graduation project manual 2009-10(student copy)however, the graduation project program can only be...

PITT COUNTY SCHOOLS

Graduation Project Manual

2010-2011

Graduation Project Student Guide

Graduation Project Committee:Graduation Project Committee:

Ayden-Grifton …………...…………..………………………. ……….. Lindsay Jones D. H. Conley ………..………………....… ………………….. ……….. Libbie Halstead

Farmville Central ……….…………....………. ……………. ……….. Amy Wessels

J. H. Rose ……………….……………....……… …………………….. Paula Main North Pitt …………...………………….……..…………. …………….Kimberly Fain

South Central ………………………..………...…….. ……... ………. Michelle Pate

ELA/SS Instructional Coordinator…………………….…………….. Pat Peoples

Director of Career and Technical Education & 9-12 Programs…… Chena Cayton

Revised: May 2010

PITT COUNTY SCHOOLS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter to the Parents 1 Who must complete a Graduation Project 2 TOPIC OF EXPLORATION Graduation Project Topic Exploration 3 Road Maps for the Physical Project 4 Refining and Narowing A Topic 5 Sample of Graduation Projects and Research Topics 6-7 What is a Mentor? 8 Information for the Mentor 9 Mentor Agreement Form 10

TOPIC APPROVAL

Topic Approval Process 11 Approval Process Flow Chart 12 Graduation Project Letter of Intent 13 Graduation Project Proposal Form 14 Sign/Poster of Commitment 15 Sample of Sign/Poster of Commitment 16 Project Consent Form Waiver and Release Form 17 Graduation Project Parent Guardian Acknowledgement Form 18

RESEARCH PAPER

Research Paper Requirements 19 An Adaption of MLA Style 20-25 Interview Verification Form 26 Research Paper Editing Form 27 State-Endorsed North Carolina Graduation Rubrics and Descriptors (Paper Component) 28-31 Research Paper Self Evaluation Form 32

PHYSICAL PROJECT

Physical Project Explanation 33 Documenting the Physical Project 34 Student/Mentor Time Log 35 Student Independent Work Log 36 Physical Project Journal 37 Suggested Questions for the Physical Project Journal 38 Progress Report I 39 Progress Report II 40 Mentor Verification Form 41 Audience Verification Form (Optional) 42 Graduation Project Physical Phase Self Evaluation 43 State-Endorsed North Carolina Graduation Rubrics and Descriptors (Product Component) 44-46

TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued

PORTFOLIO

Basic Portfolio Guidelines 47 Portfolio Requirements Charts 48 Letter to the Judges 49 Reflection Essay 50 State-Endorsed North Carolina Graduation Rubrics and Descriptors (Portfolio Component) 51-52

SENIOR BOARDS

Boards Component 53-54 Proper Attire 55 State-Endorsed North Carolina Graduation Rubrics and Descriptors (Presentation Component) 56-58 RULES AND REGULATIONS 59

1717 West Fifth Street Greenville, NC 27834

(252) 830-4200

Dear Parents: Welcome to Graduation Project! A Graduation Project will be required for all students. Our goal is that every student in Pitt County Schools will successfully complete each part of every component in the Graduation Project according to the State of North Carolina. Students must be aware that a numerical grade my not equal successful completion according to the State of North Carolina requirements. For example, a rubric with a grade totaling 70 but still having parts not marked satisfactory or better would not be considered a successful completion of that component.

• RESEARCH PAPER on a committee-approved but student-chosen topic • PHYSICAL PROJECT that relates to the research paper with a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of time spent outside of the regular school day • PORTFOLIO which chronicles the steps of the paper and physical project • BOARDS that involve an 8-10 minute speech about the overall Graduation Project process before a panel of community and faculty judges

Graduation Projects allow students to combine their interests with academics by incor-porating real-life goal setting, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. The project fosters self-directed, life-long learning and time management skills needed in the real world for the military, work force, and college. In addition, Graduation Project helps in-tegrate subject areas within the school and involves school and community resources. However, the Graduation Project Program can only be successful with parental and community involvement. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer as a judge for speeches, mentor for a student, or assist in forming a Graduation Project Parent Committee, please feel free to contact your school's Graduation Project Coordinator. Sincerely, Pitt County Schools

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Pitt County Schools Graduation Project Student GuidePitt County Schools Graduation Project Student GuidePitt County Schools Graduation Project Student Guide

Who must complete a Graduation Project??? Everyone!

The Pitt County Schools requires that every student enrolled in English IV participate in and complete a Graduation Project. Our goal is that every student in Pitt County Schools will successfully complete each part of every component in the Graduation Project according to the State of North Carolina. Students must be aware that a numerical grade may not equal successful completion according to the State of North Carolina requirements. For example: a rubric with a grade of totaling 70 but still having parts not marked satisfactory or better would not be considered a successful completion of that component. Out of state students who are enrolled in Pitt County Schools by the end of the first semester must complete all four components of the Graduation Project program as a prerequisite to graduation. However, Pitt County Schools does realize that new students transferring into the system later in the academic year do merit certain considerations. Accordingly, the fol-lowing accommodations have been determined: Any student transferring into the English IV curriculum from outside the system after the end of the second marking period will be held responsible for the following: • A topic-approved research paper (This will count as 25% of the student’s final examination grade.) • A formal oral presentation on the paper (This, too, will comprise 25% of the final examination grade.) • In addition, the student will complete a list of independent readings to be determined by

the instructor. A teacher-generated examination covering these readings will be adminis-tered to the student at the school-designated place and time for final exams. (This test will comprise 50% of the student’s final examination grade.)

Occasionally, a student may transfer into the system so late into the year that even these accommodations may not be reasonable. In such an event, that student’s situation will be reviewed by the Graduation Project Steering Committee for that school, and alternative curricular responsibilities will be determined.

Note: Pitt County Schools recognizes that the Graduation Project Program is not exclusive to Pitt County and is, in fact, a growing national movement. Consequently, it will not simply be assumed that incoming students are unfamiliar with the program. The above accommodations were designed for those students coming from schools in which Graduation Project was not utilized. For each new student, the transferring school will be consulted; if the incoming student has already been involved in Graduation Project, every effort will be made to help that student incorporate his or her accomplishments to date into the Graduation Project requirements of Pitt County Schools.

2 Pitt County Schools Graduation Project Student GuidePitt County Schools Graduation Project Student GuidePitt County Schools Graduation Project Student Guide

Topic Exploration

One of the best ways to decide on your topic is to think of the physical project topic first. Then you can decide on the research paper topic. The physical project component of the Graduation Project is the application phase of knowl-edge. During this hands-on, real-life, physically involved part of the learning experience, you may build, create, perform, teach, experience, volunteer, or otherwise demonstrate learning gained through the research paper. Your learning must go beyond your prior knowledge base; you must experience a "learning stretch." This stretch can be emotional, physical, in-tellectual, or reflective. The project must have substance, and you should be challenged by the physical project. Examples of unacceptable topics are the following - (there may be others not listed here):

• Those which cannot be completed within the time frame • Those topics for which you cannot locate sources or a mentor • Those topics that are already a part of the course requirement for another class at your school. The physical project component must be fifteen hours of time outside of the school day • Those topics that are illegal • Those topics that are inherently dangerous and life-threatening • Those topics that are "twinky" or without substance • Those topics that do not involve a "learning stretch" • Those topics deemed not appropriate by the Graduation Project Advisor/or

Steering Committee advisory • Those topics that require and involve great expense (You are not expected

nor required to spend any money!) Examples of acceptable and appropriate topics should

⇒ Be broad enough to allow you to find adequate sources, yet narrow enough to allow adequate and specific coverage of the topic within the length of the paper ⇒ Be a topic you are interested in but one about which you do not already pos-

sess expert knowledge ⇒ Be a topics that integrates learning across subject areas and grade levels ⇒ Be a topic that is a challenge to your academic and creative instincts

(Consider a topic with which you can create a tangible product!!) ⇒ Be a topic with which you use at least one primary source (personal inter-

views, surveys, observation) ⇒ Be chosen with this in mind: you will be working with this topic for the semes-

ter!! Please consider topic choice wisely. Involve your parents, friends, and teachers. Your topic will have to be approved by your Instructor and by your parents. Do some preliminary reading and research before you make a final decision!

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Pitt County Schools Graduation Project: Physical Phase

ROAD MAP for PHYSICAL PROJECT

The Journey to Graduation

1. What will you do? How does your project 2. Who will be your mentor? Who else relate to your research? may be helpful on your journey?

3. How much do you estimate your project 4. What are the major steps of your to cost? What materials will you need? project? How long will the process take?

5. How will you adjust your schedule in order to meet the deadlines and completion 6. What problems do you foresee? date of the project?

7. What will your finished project be? How will you display or demonstrate your learning stretch?


Refining/Narrowing a Topic

A very important part of topic selection is narrowing your subject to a workable topic so that your topic is not too broad nor too specific. You may narrow down your subject in several ways. Try some of these methods: • One way is to discuss your topic with teachers, friends, family, or other individuals who

may be interested in the same subject. • Ask yourself questions: What would I like to know about this subject? What makes this

subject an interesting, worthwhile object of study? Why am I interested in this subject? • Look up and read about your subject to get a broad understanding of this subject. As you

read, you may realize an interesting angle or perspective on your topic. • You can always ask yourself the FIVE W's: Who, what, where, when, and why, about

your subject. The who is obviously asking about people or animals; the what is asking about things, abstractions, ideas, problems, etc. (Do not try to cover a very broad sub-ject.); the where deals with places; the when asks about time - past, present, or future (Do not try to cover too long a time period.); and the why probes at results, reasons, cause-effect, conditions.

• Check out the Internet, but beware of personal web pages and valid/invalid sources on the Internet. If the address contains .org, .edu, .mil, or .gov, then they are probably valid sources. Do not consult .com sites.

• Make sure that there are sources available on your topic; this source will also need to include your personal interview!

At this point, you should then narrow this subject by dividing it into smaller topics. Think and write down smaller units of this subject, and hopefully, one of those smaller topics will be of great interest to you.

