Comprehensive Overview of the Capstone Project for High School Students
The Capstone Project provides students an opportunity to apply and showcase skills acquired throughout their courses. It aims to demonstrate independence, responsibility, and time management while engaging with real-world challenges. Students must commit at least 20 hours to create a product or service that positively impacts the community or has significant value. This culminates in a digital portfolio and a multimedia presentation reflecting their experience, skills, and growth. The project promotes 21st-century skills essential for personal and professional success.
Comprehensive Overview of the Capstone Project for High School Students
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Presentation Transcript
The Capstone Project: An Overview
Why? • Provide an opportunity to apply and exhibit skills learned throughout a variety of classes • Demonstrate the skills learned • Employ appropriate and available technology • Attain 21st century skills useful in personal lives and careers
What? • Product • Digital Portfolio • Presentation
The Product or Service Activity • Students will broaden their learning beyond the physical classroom through the following: • Demonstrating independence, responsibility and time management • Locating and utilizing resources and overcoming possible obstacles • Applying the knowledge gained in the classroom to an authentic, real-world experience
The Product or Service Activity • Must require a minimum time commitment of 20 hours on your part • Must be documented (through photos, video, physical product, and/or journal entries) • Must have a positive impact on the community OR be a valuable item • Must be completed during the junior and senior year • IS NOT just a brochure, PowerPoint, or poster board (although these items can be used as a part of the overall product/service activity)
Fine Arts Samples • Writing, illustrating, and publishing a children’s book • Composing and performing/teaching a piece(s) of music • Choreographing and performing/teaching a dance(s) • Designing and building a guitar, steel drum, etc • Creating a major piece of art work such as pottery, portraiture, still life, mural, photography, etc. • Planning, rehearsing, and performing a recital at a local nursing home • Volunteering with a local after-school program to teach art to elementary students
Citizenship Samples • Participating with a local campaign of your choice • Volunteering with a local non-profit organization (Alamance Children’s Museum, Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Club, Red Cross, Meals on Wheels, Allied Churches, Burlington Animal Shelter, etc.) • Organizing, promoting, and participating in a community clean-up day at a local elementary school, church, or nursing home • Organize, promote, and carry out a Theme Week for an important topic (African-American History, American Heart Month, Credit Education Month, Women’s History Month, etc.) • Create an Oral History project (of something noteworthy related to Alamance County)
Career and Technical Samples • Designing and building a skate board ramp, picnic table, dog house, play set, doll house, etc. • Creating blueprints and building a model of a house, boat, plane, etc. • Creating a business plan that includes logos, budget, building designs, etc. • Rebuilding a car engine, doing custom paint on a vehicle, or installing a sound system • Interning in a career field of your choice (Be aware that opportunities in the medical field are very limited due to HIPPA.) • Creating your own recipe and entering a local culinary competition
Athletic Samples • Broadcasting for a sport season • Planning and hosting a clinic for young kids where you exhibit skills, teach skills, practice skills, etc. (Time includes planning and advertising.) • Volunteering as a coach for a local little league, elementary, or middle school sports team • Learning a sport discipline that is NEW to you (swimming, figure skating, lacrosse, etc.) • Assist the athletic trainer(s) throughout a sport season • Organizing, promoting, and hosting a charity sporting event
Digital Portfolio • Stored online through the use of Gaggle Digital Lockers • Documents the ENTIRE high school experience • Provides reflection to show student growth • Includes documentation related to the Capstone Project
Digital Portfolio • Requirements Include: • Résumé • Capstone Application • Advisor Checklist • Documentation of Product • Hours Log • Photos • Other Artifacts • Written Verification • Links to Blog or Website • Brochures, Fliers, or PowerPoints • Exemplars & Reflections • Research Paper • 4 Work Exemplars
The Presentation • Includes information about: • Reasons for including exemplars and reflection on each • Discussion of product/service activity process • Overall reflection on challenges and successes • Requires a digital multi-media presentation • Microsoft PowerPoint - Prezi • SmartBoard Notebook - Slide Rocket • Webpage/Blog • Could include possible other visuals • tools related to your product/service activity • your product/scrapbook • Judged by 3 community members, facilitated by 1 school judge
Your Advisor & His/Her Role • Is a faculty or staff member in Alamance-Burlington School System • Does not necessarily have to know your area of interest, but it could be helpful • Will • Help plan your product/service activity • Support you through the process • Score your portfolio • Score your product • Coach you on presentation skills • Communicate with parents, counselor, administrator if deadlines are not being met