2014-2015 School Year - Taft High School

You have been introduced to the Personal Project

Reviewed (and signed) the entire Personal Project Student Handbook

Personal Project Topic Notification Form

DUE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15th (or sooner) to Ms. Varney and Mrs. Greenblatt via Homeroom or dropped off in 263

You CANNOT choose a completely different topic after submitting this form!

Your supervisor, Mrs. Greenblatt, and I will be reviewing, providing feedback, and giving you FINAL approval.

Why did you select this topic?

Personal connection?

Something you want to study in college?

Something you want to try or experience at some point your life?

Developing a marketing campaign to address a teen issue

Building something – a guitar, a canoe, furniture

Developing a plan for a solar powered car

Learning how to play an instrument

Writing a book, script, or composing a song

Using physics to perfect a sport (a pool shot, a hockey shot, a free-throw)

Developing a new strategy for chess, poker, or another game

Designing and making jewelry or clothes

Producing and directing a movie, music video, PSA, exercise video

Doing a research/lab report for an original scientific idea

Drawing a mural or providing a photo essay

Researching your genealogy

Inventing something

Developing your own video game

Starting point for inquiry! Provides the real world connections.

Consider the following before making this selection:o What do you want to achieve through your

project?o What do you want others to understand

through your project?o What impact do you want your project to have?

* Take some time to look through all of the Global Contexts (p. 14), SELECT ONE, and explain the connection.

Rap as a music genre

Global Context Examples

Identity and relationships Examine the question, “Why does rap speak to me?

Orientation of space and time

Explore the development of rap as a style of music across continents

Personal and cultural expression

Perform a rap song for peers and have a question-and-answer session

Solar energy devices

Global Context Examples

Scientific and technical innovation

Design a 3D model of a solar device with instructions for construction

Orientation of space and time

Investigate how, in history, different cultures have made use of energy for different needs

Globalization and sustainability

Debate Herve’ Kempf’s ideas about “how the rich are destroying the Earth”

To write a statement of purpose, think about and answer a couple of these questions as best you can:

o What is my real interest in the topic?o What knowledge do I hope to acquire?o What skills I you want to develop?o What do I specifically want to learn

about my topic?

Too general…“I want to learn more about recycling and earth friendly materials.”

Much better…“I want to learn about how earth friendly materials are used in surfboards.”

“I want to learn about how earth friendly materials are used in surfboards.”

Driving question:What materials can surfboard designers use to

ensure that the future surfboards are friendly to the environment?

Product:A newly designed surf-board

Report:What materials can surfboard designers use to ensure that the future surfboards are friendly to the environment?

Too general…“I want to learn about AIDS.”

Much better…“I want to know how close we are to a cure for AIDS.”

“I want to know how close we are to a cure for AIDS.”

Driving question:How close are we to the cure for AIDS?

Possible Product:An information packet on AIDS and strategies people can use to lower their chances of getting the disease.

Report:How close are we to the cure for AIDS?

Personal Project Products

Complete the Brainstorm Sheet

Start/keep using your Process Journals!

Start doing background research

Week of October 6 – MangageBac Training

October 8 – Supervisor Meet & Greet at 2:15pm

October 15 – Topic Notification Form Due

Please put your name on a post it note and place it on traffic light to indicate how you are feeling at this point.

Remember…