Ada Merritt K-8 Center

Ada Merritt K-8 Center Middle Years Programme Eighth Grade Orientation Ada Merritt K-8 Center

Guiding Question • How will my MYP experiences help me in the future? Ada Merritt K-8 Center

Eighth Grade Highlights • MYP Requirements • Culminating Project • High School Fairs • Eighth Grade Exams • End of the Year Activities Ada Merritt K-8 Center

Eighth Grade Culminating Project Ada Merritt K-8 Center

What is the 8th Grade Culminating Project? The MYP Culminating Project is a great opportunity to: • learn about a topic that interests you • apply the skills you have developed while participating in the Middle Years Programme at Ada Merritt K-8 Center in all your subjects and through approaches to learning • develop and showcase talents and interests that you may have and apply them to a chosen goal • apply your knowledge of the design cycle • do what you want to do on your own. Your Culminating Project should also clearly focus on an issue or theme closely related to an Area of Interaction.

Your 8th Grade CulminatingProject should: • have a clear and achievable goal • allow you to express a truly personal message • be the result of your initiative, creativity, and ability to organize and plan • reflect your special interests, hobbies, special abilities, or concerns about particular issues • deal with a topic or area to which you are committed • be entirely your own work—authenticity is very important and you will be required to sign a document stating that the project is your own work.

What your 8th Grade CulminatingProject should not be: • a group project • an all consuming project taking over your whole personal and social life • an interference with your studies, even though it will involve many hours of work • anything that does not truly reflect your own work, values, interests and/or concerns

How will it be graded? • Your project will be graded using the Technology assessment criteria. • The various phases of the Design Cycle will each receive a grade during the course of the year. • Your presentation of the final product will be evaluated by your teacher and your peers using a rubric. The project is an independent research activity and you will complete it on your own. You will, however, receive guidance and support during selected homeroom classes and during your technology and gifted classes. Your will receive a packet that is designed to help you through the process and to ensure that your project has all the required components.

What type of project can you do? You will be working on this project for an extended period of time, so it needs to be something you reallywant to do. Depending on your goal, you might choose to do: • an original work of art (for example, visual, dramatic or performance) • a written piece of work on a special topic (for example, literary, social, psychological or anthropological) • a piece of literary fiction (for example, creative writing) • an original science experiment • an invention or specially designed object or system • the presentation of a developed business, management, or organizational plan, or the development of a new student or community organization.

Examples of Successful Projects • Creating a picture book for young children • AIDS information for teenagers and young adults • Writing a vegetarian recipe book • Choreographing a dance performance • Designing and constructing a beach chair • The importance of sports for handicapped people • Creating a travel guide • Designing and making clothes and accessories • Creating books and games for the visually impaired • Designing a website for a zoo

What are the required components of the 8th Grade Research Project? • A Design Folder compiling your work through all the phases of the Design Cycle • A link to an area of interaction • A guiding question • A presentation of the project with visual aids • A structured piece of writing or personal statement • All project components need to be presented in your Design Folder

The written report will include: • A Cover/Title Page • A Table of contents • An Introduction: the focus of your project with a link to an area of interaction • A Rationale: why you chose this project and the particular Area of Interaction • The Process you followed to complete this project, divided into subsections for each step of the Design Cycle • A Conclusion: reflecting on the process, the product and its impact • A Bibliography • Appendices

Tentative Project Timeline

Enjoy this opportunity to: • learn more about yourself and a topic that interests you • show off your knowledge, skills, and talents! Ada Merritt K-8 Center

High School Fairs • October 13, 2010: Young Women and Young Men Academies • October 20, 2010: MAST Academy • October 27, 2010: High School Fair with representation from: • Coral Gables High School • International Studies Prep Academy • International Studies Charter High School • Terra High School Applications due January 15, 2011 Ada Merritt K-8 Center

Eighth Grade Exams • Mid-term and Final Exams • Algebra 1 Exit Tests • Earth Space Science Exit Exam • FCAT in Mathematics, Writing, Reading, and Science • Spanish Language AP Exam Ada Merritt K-8 Center

End of the Year Activities • Eighth Grade Field Trip • Prom/Dance • Promotion Ceremony Ada Merritt K-8 Center

Eighth Grade Orientation September 22, 2010 The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life. Plato Ada Merritt K-8 Center

Ada Merritt K-8 Center