

field of interest and attempts to answer a scientific question.

2. CAREER EXPLORATION -- The project involves potential future employment.

3. COMMUNITY SERVICE -- The project provides a verifiable service to the community.

~~Projects being done in a class will not be counted as senior projects without prior approval.

~~No joint projects of any kind will be permitted without committee approval.

The Paper

A research paper that supports a specific thesis — MLA style, 8-10 pages in length, 6-10 sources for

your research. Works Cited needs to be included, and an electronic copy of your paper will be required.

The Portfolio/Presentation

A portfolio will be compiled that includes all paperwork completed along the way.

A formal 7-10 minute presentation will be given to a board of judges, teachers, and members of the

junior class—Senior Project Boards.

Use of School Facilities

IF YOUR PROJECT REQUIRED FUNDRAISING OR IN ANY WAY INVOLVES THE HIGH

SCHOOL OR ANY OTHER BUILDING IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT (either using school facilities

or equipment or affiliated with a school group), YOU MUST FILL OUT A FACILITIES USE FORM

AND HAVE IT APPROVED BY MRS. GARTNER. This form is available at the high school office. It

is your responsibility to get the form signed by Mrs. Gartner, and it must be included with your letter of

intent in order for your topic to be approved. Any student planning to use school facilities or to sell food

at school must ALSO see Mrs. Gartner for the appropriate district forms. It is the student’s responsibility

to submit and follow up on these forms, which can take as long as a few weeks to process. Application

for facilities is not a guarantee of availability—students must check the progress of their requests.

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Due

Dates

9

Filer High School Senior Project Due Dates Due Beginning of Paw Tracks or 50% off

Project Letter of Intent September 15, 2011

Portfolio Binder/Sheet Protectors September 15, 2011

Parent/Student Form September 22, 2011

Mentor Forms October 13, 2011

Commitment Poster October 13, 2011

Project Journal Checks Midpoint Check (10 hours) November 17, 2011

Final Check (15+ hours and project done) January 12, 2012

Letters

First letter of recommendation October 20, 2011

Mentor appreciation letter (2 copies) January 19, 2012

Second letter of recommendation February 9, 2012

Research Paper Letter of Intent January 26, 2012

Rough Draft #1 and electronic copy to English teacher February 23, 2012

Rough Draft #2 (& Draft #1) due to Paw Tracks Advisor March 1, 2012

Final Paper due March 16, 2012

Interview March 8, 2012

Portfolio Due to advisor for first check (including rough drafts) April 12, 2012

Fixed and returned to Paw Tracks Advisors April 26, 2012

Faculty grading of portfolios May 4-10, 2012

Final portfolio due May 18, 2012

Senior Project Boards May 23, 2012

*All late assignments will only receive half credit. Any extensions on the above dates must be turned in to

Ms. Gihring one week before the due date. Extensions are only for 10-hr and 15-hr checks. No extension will

be permitted for a due date afterwards. Even if you get an extension, you are still responsible for turning in

everything except for the final verification on time.

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Letters of Intent

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Project Letter of Intent Example

Date

QS

Your Advisor

Filer High School

3915 N. Wildcat Way

Filer, ID 83328

Dear Mr./Mrs. Advisor’s Last Name: (Use a colon after the salutation)

The project that I have chosen for my Senior Project is a Red Cross Blood Drive. The reason

why I chose this project is because I think that donating blood can be a wonderful way to become

actively involved in contributing to the lives of others. For every pint of blood donated, three

lives can be saved. When I was young, I wanted to become a nurse and now, I have the

opportunity to organize a Red Cross Blood Drive and actively participate in saving lives in my

own way.

I will be working with (Mentor’s Name/Organization of Affiliation). They can be reached at

(Phone Number of Mentor). (Mentor’s Name) will be volunteering their time and expertise

to assist me in the development of my Senior Project. I will be spending a minimum of

fifteen hours on my project, and my mentor will be signing off on my Project Journal

throughout my Senior Project experience.

I realize that I cannot be related to my mentor and that my mentor is considered an expert

in his/her field. I understand that it is my responsibility to act as a professional when

working with a professional. Due dates and mentor reports are my responsibility, and I

will clearly communicate these details to my mentor.

Sincerely, (QS after Sincerely for your signature)

(Your signature here)

Your Typed Name

Address

City, ID ZipCode

* The parts in bold are written verbatim; however, do not keep them in bold in your letter.

