Portico
Portico
Diverse group of high school students volunteer at a donation collection.

Capstone Projects Focused on Real-World Issues: Create Meaningful Experiences that Engage All Students

Inflexion January 30, 2021
0 Comments

Helping students find a path to purpose is one of the noblest aspects of teaching.

– Vicki Zakrzewski

INTRO

Set up a process for students to annually engage in capstone projects focused on real-world issues. Have each student reflect and apply several key ideas they have learned in the classroom throughout the year to their projects.

Capstone projects provide an opportunity for students to engage all Four Keys to successful learning.

OBJECTIVES

  • Set up a process for students to annually engage in capstone projects focused on real-world issues.

RESOURCE LINKS

ACTIVITY

  • Set up a process for students to annually engage in capstone projects focused on real-world issues.

  • Review the provided resources for ideas on how to create the project and engage students in it.

Key Components of Capstone Projects

  • Relevant student-selected topic that is of interest to the student
  • Research
  • Engagement activities: observing, volunteering, interviewing, performing, building, creating, experimenting, etc.
  • Drafting and writing a paper and/or presentation outlining the project process and/or results or what was learned
  • Presentation of ideas
    • If more than one student is working on the same topic, then debate is also often incorporated as a means of learning and engaging in deeper consideration of the topic – it is especially useful before they finalize their individual paper/presentation
  • Reflection
    • As part of the process, have each student reflect and apply several key ideas they have learned in the classroom throughout the year to their projects

TIPS

  • Key Moves are efforts that require a bit of planning, but can be implemented within the next 3-6 months.
Categories: Toolkit
Tags: , , , , ,

Related Articles

Case Study: Merced Union High School District

Through its work with Inflexion, MUHSD is seeing strong results in student outcomes and in closing the opportunity gap for underserved students. California School Dashboard data show College/Career Indicator scores for African American, Hispanic, English Learners, students with disabilities, students who are homeless, and students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged are 16 to 29 points higher than the state average.

Inflexion June 9, 2020
0 Comments

Passion. Pride. Promise. Two Leaders Help Pave the Way for Their Students & Communities

Tucked away in the hills of rural western Oregon, the Vernonia and Gaston school districts defy many of the stereotypes most of us hold when we think of rural schools. Their communities face both common and unique challenges. Vernonia Elementary Principal, Michelle Eagleson, and Gaston Superintendent, Summer Catino, share how their small schools and communities achieve greatness.

Vanessa Brazil October 25, 2022
0 Comments

Student Cell Phone Policy: Best Practices for Student Success

As principal of Milwaukie High School, Carmen Gelman (now Director of Professional Development, Coalition of Oregon School Administrators, COSA) worked with the school community (including students) to ensure a firm but balanced approach to student cell phone use. We share their policy and rollout materials to inspire and guide you as you consider tackling this oft contentious topic.

Inflexion May 4, 2023
0 Comments
Diverse group of smiling high school students sitting in front of a row of computers.

Portico Student Experience Survey: Measuring Belonging, Connection, Engagement

Let’s move away from an environment where kids are sorted, packaged, and labeled based on the perceptions of adults that barely knew them. Readiness and success should be defined by students’ engagement, adaptability, and what they can do with their knowledge. However, students need to feel a sense of belonging, connection, and engagement as well as demonstrate self-awareness, self-management, and well-being to achieve true readiness and success. This survey process is an important step in that direction.

Inflexion February 21, 2023
0 Comments
Diverse group of community members sit at a meeting together.

Foster Community Engagement: 9 Steps to Establishing a District Family Engagement Team

There is growing recognition, grounded in research, that effective family engagement can contribute to improved student outcomes and to closing persistent achievement gaps among students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds and family income levels.

Experts advocate for family engagement as an essential strategy for building the pathway to college and career readiness for all students, as well as an essential component of a systems approach to school turnaround.

Inflexion March 15, 2023
0 Comments

Responses

Report

Harassment or bullying behavior
Contains mature or sensitive content
Contains misleading or false information
Contains abusive or derogatory content
Contains spam, fake content or potential malware

Block Member?

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

  • See blocked member's posts
  • Mention this member in posts
  • Invite this member to groups
  • Message this member
  • Add this member as a connection

Please note: This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

Report

You have already reported this .