VIOLENCE

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

BATTERED WOMEN

BATTERED WOMEN IN

NORTH CAROLINA

BATTERED WOMEN IN PITT COUNTY

BATTERED WOMEN IN

GREENVILLE

ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE

FOR BATTERED WOMEN IN GREENVILLE

MUSIC

CLASSICAL/SYMPHONIC

MUSIC

MODERN SYMPHONIC MUSIC

MODERN COMPOSERS

JOHN CAGE AND PHILLIP

GLASS

CAGE AND GLASS'S CONTRIBUTIONS AND

DEVELOPMENTS IN STYLE, METHOD, AND IDEOLOGY OF MUSIC

ENVIRONMENT

ENVIRONMENTAL

EDUCATION

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS IN NORTH CAROLINA

LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL

GROUPS

PAMLICO-TAR RIVER FOUNDATION'S INFLU-

ENCE ON LEGISLATION IN THE

REGION

SPORTS

RACQUET SPORTS

OUTDOOR RACQUET

SPORTS

TENNIS

CHANGES IN TENNIS EQUIPMENT


Sample Graduation Projects and Research Topics

[No History of and No Biography of …]

Project Research Topic • Learn to play the piano Mozart's effect on learning • Learn to swim Water therapy or CPR • Make a porcelain doll Effects of Barbie on a young girl's self-image • Learn to sew A designer or costumes • Build a dune buggy Beach erosion • Work with Habitat for Humanity Habitat organizations • Learn to play golf Tiger Woods • Make stained glass Architecture with stained glass (i.e. - churches) • Learn to do pottery A type of pottery • Create a sculpture (iron or clay) Michelangelo • Learn Kung Fu Buddhism • Learn to belly dance Role of women in Muslim religions • Learn to create tattoos Graffiti or body art • Train a dog Canines in the police force

Pets’ roles in medical therapy • Work with a FBI agent to Death penalty study bullet ballistics or fingerprint analysis • Learn to sail Tidal waves • Learn to play the bagpipes Bagpipes used in ceremonies • Learn to scuba dive Coral reef • Become EMT certified Stress management for emergency workers • Learn CPR Emergency services • Work in a daycare Cognitive growth of the toddler or visual stimulation and its effects on children • Work with the mentally challenged Autism • Create a video production Special effects • Work with a radiologist Cancer detection Radiology used in security systems • Learn to ride a horse, show style Tennessee walking styles • Learn to arrange flowers Pesticides • Volunteer at Teddy Bear Project Effects of child abuse • Learn to decorate a cake Negative effects on diet • Raise cooking herbs Herbal medicines - drugs • Shape a surfboard Effects of Floyd on Eastern NC • Train to be a pro wrestler The changes in perception of professional wrestling • Build a chair with recycled materials Recycling • ·Learn to play the guitar The roots of rock and roll • Earn a soaring license Powerless flight


• Learn to analyze handwriting Graphology • Intern at a local TV station Broadcasting as a career • Volunteer at the homeless shelter Homelessness • Learn to oil paint Vincent Van Gogh • Teach an adult to read Illiteracy • Set up a salt-water aquarium Marine biology • Build a boat History of wooden boats • Take Yoga classes Health benefits of yoga • Remodel or rebuild a 1964 VW History of the VW Beetle • Learn to swing dance Swing era music • Take a self-defense class Crimes against women • Learn to play the harmonica Harmonica in Blues Music


What is a Mentor?

A mentor is a responsible adult or young person who possesses an expertise in your physi-cal project subject area. This individual serves as a guide or advisor during your physical project component. Your topic selection will depend on whether or not you are able to locate an appropriate mentor in that subject area; therefore, your choice of a mentor needs to be decided now when you are choosing your project topic. The mentor's responsibility is to advise and counsel with you during the physical project com-ponent of your Graduation Project journey. You must complete a minimum of 15 hours out of school on this component with your mentor. Then your mentor will need to complete an evaluation about you and complete a verification of his mentorship. This individual would also sign your time log after each session of working with you on the physical project. These documents verify your mentor's first-hand observation of your work on this component. Also, you may choose to work with more than one mentor. Talk to your instructor about this possi-bility. You are responsible for making contact and arranging a meeting with your potential mentor. Make sure that they are aware of the responsibilities and commitment to which they are agreeing. Your mentor needs to complete the section on the Conference Form that you will turn in to your instructor. You and your parents will also need to sign this Conference Form. LAST THOUGHTS ON MENTORS: ⇒ a mentor cannot be a parent/guardian or grandparent ⇒ a mentor cannot be a sibling ⇒ a mentor cannot reside in the same household ⇒ a mentor cannot be a student at your high school ⇒ a mentor cannot be a peer ⇒ a mentor cannot be a current instructor of the student ∗ a mentor should possess expertise on the topic ∗ a mentor can be a faculty/staff member ∗ a mentor must be an adult (21 or over) ∗ a mentor should be willing to work and capable of working with you


Pitt County Schools 1717 West Fifth Street Greenville, NC 27834

252-830-4200

Dear Mentor: Welcome to the Graduation Project! You are about to embark on a rewarding journey. Thank you for volunteering your time, energy, and expertise to supervise the physical phase of the student's Graduation Project. During this real-life, hands-on part of the Graduation Project learning experience, the Graduation may build, create, perform, teach, experience, volunteer, or otherwise demonstrate learning gained in the research component. This physi-cal project must demonstrate development and extension of prior knowledge and learning through a "learning stretch" for the student. Although the "learning stretch" can be emotional, intellectual, physical, or reflective, the physical project must have substance and must pre-sent a challenge to the student. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES/PROJECT REQUIREMENTS • The student must spend fifteen hours total working on the project under your supervision

outside of school hours. • The project should span over a significant amount of time. • The student must make efforts to contact you, keep appointments, or call in advance

when there are conflicts with scheduling. • The student is required to keep a running log of the hours spent on the project and a jour-

nal chronicling the progression of the project. • Visual documentation of the phases of the physical project in the form of pictures with the

dates, video, or other visual documentation is required. • The student must cite complete bibliographical information of any sources used in making

a video, including lyrics, music, etc. not original to the student. MENTOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES • Sign Mentor/Supervisor Form indicating you have read this information, and you agree to

provide advice, assistance, and availability of time to the student outside of school hours. • Sign Mentor Time Log after each session verifying the time the student has spent on the

project. • Complete a one-page Verification of Mentorship which is a document which verifies your

first-hand observation and supervision of the required fifteen hours the student spent working on the project. This assessment will assist the English teachers in evaluating the student's progress and completion of the project.

We appreciate your firm commitment to assist, supervise, and mentor this student for the term of this project.


MENTOR AGREEMENT

Name of Student: _________________________________________________________ Project Topic: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Name of Mentor/Supervisor: ________________________________________________ Mentor’s qualifications as they relate to this topic:_______________________________ Place of Work: ___________________________________________________________ Contact Address: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Daytime Phone: ___________________ E-Mail:_______________________________ Evening Phone: ___________________ I understand the role of the Mentor/Supervisor for Pitt County School's Graduation Project, and I am willing to work with the student named above. _______________________________________ ______________________________ Mentor's Signature Date


TOPIC APPROVAL PROCESS

The following will be submitted to an Advisory Committee for approval: Letter of Intent which is a well thought out plan of action for the Graduation Project journey. It

will include: • how and why student became interested in the topic • the plan for the project component including estimated cost in time and money, key

resources, mentor's name and qualifications, and a statement about plagiarism Graduation Project Proposal Form which summarizes the student's intentions for the semester

and will accompany the Letter of Intent when submitted to the committee. Sign of Commitment (poster) which illustrates the student's commitment for the Graduation

Project for the semester. Approval Process - see chart*


Approval Process Flow Chart

Topic Approved Topic Denied

Student

Teacher

Committee

Student

BEGIN PROJECT!

Topic Approved Topic Denied

Student

BEGIN PROJECT!

Teacher

Committee


Graduation Project Letter of Intent

The Graduation Project Letter of Intent is a formal, block-style business letter to be addressed to the Graduation Project Board. The purpose of the letter is to explain what you intend to do for Graduation Project and how this qualifies as a learning stretch. The letter must also discuss plagiarism, revealing that you understand plagia-rism and the consequences of using it.

10 Main Street Greenville, NC 278_ _ 9 September 20 -- Graduation Project Board Your High School Name Greenville, NC 278_ _ Dear Graduation Project Board Members: The first paragraph should discuss the general topic tying together your research and physical projects: education, carpentry, health care, etc. This paragraph should also reveal your current knowledge in this field so that your learning stretch can be determined. The second paragraph should specifically discuss your research paper topic: why you chose it, where you intend to find information, whom you intend to interview, what you hope to learn, etc. The third paragraph should specifically discuss your physical project: how it relates to the research paper, what you intend to do, how much you foresee spending, your intended mentor and why he/she qualifies as a mentor, what you hope to learn, etc. The fourth paragraph must discuss plagiarism. Here you must show that you un-derstand what plagiarism is, that it is wrong, and that you understand the conse-quences of using it. Sincerely,

Joe Student Joe Student

Your address goes here.

Military style date

The address of the person to

whom you are writing: The Graduation

Project Board

The salutation of a business letter is

followed by a colon.

Skip one line between all parts of the

business letter, unless

otherwise noted.

Skip two lines between the last paragraph and the closing.

Skip four lines between the closing and your typed name to allow room for your signature.


GRADUATION PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM NAME ____________________________________________________________________ TEACHER ________________________________________________________________ COURSE _________________________________________________________________ RESEARCH PAPER TOPIC __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ PHYSICAL PROJECT TOPIC _________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE ____________________________________________________ LEARNING STRETCH (Measurable Goals)______________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ SIGNATURES: Student _________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian _________________________________________ List All Electives and/or Related Extracurricular Activities 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Costs:Money ________________________ Time ____________________________ Teacher _______________________________________________________________ Board APPROVED__________ DENIED___________


SIGN OF COMMITMENT This very special commitment poster will be graded, and you will then display it for all the underclass students, faculty, staff, and visitors to read. This poster commits you to this topic for your Graduation Project for a semester of your life. Therefore, you really must think through all facets of your topic. (In other words, try to head off problems before they occur – hence, problem solving.) Be sure of this topic before you commit yourself. Include the following on your poster: ► Research paper topic ► Physical project topic – Use an action verb here. For example, write or create are

appropriate. ► Your name ► Your instructor’s name ► Graphics – Use a picture, drawing, symbol, etc. Use color!! Use graphics!! You

can use computer-generated graphics or hand-drawn graphics. ► Use correct grammar, spelling, and mechanics. See a sample on the next page. Have fun making your very unique and special Commitment Poster for all to see!!