Please do not type anything in red on your actual draft.

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margin

Research Paper Letter of Intent Format

Date

QS

Mrs. Kohntopp/Mr. Hawker (Whichever you have for English)

Filer High School

3915 N. Wildcat Way

Filer, ID 83328

Dear Mrs. Kohntopp/Mr. Hawker: (Use a colon after the salutation)

The topic that I have chosen for my research paper is community parks. The reason why I

chose this topic is because I think parks are a wonderful resource for every community, and I

am interested in making sure they are preserved. When I was young, we lived next to a park. My

friends and I would spend hours there playing games, whether it was unofficial play or city

league baseball. My research question is what is the relationship between parks and community

recreation, activities and involvement? Furthermore, what kind of activities take place in

community parks, and who uses them and why?

The outline of the paper will consist of the following: definition of community parks, historical

development, funding, who uses them and why, rules, regulations, maintenance, role in healthy

communities, and future outlook.

One paragraph explaining your understanding of plagiarism and its repercussions.

Sincerely, (QS after Sincerely for your signature)

(Your signature here)

Your typed name

Address

City, ID ZipCode

* The parts in bold are written verbatim; however, do not keep them in bold in your letter.

Please do not type anything in red on your actual draft.

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Mentor Information

And

Evaluation

Forms

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THE MENTOR

Mentors are the experts in the community who have offered or are willing to help you with your Project and

Paper. Use them. Much of the value of the Senior Project comes via contacts with these experts.

You need to consider that the mentor often has a busy schedule, and while the mentor wants to be helpful and

accommodate your needs, it is difficult to do so when contacts are left to the last minute. It is best if you keep

in contact with your mentor and let her/him know relatively often how you are doing. Please remember these

are community folks, and we would like them to offer again to help.

We suggest that you consider some phone manners when you make the initial and later contacts with your

mentor. These may seem obvious, but hmm. . . So we suggest the following:

Always begin your phone conversations telling the Mentor who you are. For example:

―Hello Mrs. Jones (Mentor name), this is _____________, the person whose Senior Project you

have agreed to mentor.‖ Mentors are busy people who have lots of contacts—they may not

remember you, at least at first. It is probably important that your Mentor have your name,

address, and phone number.

Then, it is important to determine when during the day or week your Mentor finds it best to talk

with you. Try to make contact only at that time.

Try to remember to always thank your Mentor for his/her time after each contact or conversation.

Then too, early on, please be sure you go over the expectations you and we have for the Mentors.

It is important to keep in touch with your mentor through the year because you will need to get signatures and

approvals from your mentor. If you have not actively worked with your mentor, the mentor may indicate that in

his end of project letter and that, in turn, will affect your grade.

Please understand you and your mentor should work together on all aspects of your Senior Project: Paper,

Project, and Presentation. The mentor is the person who should know exactly what you are doing. And

remember, mentors take vacations and otherwise travel. Be sure your mentor knows when you need signatures,

and be sure you know when your mentor will be away. As a rule of thumb, you will see your mentor for

signatures three times; you should plan to meet an additional five times (at least). Inability to contact your

mentor will not excuse any due date. Choose your mentor with care and make sure he or she is available to you.

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Some more suggestions: when you make mentor contact, please use good phone manners. Treat these folks

like the specialists they are. Additionally, be considerate of your mentor; try not to be late to or miss mentor

appointments. And at the end of your work with your mentor, please send a thank you note to your mentor.

The general idea here is to be as kind and considerate to your mentor as possible; we, and we suspect you,

appreciate his/her time and willingness to participate.

A mentor for the Senior Project should be chosen with great care. The choice should be directly influenced by

the selection criteria for the project. An ideal mentor, for example, would be an instructor in the academic area

of choice, a coordinator for community service, or a business supervisor for a career apprenticeship. Help in

locating a mentor will be given if requested. The mentor provides two essential services for the student.

1. guides the student through the project phase

2. signs the mentor consent form, midpoint check, and final verification form

THE MENTOR is a person who has expertise in your chosen field of interest and will serve as a resource and

guide. Your mentor will also be verifying your completion of the required 15 hours. As part of the learning

stretch, a student must use someone other than a family member for this project. The mentor must be at least 21

years old and cannot work for Filer High School. On the mentor form you will include a description of your

activity, a description of your mentor's qualifications, and a description of how he/she will be helping you.