Research: Ansel Adam’s Career and photographic

Techniques

Project: Take a black and white pho-tography class and Emulate the

techniques of Ansel Adams

Jeanette Howell Mrs. Shaw Honors English IV


PROJECT CONSENT FORM WAIVER AND RELEASE

The undersigned does hereby consent for my student, ____________________________, to participate in the Graduation Project: I do hereby waive any claim against the Pitt County Schools or its employees or agents for responsibility concerning any damage or injury resulting from this student's participation in the Graduation Project. It is my understanding that this student will complete all required components of the Graduation Project for a grade credit and that all components of such pro-ject must be completed in a timely fashion in order for this student to receive a grade. The student’s final Graduation Project grade becomes the student’s final exam grade in the course. A student must complete all four components of the Graduation Project. If one fails to complete any of the four components, that individual’s exam grade will be a zero (0). In addition, I agree that any financial responsibility incurred by the Graduation Project will be paid by me and/or my student. I also agree that in order to receive maximum credit, this pro-ject must demonstrate a "learning stretch:" an educational development and extension of this student's existing knowledge in the pursuit of his/her project. Understanding these condi-tions, my student has elected to do the following: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURES: _____________________________________ Date_________________________________ _____________________________________ Date _________________________________ STUDENT SIGNATURE: _____________________________________ Date _________________________________


Graduation Project Parent/Guardian Acknowledgement Form

I have reviewed the Graduation Project handbook with my son/daughter, _________________, and I understand that he/she will be completing this required project in his/her English IV class and that it will count as his/her final exam grade. I further understand the following:

• All four components (research paper, physical project, portfolio, and speech) must be sub-mitted in the order assigned and that the overall project’s score will be the average of these four components.

• Failure to complete any component satisfactorily will require resubmission by the student until that component is successfully completed. Failure to do so will result in the student not being able to graduate.

• As required by the state of North Carolina, students have to successfully complete and pass each component of Graduation Project.

• Students must be aware that a numerical grade may not equal successful completion ac-cording to the state of North Carolina requirements. For example, a rubric with a grade totaling 70 but still having parts not marked satisfactory or better would not be considered a successful completion of that component.

• The physical project will require that the student spend time outside of school that is documented by his/her mentor who may not be a close relative. • The parent/guardian and/or the student is responsible for any costs that are incurred. • The project must demonstrate a significant learning stretch and must be verified through photographs of the various stages of the project. • My student may not make changes in his/her topic or mentor without submitting a

written proposal to the English IV teacher and receiving approval, and in most cases changes will not be allowed once the project is in progress.

• The due dates are final and there is a 10 point per calendar day deduction for any Senior Project assignment turned in late. In order for an assignment to be considered on time, it must be complete and ready to turn in at the beginning of class on the final due date, whether the student is present in class or not.

• Plagiarism, dishonesty, and forgery will not be tolerated and may result in an automatic zero (0) on the component.

Parent/Guardian name (please print): _________________________________________ Parent/Guardian signature: _________________________________________________

For his/her research paper, my child has elected to _______________________________

For his/her physical project, my child will _____________________________________

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Research Paper Requirements

Length - All students – 4 -6 pages of text, a works cited page and an appendix.

Format • MLA style • typed in professional 12 point font (ONLY Times New Roman)

Preliminary materials

• note cards • bibliography cards • Works Cited page and optional Works Consulted page • thesis and outline • teacher draft

Final Draft

• outline • Paper • Appendix with charts or graphs • Works Cited Page and options Works Consulted Page


Student's First Name Last Name Last Name l

Teacher's Name Course Name Military-Style Date (28 February 2002)

An Adaptation of MLA Style

Use only white, eight and one-half by eleven-inch paper. The MLA heading takes the place

of a title page. Begin one inch from the top of the first page and flush with the left margin.

Type the heading information (see top left of this page), double spacing between each line. For

last name and page numbers on the upper right of each page, leave a one-half inch margin at the

top and a one-inch margin at the right side. Space once between last name and page number.

Do not abbreviate "p." before a page number or add a period, hyphen, or any other symbol.

Also, leave a one-inch margin at the bottom and left side of each page. Indent the first word of

each paragraph five spaces from the left margin. Double space the paper throughout, including

quotations, notes, and the list of works cited. Double-space between the heading and the title

and center the title. Do not underline your title or place it in quotation marks or type it in all

capital letters. If the title of the paper is more than one line long, double-space between its

lines.

When writing a paper for which the student has researched and used others' ideas, the stu-

dent must give these "others" credit by both citing which ideas have come from others in paren-

thetical documentations and by providing at the end of the paper, a Works Cited, or Bibliogra-

phy, page which lists all sources the student has used. Failure to provide both is considered pla-

giarism, which results in a failing grade of a 0 for the student. For documenting quotations and

ideas from others, the author's last name and a page reference are usually enough to identify the

source 20 Pitt County Schools Graduation Project Student GuidePitt County Schools Graduation Project Student GuidePitt County Schools Graduation Project Student Guide

Last Name 2

and the specific location from which material is borrowed. Note this example: Ancient writers

attributed the invention of the monochord to Pythagoras (Marcuse 197). If the material is a

quotation from the source, note this example: The Ibo show their understanding of the impor-

tance of networking in their proverb, "A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for

his own greatness" (Achebe 22).

A citation at the end of a paraphrased sentence generally applies to material that precedes

that sentence from the last citation or from the beginning of the paragraph in which the citation

appears. To avoid interrupting the flow of writing, place the parenthetical reference where a

pause would naturally occur (preferably at the end of a sentence), as near as possible to the ma-

terial the reference documents. To quote lines of poetry that are not set off from the text, place

a slash (/) where each line ends in the original text, skipping a space before and after the slash.

If the quotation is more than four typed lines, indent each line five spaces from the left margin,

and double-space the lines. For these longer quotations, omit quotation marks, immediately

follow the quotation with a period, and add the author and page number inside parentheses, but

do not place a period after the closing parenthesis. For example, read the following five-line

quotation:

Looping is generally defined as a teacher remaining with a group of students

for more than one year. This practice is quite common in the elementary

schools of the United States, and it greatly benefits the students and teachers.

Because the teacher-pupil relationship has time to develop over a two-year

time period, academic achievement tends to be greater. (Queen 61)


Last Name 3

To omit words from a quotation, use an ellipsis ( . . . ), spacing before/after each ellipsis point, as

in the quotation above. To clarify a word in a quotation, such as a pronoun that has no reference,

use brackets [] for the added clarification.

NOTE: To conserve paper, the rest of this document is single-spaced.. The student's works cited page should be double-spaced like the rest of the paper. An entry in a list of works cited characteristically has three main divisions, author, title, and publication information…each followed by a period and two spaces. Use the following rules: 1. Do not number bibliographical entries; do not categorize entries according to type of

source. 2. Place commas and periods inside quotation marks; space only once after a colon. 3. Omit the words Press, Inc., Publishers, and other similar words from publishing company

names. 4. Use HANGING INDENTION for each entry. 5. Alphabetize entries according to author's last name; if no author is given, alphabetize by

the first word in the title, excluding "A," "An," and "The" from alphabetizing. 6. Title bibliography page Works Cited or Bibliography without quotation marks and with-

out underlining; double-space after this title; then, double-space throughout the page(s) of entries.

7. End each entry with a period. 8. Use these forms:

a. BOOK OR PAMPHLET WITH ONE AUTHOR: Booth, Wayne. The Rhetoric of Fiction. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1961.

b. BOOK OR PHAMPLET WITH TWO OR MORE AUTHORS: Berry, Jason, Jonathan Foose, and Tad Jones. Suicide: The Hidden Epidemic. Rev. ed. New York: Watts, 1986.

c. ANTHOLOGY OR COMPILATION: Gunn, Giles, ed. Literature and Religion. New York: Harper, 1971.

d. A WORK IN AN ANTHOLOGY: O'Conner, Flannery. "The Life You Save May Be Your Own." The Realm of

Fiction: Seventy-Four Stories. Ed. James B. Hall and Elizabeth C. Hall. New York: McGraw, 1977. 479-88.

e. AN INTRODUCTION, PREFACE, FOREWORD OR AFTERWORD: Doctorow, E. L. Introduction. Sister Carrie. By Theodore Dreiser. New York: Bantam, 1982.v-xi.

f. AN ARTICLE IN A JOURNAL WITH CONTINUOUS PAGINATION: Ramsey, Harold W. "Tolstoy and Shakespeare." PML A92 (1977): 9-18.


Last Name 4 g. AN ARTICLE FROM A JOURNAL THAT PAGES EACH ISSUE SEPA-

RATELY: Frey, John. "America and her Literature." American German Review. 20.5 (1954): 4-6.

h. AN ARTICLE FROM A WEEKLY MAGAZINE: Begley, Susan. "A Healthy Dose of Laughter." Newsweek .4 Oct. 1982:74.

i. AN ARTICLE FROM A MONTHLY MAGAZINE: Howe, Irving. "James Baldwin: At Ease in Apocalypse." Harper's. July 1968: 92-100.

j. AN ARTICLE FROM A DAILY NEWSPAPER: Greenberg, Daniel, S. "Riding American Politics of Polls." Washington Post. 16 Sept. 1980: A17.

k. AN EDITORIAL: Jones, Morton. "Let Unions Negotiate What's Negotiable." Editorial. Learning . Oct. 1983: 6.

l. A RADIO PROGRAM: Alice in Wonderland. Dir. C. Cat. CBS Mystery Theater. 3 Oct. 1978.

m. A TELEVISION PROGRAM: Hang Gliding For Fitness. Narr. W. Wright. Writ. And Prod. Kay Hawke. NBC News Special. 18 Mar. 1065.

n. AN INTERVIEW: Meyers, John A. Publisher of Time. Personal Interview. 1 Nov. 1990.

o. AN ARTICLE FROM DISCOVERING AUTHORS ON CD-ROM: "Bronte, Emily." Discovering Authors. Vers. 1.0 CD-Rom. Detroit: Gale, 1992.

p. AN ARTICLE ON DISKETTE: "Ellison, Ralph." Disclit: American Authors. Diskette. Boston: Hall , 1991.

q. AN ARTICLE ON THE INTERNET: Alston, Robin. "The Battle of the Books." Humanist. 7.0176 (10 Sept. 1993): 10 pp. Online. Internet. 10 Oct. 1993. <www.pitt.k12.nc.us>

r. AN ONLINE ELECTRONIC TEXT FROM A UNIVERSITY LIBRARY: Octovian. Ed. Frances McSparran. Early English Text Soc. 289. London: Oxford UP, 1986. Online U. of Virginia Lib. Internet. 6 Apr. 1994.

s. A JOURNAL/MAGAZINE ARTICLE ON INFOTRAC: Behar, Richard. "The Secret Life of Mahmud the Red." Time. 4 Oct. 1993: 14 Infotrac. 56B: 1335.

t. A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ON NEWSBANK: Gregory, Scott. "Death by Fire and Water." The Mobile Herald. 26 Sept. 1993. Newsbank. Transportation, 1993, fiche 68, grid A12. .


How to Insert MLA Page Numbering and Format MLA Headings

To insert MLA page numbers using Microsoft Word…

Left-click the mouse on “View” from the toolbar near the top of the screen.

Left-click the mouse on “Header and Footer” from the resulting drop-down menu.

Left-click the mouse on the Right-Justification icon from the toolbar near the top of the screen.

Type your Last Name; then hit the spacebar. Left-click the mouse on “Insert” from the toolbar near the top of the screen.

6. Left-click the mouse on “Page Number” from the resulting drop-down menu.

24 Pitt County Schools Graduation Project Student Pitt County Schools Graduation Project Student Pitt County Schools Graduation Project Student

To format MLA headings using Microsoft Word…

Left-click the mouse on the Left-Justification icon from the toolbar near the top of the screen.

Move to the very first line of the first page of your main document. Type your Full Name, then hit the Return (Enter) key: e.g. Joe Student. Type in the Full or Preferred Name of your Instructor, then hit the Return (Enter) key: e.g. Ms. Jane Teacher. Type in your Class Name, without abbreviations, and hit the Return (Enter) key: e.g. Standard English IV. Type the current date in Military Style, and hit the Return (Enter) key: e.g. 14 September 2002. The first page of your resulting document should look something like this:

Student 1 Joe Student Ms. Jane Teacher Standard English III 14 September 2002

Paper Title

Start the text of your paper here….


Interview Verification Form Directions to Student: Please give this form and an envelope addressed to your teacher to the person you interviewed. If interview is completed by e-mail please pro-vide a copy of the TO and FROM correspondence to teacher.

Directions to Interviewee: Please take a couple of minutes to complete the Verifi-cation Form below and place in sealed envelope with your signature over the seal. Thank you for assisting our students.

Student ___________________________________ English Teacher ____________________________ Research Topic _____________________________ Project Topic ______________________________

1. Was the student on time for the interview? Yes_____ No_____

2. Was the student appropriately dressed? Yes_____ No_____

3. Was the student prepared for the interview with notes? Questions?

Yes_____ No_____ 4. What was the total time of the interview? __________ minutes Please write a brief evaluation statement or comment about the overall interview process. Name ______________________________________ Address ____________________________________ Phone Number _______________________________ Signature ___________________________________________ Date_____________________


Typed

Double-spaced text

Standard 1 inch margin

12 point type/professional font (TIMES NEW ROMAN FONT ONLY)

Pages numbered correctly

Meets paper length requirement (At least 4 full pages of text)

Appendix with charts or graphs

Works Cited in correct MLA format

Minimum required sources (one primary required - balanced sources, limited

Internet; no encyclopedias except specialized publications - see instructor.)

Note Cards

Bibliography Cards

Rough draft of final paper and outline

Correct MLA format used throughout paper including outline

Thesis in introduction and in conclusion

All paragraphs have topic sentences and support

Transitions used

Variety in sentence structure and diction

Citations are correct within paper

Mixture of writer's own words and direct quotations (No more than 1/3 of your source material is directly quoted)

No back to back or stand alone quotations used 27

Graduation Project Research Paper Editing Form for Preliminary Draft/Final Draft - Yes Test Name ___________________________________ Date______________________________ Editor's Signature _____________________________________________________________ Your preliminary draft must be proofread by at least three (3) editors (a faculty member, an-other student, your mentor, or another adult). These three (3) preliminary editor sheets for the draft must be turned in along with your final research paper as well as your preliminary draft.

YES NO


APPENDIX B-1: State-Endorsed North Carolina Graduation Project Rubrics and Descriptors

(Paper Component)

Rubrics are evaluation tools used to score/grade an assignment or task. The four components of the graduation project will be scored using the rubrics included in this document for both formative and summative evaluations. Rubrics provide an objective method of evaluating the components of the graduation project. Each of the four lev-els of performance included in the rubrics is identified, along with descriptors of the level. The description given for each level of performance indicates what is expected based on specific criteria for the various categories of the research paper, the product, the portfolio, and the oral presentation. It is extremely important that all stake-holders be familiar with the rubrics, especially, parents and students. EXEMPLARY – Students performing at this level perform all components at a superior level beyond the level which is required for proficiency. Exemplary work implies that the student has exceeded expectations in every way and has presented a model Graduation Project worthy of showcasing and emulating. SATISFACTORY – Students performing at this level perform all components at a consistent level and demon-strate acceptable proficiency. Satisfactory work implies that the student has worked diligently to do strong work on all components and has presented a worthy Graduation Project. DEVELOPING/EMERGING – Students performing at this level have not shown sufficient proficiency in all components and have not achieved adequate proficiency. Developing/emerging work implies that the student has more work to do to present satisfactory work in order to complete the Graduation Project. RESUBMISSION NECESSARY – Students performing at this level have not achieved proficiency in all components and have not met the minimum standards for completion of the Graduation Project. Resubmission implies that the student has considerable work to do to complete the Graduation Project and is in need of coaching in order to do so. NOT SUBMITTED – Student did not submit evidence of any effort completed for the designated task. Pitt County Schools Policy states that students must perform at the satisfactory level or above for each part of every component of the rubric. We strongly encourage that you familiarize yourself with the criteria for the exem-plary and satisfactory performance levels on the rubric. Students who have not successfully achieved a satisfactory rating or better for any item on the rubric must submit the entire component for reevaluation. Students will have two opportunities with remediation to resubmit each component, with the exception of Senior Boards, in order to achieve successful completion. Numerical grade will be assigned to a component after first submission. Students who have not successfully achieved a satisfactory rating or better will resubmit and have a new assigned grade. This grade will be comprised of an averaged score from the first submission and the final submission. (See page 59.)


Warning: Plagiarism, forgery, cheating, and/or other acts of dishonesty may result in a zero on the entire research paper.

North Carolina Public Schools’ Graduation Project Paper Rubric

Successful Completion Has Not Completed

Exemplary (6)

Satisfactory (4.5)

Developing/ Emerging

(0)

Resubmission Necessary

(0) Not Submitted

Focus Presents an insightful and focused thesis statement.

Presents a thesis statement with adequate insight and focus.

Presents a thesis statement with minimal insight and focus.

Presents a thesis statement with no insight or focus.

Fails to submit paper.

Draws strong and clear connections between the thesis and significant re-lated ideas.

Draws adequate connections between thesis and related ideas.

Draws insufficient connections between thesis and related ideas.

Shows no under-standing of connections be-tween thesis and related ideas.


Organization Effectively provides a logical progression of related ideas and supporting informa-tion in the body of the paper.

Adequately provides a logical progression of related ideas and supporting information in the body of the paper.

Provides a poorly organized progression of ideas and supporting information in the body of the paper.

Does not provide a progression of ideas and supporting information in the body of the paper.


Effectively uses tran-sitions to connect supporting informa-tion clearly.

Adequately uses transitions to connect supporting information.

Ineffectively uses transitions to connect supporting information.

Does not use transitions to connect supporting information..


Arrives at a well-documented, logical conclusion, involving critical thinking.

Arrives at an adequately- documented conclusion.

Arrives at an insufficiently documented conclusion.

Does not arrive at a documented conclusion.




Exemplary (6)

Satisfactory (4.5)


(0)


(0) Not Submitted

Support/ Elaboration

Effectively synthesizes com-plex ideas from research sources.

Sufficiently synthesizes complex ideas from research sources.

Ineffectively synthesizes complex ideas from research sources.

No evidence of synthesizes ideas from research sources.


Demonstrates exceptional selec-tion of supporting information clearly relevant to the thesis and its related ideas.

Demonstrates sufficient selection of supporting information clearly relevant to the thesis and its related ideas.

Demonstrates insufficient selection of supporting information clearly relevant to the thesis and its related ideas.

Lacks supporting information clearly relevant to thesis and its related ideas.


Provided a meaningful presentation of multiple perspectives.

Provided an adequate presentation of multiple perspectives.

Provides a limited presentation of multiple perspectives.

Does not present multiple perspectives.


Effectively balances use of quotations and student paraphrasing.

Adequately balances use of quotations and student paraphrasing.

Insufficiently balances use of quotations and student paraphrasing.

Does not balance use of quotations and student paraphrasing.


Skillful integrates student-generated visual aids (i.e. dia-grams, charts, graphs, pictures, graphic organizers) to emphasize important content.

Effectively integrates student-generated visual aids (i.e. diagrams, charts, graphs, pictures, graphic organizers) to emphasize im-portant content.

Includes student-generated visual aids (i.e. diagrams, charts, graphs, pictures, graphic organiz-ers) to emphasize important content.

Shows no use of student-generated visual aids (i.e. diagrams, charts, graphs, pictures, graphic organizers) to emphasize important content.


Style Exhibits skillful use of language, including effective word choice, clarity, and consistent voice.

Exhibits good use of language, including effective word choice, clarity, and consistent voice.

Exhibits ineffec-tive use of lan-guage, including effective word choice, clarity, and consistent voice.

Exhibits severely flawed use of language, including effective word choice, clar-ity, and consistent voice.


Demonstrates exceptional flu-ency through varied sentence structure, para-graphing, flow of ideas, and transitions.