Mentors can only mentor one student per year unless approval is granted by the Senior Project Committee. Any

student or mentor found knowingly violating any of the above mentor requirements will cause the student to

have to redo his or her senior project.

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Filer High School 3915 NORTH WILDCAT WAY

FILER, IDAHO 83328 208-326-5944

September 2011

Dear Senior Project Mentor:

Thank you for volunteering your time and expertise for one of the seniors in the class of 2012. Your efforts will

allow this student to demonstrate all the skills required for graduation in this culminating project. Each student

will plan and execute a project and make a presentation about the whole process of completing the senior

project to a panel of judges.

The students have chosen projects that they are interested in and understand that it is their responsibility to

perform the work and create the results. You are in no way obligated to do required work for them or

provide materials for them. You may donate materials if you choose to however. We ask you to check on

their progress periodically during the project (by filling out evaluation forms and signing the student’s project

journal) to encourage the student and to ensure that they complete it on time. Enclosed in this packet you will

find forms for you to complete throughout the project phase and their associated due dates. It is the

responsibility of the student to get these forms from you and turn them in on the due dates. Please help

complete the information sheet attached to this letter for our records.

Liability for injury and/or death during this project has been assumed by the student’s parents/guardian, as they

have approved the student’s choice of project.

You are an essential part of this effort and we look forward to meeting with you and sharing ideas and

comments about Senior Projects. Thank you for your interest in our students. If you have any questions you can

contact any of the senior advisors at Filer High School (326-5944).

Sincerely,

Senior Project Committee

Filer High School

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MENTOR FORM

Student: __________________________________ Student Phone # ___________________________

Mentor Name: _____________________________ Title/Job Description ________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________________________

Work Phone #: ___________________________ Alternate Phone #: __________________________

Mentor Email: _______________________________________________________________

Student Activity Description: (to be completed by student)

General Description of Mentor’s Area of Expertise: (to be completed by student)

General Description of How Mentor is Going to Assist Student: (to be completed by student)

By signing below you are certifying that you are willing to help this student and that you are in no way related

to this student either by family or marital ties.

Mentor Signature: ___________________________________________ Date

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Filer High School

Senior Project Midpoint 10-hr check Mentor Report

(To be shown to Advisory teacher by November 17, 2011)

Student Name_____________________________________ Phone Number

Mentor__________________________________________ Phone Number

Thank you very much for the time and effort you are contributing to our student and his/her Senior Project. We

very much appreciate your time and energy. Please fill out all sections below.

Have you seen the student’s Project Log Yes_____ No_____

Please respond to the following:

Has the student spent a minimum of 10 hours on their project? Yes_____ No______

The student has conferred with me about his/her project Yes_____ No_____

How many times have you met with your student thus far? ___________________

In what ways have you worked with the student?

The student is making satisfactory progress at this point and should be able to successfully complete the Project

phase by January 12, 2012. (The Final Project Verification form is due January 12, 2012).

Yes _____ No _____

Comments or Suggestions:

Please give a brief explanation of any concerns or questions you may have about the student’s progress toward

completion of his/her project. If you have no concerns or questions, please write N/A.

Mentor Signature____________________________________ Date____________________

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Filer High School

Senior Project Final Mentor Verification

(To be completed by January 12, 2012)

Student Name_____________________________________ Phone Number

Project Description

As a mentor, we are asking you to verify this student’s efforts on his/her Senior Project. Since most of the time

spent on the project phase has been out-of-school, verification of the student’s effort is necessary. Please

answer the following questions to help us evaluate your student’s project. Keep in mind that the student’s

research paper has already been evaluated. This form refers only to the physical project. Please fill out the

form completely.

Have you seen this student’s Project Journal? Yes _____ No _____

Has the student completed at least 15 hours on the project? Yes _____ No _____

Can you verify that he/she has completed the Project? If you cannot, please DO NOT sign this form

until you are assured the project is complete.

Yes _____ No _____

Have you seen this project at different stages of completion, not just the final phase?

Yes _____No _____

Your student should have been keeping contact with you with respect to the project. Comment on how

he/she did in this aspect.

Please evaluate how this student has seemingly extended his/her learning beyond previous experience and

knowledge by way of doing this project.

(over please)

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What problems did the student encounter and overcome in doing the project?

What successes have you seen this student achieve as a result of the project?