Demonstrates sufficient fluency through varied sentence structure, para-graphing, flow of ideas, and transitions.

Demonstrates limited fluency through varied sentence structure, paragraphing, flow of ideas, and transitions.

Lacks fluency through sentence structure, paragraphing, flow of ideas, and transitions.


Paper Rubric, continued



Exemplary (6)

Satisfactory (4.5)


(0)


(0) Not Submitted

Conventions Demonstrates a sophisticated use of the prescribed format (MLA or APA), including title page, pagination, and citations.

Demonstrates a adequate use of the prescribed format (MLA or APA), including title page, pagination, and citations.

Demonstrates limited use of the prescribed format (MLA or APA), including title page, pagination, and citations.

Demonstrates no use of the prescribed format (MLA or APA), in-cluding title page, pagination, and citations.


Consistently uses standard writing conventions in grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and usage.

Generally uses standard writing conventions in grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and usage.

Minimally uses standard writing conventions in grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and usage.

Do not use standard writing conventions in grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and usage.


Information Literacy Conscientiously and consistently demonstrates integrity in citing practices.

Generally demonstrates integrity in citing practices.

Inconsistently dem-onstrates integrity in citing practices.

Does not demon-strates integrity in citing practices.


Effectively employs an extensive variety of primary and secondary sources, including a significant amount of current information.

Adequately em-ploys an extensive variety of primary and secondary sources, including a significant amount of current information.

Employs a limited variety of primary and secondary sources, including a significant amount of current information.

Does not employ a variety of primary and secondary sources and/or does not include current information.


Demonstrate strong evaluation skills in determin-ing resource credi-bility and reliability.

Demonstrate sufficient evaluation skills in determining resource credi-bility and reliability.

Demonstrate lim-ited evaluation skills in determining resource credibility and reliability.

Demonstrate no evaluation skills in determining resource credibility and reliability.


Paper Rubric, continued


Answer the following questions as accurately as you can. List 3 interesting ideas or facts you learned about your research topic. 2. If you were to write your paper over, what would you change and why? 3. Who or what helped you the most when you were writing your paper? How? 4. What was the biggest problem related to researching or writing your paper

that you had to solve? What was the solution?

Rate your paper 1-2 = low, 3-4 = high _____Demonstrates correct format throughout _____Begins with thoughtful, interesting title

_____Centers around an engaging thesis _____Starts with a powerful, clear introduction _____Aligns the body of paper clearly to thesis _____Provides a paper interesting to read _____Demonstrates conclusion with a strong thesis 'wrap'

_____Represents accurate, thorough citing throughout paper

_____Illustrates complete/accurate works cited page _____Contains a thorough works consulted page

_____Indicates skilled demonstration of mechanics, grammar, punctuation

_____Demonstrates strong understanding of voice, word choice, organization, content

_____Engages use of quotes from interview _____Shows excellent balance between research and personal voice _____Illustrates strong application of sentence variety _____Exemplifies careful and skillful editing

_____Represents a personal learning stretch _____Represents a high level of personal satisfaction

R esearch Paper Self Evaluation


Physical Project Explanation The physical project component of Graduation Project is the application phase of knowledge. During this hands-on, real-life, physically involved part of the Graduation Project learning ex-perience, the student may build, create, perform, teach, experience, volunteer, or otherwise demonstrate learning gained in the research component. This physical project must demon-strate development and extension of prior knowledge and learning. As Carlene Osher and Jane Summers, originators of Graduation Project in Medford, Oregon, say, "The student must show a 'learning stretch' that goes beyond what they knew before Graduation Project." This stretch can be emotional, intellectual, physical, or reflective. The physical project must have substance, and the student should be challenged by the physical project. The student must select a mentor who needs to possess expertise in the physical project's subject area. The mentor is a guide or advisor to the student during the physical project phase of the Graduation Project. The mentor cannot be a parent, peer, or other near relative without the approval of the Graduation Project Advisory Board. All time spent working on the physical project must be verified by the mentor. The minimum required time for the physical project is 15 hours of time outside of the regular school day. Each time the student works with his/her mentor, the mentor needs to sign the "Supervisor/Mentor Time Log" after the session. Stu-dents should include time working independently on the physical project and have this time verified by an adult supervisor familiar with the physical project. This "Log" is a required part of the Graduation Project Portfolio. Shadowing can be only half of the total project hours. Also, all students must maintain a Graduation Project Journal. (see the "Graduation Project Journal" handout provided by the teacher.) The student must write an entry for each session spent working on the physical project including the date, time spent working on the project, comments on successes, failures, emotions, joys, feelings, disappointments, problems solved, etc., of the project journey. These entries can also help the student remember details and in-formation to help prepare the speech for Graduation Project Boards. Also, students should record contacts made by telephone or in person, etc. This journal is also a required part of both the Graduation Project Physical Phase and the Graduation Project Portfolio. It is the student’s responsibility to provide sufficient visual evidence to prove a significant learn-ing stretch. This is done through presentations, displays, performances, dated photographs, videos, and completed projects or products.


DOCUMENTING THE PHYSICAL PROJECT: Project due date: ________________________ The student needs to read carefully this information concerning the physical project compo-nent. Listed below are required forms and materials that must be turned in to the teacher on the physical project due date. All forms should be placed in a 10x15 envelope with MLA head-ing on the envelope. Unless the individual forms are related or are made up of more than one page, they should not be stapled together. All forms should be neatly completed in ink or typed and written in complete sentences heeding correct conventions and standard usage of English. Include the following verification items in the following order in the envelope: Graduation Project Progress Reports

Time Log(s)-(as many pages as needed)

Graduation Project Journal

Verification of Mentorship

Physical Project Personal Evaluation

Copy of Thank you letter to Mentor

Visual Documentation of the physical project

Other possible documentation of physical project that may be required of certain students de-pending on the nature of the physical project

_____ a tangible physical project (a model, painting, table, etc.)

_____ a video or audio tape, film, movie, etc.

_____ reference letters

_____ photographs

_____ a log of phone calls and/or interviews or meetings with mentor/

supervisor

_____ a booklet

_____ Evaluation for performing arts, musical performances, aerobics and other physical health routines, poetry/dramatic reading, classroom teaching, scientific experiments, video/slide show accompanied by the student's script, etc., as deemed necessary by the instructor. _____________________________ ______________________________ Student Signature Student Name (Printed) _____________________________

Date Submitted


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35


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Physical Project Journal

During the entire physical project phase of Graduation Project, the student must maintain a Graduation Project Journal, in which the student provides written documentation of the work in progress from the beginnings to the final days of the physical project. The instructor will use this journal to assist in evaluating the physical project. In addition, this journal is a re-quired document that must be placed in the Graduation Project Portfolio. The Boards' Judges will read the Portfolio, including the journal, the week before Boards. Also, the jour-nal will help the student remember details and information to help prepare for the Graduation Project Boards. The Graduation Project Journal is an up-to-date record of time spent, effort expended, phone calls made, frustrations and joys experienced, problems solved, and obstacles overcome, etc. The student should write an entry for each session spent working on the physical project including the date, total time spent working on the physical project, com-ments on successes, failures, emotions, feelings, disappointments, problems solved, etc., of the project journey. The entries should record effort, accomplishments, discussions, plans and thoughts of the student, and entries should emphasize the student’s learning stretch. The student should record work completed and plan the next steps with an expected time frame for completion of that next step. The Graduation Project Journal helps the senior maintain a systematic, focused approach to the completion of the physical project. Because the journal will be read and reviewed by others, including the instructor and the Boards' Judges, in the weeks before Boards the students must create a neat, correct, accu-rate, and detailed document that reflects him/her as a person. The student needs to write a draft and edit it before transferring the entry to the journal. The entries should be written in black ink, not in blue ink or in pencil; otherwise, the student should word-process or type the entries of the journal. It is a smart idea to maintain a hard copy of the entries and/or sepa-rate disk of the journal for safe-keeping.


Suggested Questions for the Physical Project Journal

DIRECTIONS: When writing your journal entries, you must give TIMES and DATES. In addition you must use complete sentences and describe your accomplishments and challenges. The questions provided below are not required; they are to give you some things to think about and to guide your journal entries. REMEMBER – You are not answering these questions in “yes” or “no” format. Early entries Where did the work take place? With whom did you meet? For how long? What were your first impressions? What were your concerns and how were they addressed? What plans were made for the next session? How was the second meeting different from the first? What responsibilities were you given? What responsibilities of other workers did you witness? How would you change these early sessions? What suggestions has your mentor made? What questions do you have for your mentor? At what stage is your project? What are your plans for improving your work or solving problems?

Later entries (“as you go”) What has been your worst problem thus far? How are you solving it? Give details of major accomplishments. What do you hope to accomplish the next time you meet? What has been the best experience you have had thus far? Why? What has surprised you about the physical project? What have you learned about yourself to help you in the future? What have you learned from your mentor? What does your mentor usually have you do? Have you made any suggestions? If so, explain. What further materials do you need, or what stages do you still need to complete? Do you foresee any new problems? What was the most interesting thing you did during this session? Why was it interesting? What was the most challenging thing you have done so far? Explain.

Entries to wrap up What will you regret when you finish this project? What will you miss? Are you starting to plan your presentation? What have you done that will help you with your presentation? What concerns do you have about this aspect of the experience? What are your plans for your final session? How did you spend your final session? How did you feel about your accomplishments? What did you learn? How do you feel about the people you have met? What do you think this experience has taught you about the real world? Assess your project. Have you been as successful as you had hoped? Why or why not?

38

Student Name _________________________ Name of High School ___________________ Graduation Project Physical Phase

PROGRESS REPORT 1

Mentor's Name ___________________________________ A. When did you first contact your mentor?____________________________ When? Where? How? B. How many times have you met with your mentor? Specify Dates.

___________________ ______________________ ___________________ ______________________ ___________________ ______________________ ___________________ ______________________

C. How many hours have you put into your project thus far? ________________ D. In a paragraph provide a description of your mentor and what it has been like working

with him/her. Does your mentor keep appointments? Is he/she accessible, easy to talk to and work with? How helpful has he/she been?

E. In a paragraph provide a description of the accomplishments you have made with regard

to your physical project. F. What problems have you encountered, and what attempts have you made to solve these

problems? G. What do you need to do next?