Would you mentor a Senior Project again? Yes _____ No _____

NOTE: If you have any questions about your student’s work, please contact the Senior Project Coordinator

at 326-5944. Thank you yet again for your time and commitment. We really appreciate your efforts.

Mentor’s Signature__________________________________________

Phone____________________________________________________

Date_____________________________________________________

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How to do a Mentor Thank You Letter

Date

Mentor Name

Mentor Address

Mentor City, ID Zip Code

Dear Mentor Last Name:

The first paragraph should explain exactly how your mentor helped you. Be very specific as this

person went out of his or her way to help you graduate and expects that you learned something and

that you will apply this knowledge in the future.

The second paragraph should thank him or her profusely for all of the hard work they did.

Sincerely,

Your Name Typed

Print two copies (one for your portfolio and one to be mailed from school)

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Poster of Commitment

23

Poster of Commitment to Project

Once your project has been approved, you must design a poster that represents commitment to your project.

The posters will be displayed until you complete your project.

Information needed (and other requirements) on standard Poster Board:

Project title

Graphics

Your name

Project information

Your commitment poster must be completed by October 13, 2011

Posters will be rejected for the following reasons:

Any handwritten material

Spelling/grammar

No name

Not enough information about the project

If your poster is rejected, you will have to redo it until it meets minimum standards.

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Good Sample Poster

Border, nice layout, balanced, no errors, project information is adequate without too much detail, pictures are

clear and large, name is evident, no handwritten information, effort is evident

Bad Sample Poster

No border, no captions, pictures do not have any background to set them off, graphics are not balanced, no

name, no indication of what the project is about, very little effort evident

25

The Project Journal

26

The Physical Project Journal

All students will be expected to keep a project journal (which will be included in the Senior Project Portfolio).

They should have a journal entry for EACH time they work on the project. This journal should begin with the

date and end with the actual time (hours, minutes) spent on the project on that occasion. As well as describing

what he/she did, the student should include in journal entries successes and failures, frustrations and victories.

In other words, the journal should record not just time and work done, but also feelings, emotions, and

reactions (it explains the learning that took place) as well. A journal entry could cover as little as a short

phone call to arrange an interview, or as much as a day spent skiing at Sun Valley. The journal is very

important when the teacher evaluates the project.

You can choose the format of your journal—it could be done in chart form or just word-processed. You can

write it or type it—if you write it, you need to make sure it is legible. You can even keep your journal in a

notebook—make sure it is accessible as you work on your project.

The Portfolio Journal **The final copy in your portfolio must be typed and error-free

(The highlighted information must be on the first page of your journal.)

Project Journal Name: Your name Project Topic: The value of community parks Mentor: Name: William Tulast Job/Position: Head of Twin Falls City Parks Telephone: 456-9876 Date: December 7

Start Time: 10:00 A.M.

End Time: 10:45 A.M.

Entry: I met with my mentor and we discussed my project. He gave me a list of some projects that city has wanted to do with its parks, but hasn’t found the time or money yet. We narrowed down this list to a couple of manageable projects that I could do. We decided that I would work on refurbishing several dozen park benches. 45 minutes

At the end of your journal should be a total of the hours you have spent on the project.

Total Time: 34 hours 30 minutes

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Interview Forms

Interview: You need to interview someone who is an ―expert‖ in your topic (not your mentor). The

person you interview may not be related to you or work for Filer High School and must be at least 21

years of age or older. Because you will be representing the high school when you conduct the interview,

you need to be sure to look professional. Set up a time to interview your ―expert,‖ and be sure you are

prompt, prepared, and dressed professionally.

You will need to come up with a list of at least ten questions to take to your interview. This is a great

opportunity to find out more about the career field you are interested in from someone who has experience

in the field. Avoid mundane questions like, ―How long have you been a nurse?‖ Instead, focus on information

that might be useful to you if you choose to go into that career like, ―What was the hardest

part about becoming a veterinarian,‖ or, ―In which engineering fields are the most jobs available?‖

You may want to record the interview to help with note taking, but you need to be sure to ask permission.

The interview must be typed up in transcript form and then will be placed in your portfolio.

***We expect you to conduct the interview in person. If you are going to conduct the interview over

the phone or through email, you will need to get prior approval from your advisor or the head of the

Senior Project Committee.***

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SENIOR PROJECT INTERVIEW FORM

NOTE: Important: This format must be completed prior to interviewing someone for your project. You may

need to complete more than one if you are planning on interviewing more than one person.