Student Name _________________________ Name of High School ___________________ Graduation Project Physical Phase

PROGRESS REPORT 2

A. How many times have you met with your mentor since the last progress report? Specify dates. ___________________ ________________________ ___________________ ________________________ ___________________ ________________________ ___________________ ________________________

B. How many hours have you accumulated? ______________________ C. What new accomplishments have you made? D. What materials/resources are you using in the process of completing your project? E. What new problems have you encountered? What steps have you taken to resolve

these issues? F. What do you need to do to finish your project?


Please answer the following questions based on what you have seen in order to help us evaluate his/her performance. Please keep in mind that this student's research paper has already been evaluated. This form refers only to the physical project. We very much appre-ciate your cooperation. PLEASE SEAL THE COMPLETED FORM IN AN ENVELOPE WITH YOUR SIGNATURE ACROSS THE SEAL. Be aware that the student will eventually see this form after it is turned in to the teacher.

Student's Name:

1. Can you verify he/she spent at least 15 hours on this project? Yes____ No____ How many hours can you verify? __________ 2. Have you seen this project at different stages of completion, not just the final phase? Yes____ No____ Explain: 3. What problems specifically did this student encounter, and what evidence of problem-solving did you observe? 4. Have you seen any changes in skill or attitude improvement over the time you have observed the student working on his/her project? 5. What successes did you see this student achieve? What was the "best moment" for the student? Explain: 6. Based on what you have observed during the project phase, please rate using numbers 5 through 1 (5 = highest, 1 = lowest) the student's application of the criteria below. Write N/A if not observed or not applicable to the project. _____ Took a learning risk (went beyond comfort level) _____ Applied knowledge to project _____ Used a variety of resources _____ Maintained balance and perspective _____ Developed and stayed with a project plan and timeline _____ Strove to his/her best (the quest for quality) _____ Demonstrated initiative and responsibility _____ Practiced courteous, mature behavior Comments:

Mentor Verification Form

Signature____________________________________________________ Phone Number________________________________________________ E-mail address________________________________________________ Relationship to student__________________________________________

Date________________________________________________________


Audience Verification Form This form is to be used by students whose projects will be viewed by an outside audience.

Music and other fine arts performances, teaching situations, or speeches to a specific au-dience are examples of projects that need an adult with some expertise in the topic to evaluate the presentation.

Presenter (student)________________________Date of presentation __________Time of presentation ______________Type of presentation ____________________________________ Location _______________________Teacher/adult in charge of audience--_________________ Phone # ______________________ Presentation Evaluation: Rate the presentation on the basis of 5 being high and 1 being low. Write N/A (not appli-cable) if the question does not fit the presentation. Part 1 Was the presenter prepared (all equipment, slide projector, music, visuals, props, etc.)? _____ Did the presenter use good speech habits, (i.e. voice control, gestures, poise, eye contact)? _____ Did the presenter appear to have a good working knowledge of his/her subject material? _____ Did the presentation offer new, interesting, or educational information? _____ Was the presenter organized in terms of an introduction, body, conclusion? _____ Did the presenter offer quality answers to questions posed to him/her after the presentation? _____ Part 2 1. Are you, after watching this presentation, motivated to learn more about the presenter's subject area? _____ 2. Did you feel the presenter was enthusiastic about his/her subject area? _____ 3. Do you feel the presenter put in at least 15 hours of preparatory work? _____ Part 3 General Comments: (In the box below please add specific comments not covered in Parts 1 and 2)

Please fill this form out after the performance and either hand to the student or mail back to the school to the attention of the student's teacher. Thank you for participating in this phase of our school's Graduation Project. Your expertise is valued and appreciated. Graduation Project teacher__________________________________


Graduation Project Physical Phase Self-Evaluation

Questions and answers must be typed 1. Describe the major steps of your project from beginning to end. Note beginning and ending

date. 2. What was the total number of hours you spent on your project? How much time did you

spend on your project per week? What problems did you have with time management? 3. What major obstacles or difficulties slowed your progress?

Explain the effect of these problems on your project.

How did you overcome these obstacles? 4. What was your learning stretch? 5. Other than the knowledge of your subject, what personal insight have you gained

from the Graduation Project experience? 6. Compare and contrast your feelings from the beginning of the physical phase project

to the end.

7. If it were possible, what would you change about your project and why? 8. What knowledge gained from your research assisted you in the completion of your

project?

9. What did you discover during the physical phase that could have enhanced your research?

10. What was the most valuable lesson you learned from your mentor? How did this lesson impact your physical project? 11. If you had to grade your mentor, what grade would you give him/her and why? 12. Based on all the requirements for the physical project, evaluate your performance,

progress, and achievements. What grade would you give yourself and why?



(Product Component)

Rubrics are evaluation tools used to score/grade an assignment or task. The four components of the graduation project will be scored using the rubrics included in this document for both formative and summative evaluations. Rubrics provide an objective method of evaluating the components of the graduation project. Each of the four levels of performance included in the rubrics is identified, along with descriptors of the level. The description given for each level of performance indicates what is expected based on specific criteria for the various categories of the research paper, the product, the portfolio, and the oral presentation. It is extremely important that all stakeholders be familiar with the rubrics, especially, parents and students. EXEMPLARY – Students performing at this level perform all components at a superior level beyond the level which is required for proficiency. Exemplary work implies that the student has exceeded expectations in every way and has presented a model Graduation Project worthy of showcasing and emulating. SATISFACTORY – Students performing at this level perform all components at a consistent level and demonstrate acceptable proficiency. Satisfactory work implies that the student has worked diligently to do strong work on all components and has presented a worthy Graduation Project. DEVELOPING/EMERGING – Students performing at this level have not shown sufficient proficiency in all components and have not achieved adequate proficiency. Developing/emerging work implies that the student has more work to do to present satisfactory work in order to complete the Graduation Project. RESUBMISSION NECESSARY – Students performing at this level have not achieved proficiency in all components and have not met the minimum standards for completion of the Graduation Project. Resubmission implies that the student has considerable work to do to complete the Graduation Project and is in need of coaching in order to do so. NOT SUBMITTED – Student did not submit evidence of any effort completed for the designated task. Pitt County Schools Policy states that students must perform at the satisfactory level or above for each part of every component of the rubric. We strongly encourage that you familiarize yourself with the criteria for the exemplary and satisfactory performance levels on the rubric. Students who have not successfully achieved a satisfactory rating or better for any item on the rubric must submit the entire component for reevaluation. Students will have two opportunities with remediation to resubmit each component, with the exception of Senior Boards, in order to achieve successful completion. Numerical grade will be assigned to a component after first submission. Students who have not successfully achieved a satisfactory rating or better will resubmit and have a new assigned grade. This grade will be comprised of an averaged score from the first submission and the final submission. (See page 59.)



Exemplary (8.5)

Satisfactory (6.5)


(0)


(0) Not Submitted

Time (A minimum of fifteen (15) hours is strongly recom-mended for the product)

Exceeds number of recommended hours.

Meets number of recommended hours.

Does not meet number of rec-ommended hours.

Shows evidence of little to no hours invested.


Demonstrates effective time management.

Demonstrates sufficient use of time management.

Demonstrates minimum use of time management.

Demonstrates no use of time management.


Learning Over Time and Depth of Knowledge

Chooses a chal-lenging product representing a significant learning over time.

Chooses a product r representing a significant learning over time.

Chooses a product repre-senting a limited learning over time.

Chooses a product with no learning over time.


Demonstrates a logical relevant link to the research topic.

Demonstrates an adequate and relevant link to the re-search topic.

Demonstrates a minimal link to research topic.

Shows no link to the research topic.


Demonstrates critical analysis of research in producing an original product.

Demonstrates reasonable evaluation of research in producing an original product.

Demonstrates limited under-standing of research in producing original product.

Demonstrates no understanding of research in producing original product


Demonstrates significant crea-tive thinking, decision-making, reasoning, and/or problem-solving.

Demonstrates sufficient creative thinking, de-cision-making, reasoning, and/or problem-solving.

Demonstrates limited creative thinking, decision-making, reasoning, and/or problem-solving.

Demonstrates no evidence of crea-tive thinking, decision-making, reasoning, and/or problem-solving.


Demonstrates extensive connection to real world situations.

Demonstrates sufficient connection to real world situations.

Demonstrates limited connection of real-world situations.

Demonstrates no connection to real- world situations.


North Carolina Public Schools’ Graduation Project Product Rubric


Successful Completion

Exemplary (8.5)

Satisfactory (6.5)


(0)


(0) Not Submitted

Quality of Work/Effort

Exhibits creative and exceptional results using talents, abilities and varied resources.

Exhibits ade-quate results using talents, abilities and varied resources.

Exhibits ineffective results using talents, abilities and varied resources.

Exhibits unacceptable or no results.


Displays exten-sive use of detail.

Displays suffi-cient use of detail.

Displays minimum use of detail.

Lacks use of detail.


Shows evidence of consistent self-directed actions.

Shows evidence of requiring some prompting for self-directed actions.

Shows evidence of requiring continuous prompting for actions.

Show no evidence of self-directed actions.


Displays evidence of exceptional technical skills.

Displays evi-dence of compe-tent technical skills.

Displays evidence of minimal technical skills.

Displays no evidence of technical skills.


Ethics Consistently demonstrates ethical standards in product development.

Generally demon-strates ethical stan-dards in product development.

Demonstrates lim-ited understanding and application of ethical standards in product development.

Demonstrates unethical standards in product development.


Has Not Completed

Product Rubric, continued


Basic Portfolio Guidelines • Place contents in a binder or have the contents professionally bound. • Everything must be typed.

12 point font Times New Roman ONLY Letter to judges - 14 point font.

• All pages must be consecutively numbered as per table of contents. • If not bound, all pages must be in a plastic sleeve. All required contents must be included

and visible. • Type all textual information in a professional font (Times New Roman ONLY). • Keep your portfolio neat, attractive, and well-organized.


Portfolio Requirements: The Graduation Project Portfolio is a student designed, organized, and bound process of the Graduation Project journey. Students cannot participate in Senior Boards unless they have a completed portfolio. Judges will review the portfolios; make a good first impression.