(Put all of this information at the top of the typed transcript)

Person to be interviewed:

Interviewee phone #:

Place of interview (specific address):

Date and Time of the interview:

Estimated length of interview:

Briefly state nature and purpose of interview.

List objectives you hope to accomplish during interview.

List what you have accomplished in preparation for the interview.

List all the questions you intend to ask during the interview. Be thorough. Write AT LEAST ten

questions. Once you have interviewed your person, you will type this up with the answers for your

portfolio.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

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Research Paper

Requirements

30

Senior Project

Research Paper Requirements

Students will conduct in-depth research from a variety of sources—print and non-print—and must include at

least six sources. The paper must be eight to ten pages in length and adhere to MLA format and the rules

outlined in the Filer High School Writing Manual

The paper must do the following:

Identify a thesis

Defend or support the thesis using appropriate, documented research—parenthetical citation

is a must

Should detail what you learned during the research and project process (if applicable)

Must include a Works Cited page

Must include a Title Page with the following listed on the front:

o Title

o Your Name

o Your English Teacher’s Name

o The Due Date

You must turn in an electronic copy to your Comp/Lit IV instructor.

THE PAPER MUST BE TURNED IN BY THE DUE DATE FOR YOU TO GET A

GRADE IN YOUR COMP/LIT CLASS – NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE ALLOWED!!!

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Self-Evaluation Form

32

Senior Project Product Self-Evaluation Outline—This form should help you formulate your three-

page, double-spaced, 12 font, self-evaluation paper. The self-evaluation paper will go into your

portfolio. It should be written, edited, and rewritten and then a clean, final copy should be placed in your

portfolio. This form is to help you write the paper; please do not put your self-evaluation into this

format.

Describe your project IN DETAIL:

How many total hours did you spend on your project? __________________

What date did you start? _______________

What date did you finish? ___________________

What materials did you use?

What are three things you learned from working on this project?

a.

b.

c.

What are three things you learned from your research paper?

a. b. c.

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How do you feel that your project will compare with others? What problems did you encounter? How did you overcome these problems? Did your project turn out the way you planned? If not, why? What would you do differently if you could start all over? What did you learn about yourself?

34

Portfolio

and

Presentation

Requirements

35

Senior Project Portfolio Requirements

The following is the order of contents for your Senior Project Portfolio. It would be best to use dividers

of some sort to ensure organization of your portfolio. These are all required, and your final portfolio

will not be accepted without all of these elements, in this exact order. This portfolio must be kept in a

one-inch black clearview plastic binder.

Table of Contents—this might not have page numbers, but should explain the

organization of the portfolio

Student Section

Resume’

Letters of Recommendation (2 minimum)

Project Section

Letter of Intent (Project)

Midpoint Check and Final Verification

Mentor Appreciation Letter

Project Journal

Project Interview Transcripts and Form

Research Paper Section

Letter of Intent (Paper)

Paper (title page, body, works cited -- all perfect condition)

Self-Evaluation and Visuals Self Evaluation Paper

Photos, Illustrations (Visual verification of your product phase as well as any expenses which should

be typed up and listed. If you received donations or plan on donating, document

all of the money. If any of your photos contain images of children under 18 years

of age, you must have parental permission to use the photos.)

Your Portfolio is due to your Paw Tracks advisor by April 12, 2012

**Exceptions will not be made!! Any portfolio not turned in by this date will receive

a zero for half of the portfolio grade making it impossible to pass the portfolio. It

will also make it extremely difficult to pass your senior project as the portfolio is

roughly 33% of your senior project grade.

36

Senior Project Presentation Requirements

For the presentation portion of the project, you will be giving a seven to ten minute presentation to a

community panel of judges.

Length: No less than seven and no more than ten minutes.

Purpose: To present what you have learned through this whole process, some things you might want to

consider covering in your presentation: (These are things to cover in your presentation; do not use this

as a template for what the title of each slide should be.)

What was your project? (be specific)

What was your research? (mention at least two-three things)

What did you learn? (be specific and not negative)

What obstacles did you encounter—how did you overcome them?

Did your project work? (again, avoid negativity and focus on the positives)

What might you change if you did it again?

What went well?

Memorable moments!