Item: Required

__Yes __No __Portfolio Ready

__Not yet portfolio ready

Completion date

1. Binder or portfolio folder available 2. Cover and title page 3. Table of contents and all items

paginated

4. Letter of Intent 5. Resume 6. Research Paper including out-

line and work cited

7. Research paper self-evaluation 8. Mentor verification forms 9. Audience verification forms

10. Project self-evaluation 11. Abstract 12. Letter to the Judges 13. Letters of recommendation 14. Personal biographical letter of

introduction

15. Certificates of completion, i.e. classes, skills

16. Pictures, sketches 17. Charts, diagrams 18. Interview evaluation 19. Work log entries 20. Mentor agreement 21. Five year post high school plan 22. Dedication page 23. Divider pages between portfolio

sections

24. Journal 25. Reflection essay: 26. Progress Reports 27. Physical Project 28. Progress Report I 29. Physical Project 30. Progress Report II 31. Thank you letter

32. Other teacher directive material


LETTER TO THE JUDGES: One of the first impressions the judges will have of you will come from this letter. The purpose of this writing is to give the judges an introduction to you as a whole person, beyond the work you have done on the Graduation Project. They will be able to see you as a young adult with goals, inter-ests, and opinions. When they hear you speak at the Senior Boards, they will most likely bring these insights into their understanding and consequent assessment of your presentation. This letter, therefore, must be in your best writing and must be a sincere expression of how you perceive certain aspects of yourself. Let the YOU shine through! You might consider the following topics: family background, schooling, hobbies, goals, driving principles or beliefs, individual talents, handicaps, experiences with the Graduation Project, reflections from your high school years, expressions of regret or gratitude, or views on any subject you think will give the judges useful informa-tion about you as a graduate. After careful consideration of what you would like to write, type your letter in correct business format in 14 Font Times New Roman. These are some suggestions on the structure of the letter to help you develop your paragraph Paragraph 1 Biographical Information Paragraph 2 What the judges need to know about your project and why did you choose this project. Paragraph 3 What did you do, what is the process, what did you accomplish, and what is the learning stretch. Paragraph 4 Leave a good impression and a thank you to the judges for coming and volunteering to judge!

49


Reflection Essay: Moments, Meanings, and Measures Congratulations! You have completed the Graduation Project, the biggest as-signment of your school career. Take some time before you mentally bring final clo-sure to this experience by reflecting on the entire process. Much deep learning and understanding occurs in hindsight as you think back on the triumphs, the trials, and the personal tests this activity has generated. Your final assignment, which must be included in your portfolio, is a written self-reflection on your unique Graduation Project journey. Not only will writing this paper help you focus and generalize your learning, but others who read your self-reflection will have a more holistic appreciation of the process. The following ques-tions might help jog your memory and trigger your thoughts. You may choose some of these questions to help guide your essay.

1. What were the best and worst moments of the entire process? 2. How has this experience changed you? (skills, attitude, habits, resources, capabilities, poise, pres-

entation, etc.) 3. What would you change if you could do this again? 4. What advice do you have for next year’s students? 5. What did you learn along the way which was unexpected? 6. Did completing the Graduation Project allow you to see things in more depth? Were you surprised

by the complexity of your topic once you began your research and project application? Did you see other students and faculty members in a different light? Did you understand and perceive a broader picture of the educational process?

7. Which aspect of the Graduation Project stretched you the most? How did you react to this chal-

lenge? How did you feel during the learning stretch? How do you feel now that it is over? 8. Did working through the Graduation Project process bring the senior class closer together? Why? Why not? 9. Has this experience influenced your future planning in terms of work, education, or the develop-

ment of personal interests? 10. Has completing the Graduation Project affected the way you approach work, dealing with people

or presenting yourself publicly?

11. Was there anything humorous that happened during the process? Was it funny when it occurred or only in retrospect?

12. In what way has the Graduation Project changed your concept of yourself? Are you more confi-

dent of your abilities? Are you more focused and directed? Are you more willing to take a risk? Has it raised more questions than given answers?



(Portfolio Component)

Rubrics are evaluation tools used to score/grade an assignment or task. The four components of the graduation project will be scored using the rubrics included in this document for both formative and summative evaluations. Rubrics provide an objective method of evaluating the components of the graduation project. Each of the four levels of performance included in the rubrics is identified, along with descriptors of the level. The description given for each level of performance indicates what is expected based on specific criteria for the various categories of the research paper, the product, the portfolio, and the oral presentation. It is extremely important that all stakeholders be familiar with the rubrics, especially, parents and students. EXEMPLARY – Students performing at this level perform all components at a superior level beyond the level which is required for proficiency. Exemplary work implies that the student has exceeded expectations in every way and has presented a model Graduation Project worthy of showcasing and emulating. SATISFACTORY – Students performing at this level perform all components at a consistent level and demonstrate acceptable proficiency. Satisfactory work implies that the student has worked diligently to do strong work on all components and has presented a worthy Graduation Project. DEVELOPING/EMERGING – Students performing at this level have not shown sufficient proficiency in all components and have not achieved adequate proficiency. Developing/emerging work implies that the student has more work to do to present satisfactory work in order to complete the Graduation Project. RESUBMISSION NECESSARY – Students performing at this level have not achieved proficiency in all components and have not met the minimum standards for completion of the Graduation Project. Resubmission implies that the student has considerable work to do to complete the Graduation Project and is in need of coaching in order to do so. NOT SUBMITTED – Student did not submit evidence of any effort completed for the designated task. Pitt County Schools Policy states that students must perform at the satisfactory level or above for each part of every component of the rubric. We strongly encourage that you familiarize yourself with the criteria for the exem-plary and satisfactory performance levels on the rubric. Students who have not successfully achieved a satisfactory rating or better for any item on the rubric must submit the entire component for reevaluation. Students will have two opportunities with remediation to resubmit each component, with the exception of Senior Boards, in order to achieve successful completion. Numerical grade will be assigned to a component after first submission. Students who have not successfully achieved a satisfactory rating or better will resubmit and have a new assigned grade. This grade will be comprised of an averaged score from the first submission and the final submission. (See page 59.)

51



Exemplary (17)

Satisfactory (13)


(0)


(0) Not Submitted

FORMAT/ Appearance

Adheres to all guidelines for portfolio appearance.

Adheres to most guidelines for portfolio appearance

Adheres to some guidelines for portfolio appearance.

Does not adhere to guidelines for portfolio appearance.

Fails to submit portfolio.

Organization Exhibits exceptional organizational skills in compilation of portfolio.

Exhibits sufficient organizational skills in compilation of portfolio.

Exhibits minimal organizational skills in compilation of portfolio.

Exhibits no organizational skills in compilation of portfolio.


Completeness Meets all requirements for portfolio contents.

Meets most requirements for portfolio contents.

Meets some requirements for portfolio contents.

Does not meet requirements for portfolio contents.


Student Growth Demonstrates exceptional depth in academic and/or personal growth.

Demonstrates sufficient depth in academic and/or personal growth.

Demonstrates limited depth in academic and/ or personal growth.

Does not demonstrate depth in academic and/or personal growth.


Student Reflection Reveals exceptional in-sight into how the student anticipated changes and dealt with contingencies.

Reveals sufficient insight into how the student anticipated changes and dealt with contingencies.

Reveals limited insight into how the student anticipated changes and dealt with contingencies.

Reveals no insight into how the student anticipated changes and dealt with contingencies.


Information, Technology and Communications Literacy

Effectively employs technology in construction of portfolio.

Sufficiently employs technology in construction of portfolio.

Minimally employs technology in construction of portfolio.

Employs no technology in construction of portfolio.



Pitt County Schools Graduation Project Boards Component Speech Content Contents of the speech should describe what you learned from doing the research, writing the paper, and completing the physical project. Discuss some about your research paper but discuss more on the physical project. Also, discuss what worked and did not work and what you did to solve problems. Show your "learning stretch" (physical, emotional, reflective, intel-lectual, etc.). Please show a connection between your research paper and project. Point out this connection. Discuss your growth as a person. What did you learn about yourself? Let your personal qualities come through. Sound intelligent, and show insight and depth of thought. What did you learn from the total Graduation Project experience? In your speech say, "I learned….", "I made these mistakes…..", "If I had this to do over again, I would…..," etc. What skills will you take with you as you graduate from high school? Speech Delivery • You MUST rehearse. Practice in front of an audience (family, friends, etc.). You are re-

quired to complete a mock speech in your English class during the weeks before Boards. Consider taping your rehearsals so that you can see and hear yourself.

• You may write out your entire speech, or you can talk from a detailed outline. Use 3x5 index cards rather than a sheet of paper because these will be easier to handle and do not make noise unless you tap or hit them on the podium, which can be distracting to your audience. PLEASE do not read your speech to the evaluators. Make eye contact with them!!

• Also, be aware of distracting gestures or mannerisms. Do not say "uh, um, you know, like, etc." Watch the rate and volume of your voice. DO NOT chew gum during your pres-entation. Try not to rock back and forth or move the podium around as you are speaking.

• Dress to impress! Please do not wear inappropriate clothing (very short skirts, tank tops, t-shirts, jeans, sleeveless tops or clothing that will allow someone to see your undergar-ments). Dress for corporate America, a church, a wedding, or a job interview.

• In addition, a visual is required for your Board presentation. Make sure any visual you use is appealing, legible, appropriate, correct and colorful. Make sure it is large enough for your audience to read it. If you plan to play a guitar, dance or do a demonstration, then that IS your visual. If you will need someone to assist with your demonstration, please notify your teacher so that she can notify the Head Judge of your assigned Board.

• Please make sure your Board room has everything you need for your speech (screen, table, etc.). You must provide your own equipment--tape player, slide projector, VCR and cable hook up to the TV monitor, or a computer for PowerPoint presentations, etc. The Head Judge may be able to supply an overhead projector. You may also check with other seniors on your Board to see if they plan to bring a VCR.

• Your Board assignment will be posted in your class. Make sure you know where to re-port for Boards.

• No one other than the presenting seniors, judges, and timekeepers will be allowed in the room during presentations.