What to include: Visual presentation of your learning

The physical project

Photographs of you actually doing your project

Video of you completing your project (especially if you do not have a physical

project to show)

Display (could be done through PowerPoint)

Thanks to those who helped you.

*You must speak for 70% of your presentation. In other words, you can’t just show a video of your

project the whole time. This is an assessment of your speaking abilities.

*You must dress appropriately for a professional presentation. If you show up to present in jeans,

sneakers, shirts with no collar, shorts, flip-flops, etc., you will not be allowed to present.

*If you show up late for your presentation, you will not be allowed to present, so be on time or early.

*Since our primary concern is judging your senior project, no family, friends, or other visitors will be

allowed to watch or video the presentations to guarantee that you have the least stressful environment

possible.

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Tips for Success

38

Scoring Rubrics

39

Portfolio Grading Rubric Student: ________________________ Project Title:______________________________

Possible Points

Item/Requirement (Portfolio should begin with table of contents)

Point Breakdown Points Awarded

15 Letter of Recommendations (2) & Resume Are they neat, clean, and professional? There should be no errors on the resume. Are there two letters of recommendation?

*Excellent=15pts. *Above Avg.=14-13pts. *Acceptable=12-11pts. *Unacceptable=5-10 *Not Evident=0

ot Evident=0-10pts

15 Letter of Intent (Project) Is the letter free of errors? Is the letter signed in blue/black pen by the student? Does the letter fit with the project?


15

Mentor Forms (Midpoint Check and Final Verification) Are the forms complete? Are they all signed by the mentor? Are they in a presentable form—clean?

Yes= 15pts. No= 0 pts.

15 Mentor Appreciation Letter Is the letter done in a professional manner and free of errors? Is the letter signed in blue/black pen? Is the letter two paragraphs?


15 Project Journal Are the entries interesting and detailed? Is the submission typed? Does the journal include dates, times, activity/event? Are the total hours displayed?


15 Project Interview Does it have Interviewee information (Name, phone #, place, date, time)? Does it have the purpose and objective? Are there 10 questions and 10 answers?


15 Letter of Intent (Paper) Is the letter free of errors? Is the letter signed in blue/black pen by the student? Does the letter fit with the paper?


40

15 Research Paper Is it a clean and presentable copy? Is there a works cited page? Is it 8-10 pages typed? Are there parenthetical citations?


15 Self-Evaluation Paper Is it double spaced, 12 font, 3 pages in length? Does it give the reader a real sense of what this student accomplished? Is it submitted in a professional manner (free of errors—spelling and mechanics)?


15 Photos/Illustrations Is the project phase documented through photos, or are there other visual aids included that help the reader understand the scope of the project?


15 Overall Opinion of Portfolio/Appearance Are the portfolio and its submissions clean, neat, and well organized? Does the portfolio show pride of accomplishment?


15 Portfolio Requirements (see example) Does the portfolio have all the required components? Please note: if you gave a 0 to any part, then it does not meet the requirements.


YOUR POINT TOTAL=_____________= ________%

GRADE BREAKDOWN= 70% MINIMUM TO PASS

162-180=A (Achievement with Excellence)

144-161=B (Notable Achievement)

126-143=C (Acceptable Achievement)

Less than 125 or 70% =F (Unacceptable Achievement)

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Student Name: _______________________________

Project Title:_________________________________ CONTENT:

Evidence of

new

knowledge

from

Presentation:

Achievement

with

Excellence

Notable

Achievement

Average

Achievement

Minimal

Achievement

Fail Totals

1. Project 10 9 8 7 0

2. Paper 10 9 8 7 0

3. Overall

Self

Reflection

10 9 8 7 0

DELIVERY:

Achievement

with

Excellence

Notable

Achievement

Average

Achievement

Minimal

Achievement

Fail Totals

4. Poise/Posture 10 9 8 7 0

5. Professional

Appearance 10 9 8 7 0

6. Vocal

Clarity/Volume

/Varied

Inflection

10 9 8 7 0

PRODUCTION:

Achievement

with

Excellence

Notable

Achievement

Average

Achievement

Minimal

Achievement

Fail Totals

7. Evidence of

thought and

energy

10 9 8 7 0

8. Quality of

audio/visual

component

10 9 8 7 0

9. How well

were the two

academic,

career, or

community

service links

established

10 9 8 7 0

10. Overall

Presentation 10 9 8 7 0

Presentation Total __________________

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