Speech Evaluation You will be evaluated on preparedness, ability to communicate and to think on your feet, and the overall quality (content and delivery) of your speech. You will be judged on the ability to utilize acceptable speaking skills and to respond to judges' questions in an acceptable, flu-ent, and appropriate manner that shows your knowledge of the research paper and the physical project. When responding to a judge's question, you should rephrase the question in your response and answer. You should examine the speech evaluation rubric that judges will use in evaluating your presentation. Your teacher has a copy. Ask to see a copy; if you have questions about any part of the rubric, ask your teacher to go over it and to explain it. Try to prepare your mock speech according to the evaluation rubric. Board Format Board presentations will follow this procedure. Your speech should be between 8-10 min-utes. You may speak 6 minutes then show a video, do a demonstration, play a guitar, etc., but you must keep talking as you do your demonstration until you reach 8 minutes, and then you can continue for 2 minutes until you reach 10 minutes. OR you can speak for 8 minutes then do a demonstration, etc., for up to 2 minutes without talking because you already talked for 8 minutes. You will be cut off at 10 minutes. Otherwise, you may do an 8 minute speech without any demonstration or video, etc. Points will be deducted from your speech grade if you are not within the 8-10 minute range. The next 5 minutes will be question/response time where the judges will ask you questions or ask you to clarify a point or elaborate on a point you made in your speech. Boards There will be no leaving the room. No one other than the presenting seniors, judges, and timekeepers will be allowed in the room during presentations. Board attendance is mandatory!! Make-ups will be impossible to schedule and if you have an emergency or extenuating circumstances, you must contact your Graduation Project Coordinator immediately!


Selecting Proper Attire for Your Graduation Project Oral Boards

The final decision of what to wear when you present to your panel of judges ultimately rests with you. This decision, like numerous other decisions you've made since you started your project, should be decided with your success in mind; think carefully about how you plan to dress. Since Dress/Appearance is one of the items the judges mark on the Graduation Project Presentation Evaluation form, it would benefit you to dress appropriately to create a favorable first impression.

With the foregoing in mind, how you are dressed is just one more dimension or as-pect of the presentation process. If you neglect to carefully consider what to wear, you run the risk of diminishing your overall effectiveness in front of your judges. Following are some suggestions for helping you decide what to wear for your Boards:

1. Impeccable grooming, including combed hair and clean clothes, is decidedly important. Consider your presentation like a first date or a job interview; first im-pressions are important. Disheveled or slovenly appearance does not make a positive first impression.

2. Skimpy or provocative attire is not permitted. 3. Gaudy, unusual, or inappropriate clothing, unless worn for a specific purpose,

should be avoided. You don't want your Board to be distracted by something you wear. (Is it really wise to wear flowered shorts, a fishnet tank top and hiking boots?)

4. If your project lends itself to a specific uniform or costume and you think that wearing it would aid in your presentation, feel free to be creative in dress. Wear-ing a firefighter's uniform and assorted paraphernalia while you are explaining the dangers involved in fighting chemical fires would add visual interest to your speech. Also, if your project is to learn to be a professional clown, it would help the judges understand and visualize your work if you were to wear a clown's cos-tume while demonstrating how to apply clown's make up. Be sure to practice wearing the specialized dress and/or equipment.

Common sense is seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done. Calvin E. Stowe



(Presentation Component)

Rubrics are evaluation tools used to score/grade an assignment or task. The four components of the graduation project will be scored using the rubrics included in this document for both formative and summative evaluations. Rubrics provide an objective method of evaluating the components of the graduation project. Each of the four levels of performance included in the rubrics is identified, along with descriptors of the level. The description given for each level of performance indicates what is expected based on specific criteria for the various categories of the research paper, the product, the portfolio, and the oral presentation. It is extremely important that all stakeholders be familiar with the rubrics, especially, parents and students. EXEMPLARY – Students performing at this level perform all components at a superior level beyond the level which is required for proficiency. Exemplary work implies that the student has exceeded expectations in every way and has presented a model Graduation Project worthy of showcasing and emulating. SATISFACTORY – Students performing at this level perform all components at a consistent level and demonstrate acceptable proficiency. Satisfactory work implies that the student has worked diligently to do strong work on all components and has presented a worthy Graduation Project. DEVELOPING/EMERGING – Students performing at this level have not shown sufficient proficiency in all components and have not achieved adequate proficiency. Developing/emerging work implies that the student has more work to do to present satisfactory work in order to complete the Graduation Project. RESUBMISSION NECESSARY – Students performing at this level have not achieved proficiency in all components and have not met the minimum standards for completion of the Graduation Project. Resubmission implies that the student has considerable work to do to complete the Graduation Project and is in need of coaching in order to do so. NOT SUBMITTED – Student did not submit evidence of any effort completed for the designated task. Pitt County Schools Policy states that students must perform at the satisfactory level or above for each part of every component of the rubric. We strongly encourage that you familiarize yourself with the criteria for the exemplary and satisfactory performance levels on the rubric. Students who have not successfully achieved a satisfactory rating or better for any item on the rubric must submit the entire component for reevaluation. Students will have two opportunities with remediation to resubmit each component, with the exception of Senior Boards, in order to achieve successful completion. Numerical grade will be assigned to a component after first submission. Students who have not successfully achieved a satisfactory rating or better will resubmit and have a new assigned grade. This grade will be comprised of an averaged score from the first submission and the final submission. (See page 59.)



Exemplary (6-7)

Satisfactory (5)


(0)


(0)

Not Submitted

Communication Skills Consistently Speaks with appropriate vol-ume, tone and articulation.

Generally speaks with appropriate volume, tone, and articulation.

Has difficulty speaking with appropriate vol-ume, tone, and articulation

Does not speak with appropriate volume, tone, and articulation.

Fails to make presentation.

Employs creative use of visual aids that enrich or rein-force presentation.

Employs appropriate visual aids that relate to presentation.

Employs ineffective visual aids.

Uses no visual aids.


Consistently employs appro-priate eye con-tact and pos-ture.

Frequently em-ploys appropriate eye contact and posture.

Employs infrequent eye contact and/or poor posture

Make no eye contact.


Consistently employs appropriate nonverbal com-munication tech-niques.

Adequately employs appropriate nonverbal communication techniques.

Employs limited nonverbal communication techniques.

Does not em-ploy nonverbal communication techniques.


Consistently exhibits poise, enthusiasm, and confidence.

Generally ex-hibits poise, enthusiasm, and confi-dence.

Exhibits limited poise, enthusi-asm, and confidence.

Lacks poise, enthusiasm and confidence.


Consistently employs standard grammar.

Generally employs standard grammar.

Infrequently employs standard grammar.

Does not em-ploy standard grammar.


Adheres to prescribed time guidelines

Adheres to prescribed time guidelines.

Violates prescribed time guidelines.

Violates prescribed time guidelines.


Wears appropriate professional or authentic attire

Wears appropriate professional or authentic attire.

Wears inappropriate attire.

Wears I inappropriate attire.


North Carolina Public Schools Graduation Project Presentation Rubric



Exemplary (6-7)

Satisfactory (5)


(0)


(0) Not Submitted

Content and Coherence Effectively defines a main idea and clearly adheres to its purpose throughout presentation.

Adequately defines a main idea and ad-heres to its purpose throughout presentation.

Insufficiently defines a main ideal and adheres to its purpose throughout presentation.

Does not define a main idea or adhere to its pur-pose.


Employs a logical and engaging sequence which the audience can follow.

Employs a logical sequence which the audience can follow.

Employs an ineffective sequence confusing to the audience.

Lacks an organizational sequence.


Demonstrates exceptional use of supporting details/evidence.

Demonstrates sufficient use of supporting details/ evidence.

Demonstrates insufficient supporting details/evidence.

Demonstrates no supporting details/evidence.


Self Reflection Offers an insightful evaluation of the project process.

Offers a clear evaluation of the project process.

Offers an evaluation of the project process.

Fails to offer an evaluation of the project process.


Reflects on successes and challenges with exceptional depth and insight.

Reflects on success and challenges with sufficient depth and insight.

Reflects on successes and challenges with limited depth and insight.

Does not reflect on successes and challenges with depth or insight.


Extensively reflects on the collaboration with the mentor.

Generally reflects on the collaboration with the mentor.

Minimally re-flects on the collaboration with the mentor.

Fails to reflect on the collaboration with the mentor.


Extemporaneous Responses

Confidently, politely and accurately responds to judges’ questions and comments.

Politely and accurately responds to judges’ questions and comments.

Ineffectively responds to judges’ questions and comments.

Unacceptably responds/does not respond to judges’ questions and comments.


Presentation Rubric, Continued


Rules and Regulations * Graduation Project is designed in such a way that each component--the research paper, physical

project, portfolio, and Senior Boards--is contingent upon the other, a stair-step learning process; therefore, the student must complete each component of the Graduation Project in order to success-fully move on to the next phase.

If a component is one day late for any submission, the student has the potential of earning 90 per-

cent of the final average grade; two days late, 80 percent; and so forth. On the sixth school day af-ter the second submission, the student receives a zero on that part of the project.

* An assignment/component is considered late if it is not ready to be turned in at the beginning of the

scheduled class period. All materials for any component must be turned in at the same time in order to be accepted.

* Students will have a five-day remediation period between each submission. * A primary source, preferably a personal interview, is suggested for the research paper. * Plagiarism, forgery, cheating, and/or other acts of dishonesty may result in a zero for that assign-

ment/component. The principal has the final say in regards to a student receiving a zero as a result of plagiarism, forgery, cheating, and/or other acts of dishonesty.

* A student may be allowed no more than one absence from school, when this is necessary to work

with the Graduation Project Mentor, and is not possible at any other time. This absence must be pre-approved by the Graduation Project teacher and Principal and shall be counted as a school related activity.

No changes will be allowed

Research Paper: Once thesis statement has been submitted and approved, topic cannot be

changed.

Physical Project: Once committee has approved topic, project cannot be changed.

Mentor: Student must appeal to Graduation Project Coordinator.

Portfolio: Once portfolio has been submitted and evaluated, changes or additions will not be considered.

Graduation Boards: No changes will be allowed once student has been assigned to Graduation

Boards. Grading Policy

Each component counts as one-fourth of the final exam grade. Research paper 25% Physical Project 25% Portfolio 25% Graduation Boards 25%

Failure to complete any of the four (4) components of the Graduation Project will result in the student not being eligible for graduation.


graduation project manual 2009-10(student copy)however, the graduation project program can only be...

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