Richard Montgomery High School
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme
Office - Room 300 Phone - (301) 610-8157
Email - Molly_A_Clarkson@mcpsmd.org
Greetings, Ninth Graders!
Congratulations! You are collectively about to embark on an important journey towards the completion
of one of the hallmarks of the IB Middle Years Programme. Next year, just like other Year 5 MYP
students all over the world, you will be taking part in a process of learning and growth that will
culminate in a Personal Project. It is my goal that each student takes pride in his or her project and gains
a great sense of personal accomplishment from completing this final element of the MYP.
The prospect of starting a project this big may seem a bit daunting, but never fear! Throughout the
process you will have plenty of help from me and others who are here to guide you towards realizing
your vision for the Personal Project. Your project supervisor and I will be with you along the way to help
you to navigate the process and to understand how the final project will be assessed. With that said, the
Personal Project is just that: it’s personal to you as a student and is, by design, unlike any project that
any other student has ever done. It is both your responsibility and your accomplishment when it is
finished. Before you get started, take a look at the diagram below:
Even though it’s a bit small, you will notice that the Personal Project and Community Service occupy a
spot right at the center of the MYP. The idea is that you use the knowledge gained from your courses to
help guide you in showing your understanding of the Global Contexts and the development of the
Learner Profile traits through a truly original project. Think of this as an opportunity to extend your
learning beyond the classroom; to investigate one (or more) of those things that you always wish you
could learn more about, but haven’t had the chance just yet.
With all of that said, I look forward to working with you throughout the process and helping you to
achieve your goals for this experience. Best wishes as you get started, and feel free to contact me as
questions inevitably arise.
Ms. Clarkson
What is a Personal Project?
Have you ever wanted to build a musical instrument? Do you have a secret passion to write a play? Now
is your chance! The personal project is your project to do what you want to do, to show the skills you
have developed over the years in your subjects and through Approaches to Learning (ATL), and to apply
them to the chosen goal that focus on dimensions of the Global Contexts.
Remember, you will be working on this project for an extended period of time, so it needs to be
something you really want to do. Whatever type of personal project you decide on, it should:
• have a clear and achievable goal
• be focused through one Global Context
• allow you to express a truly personal understanding of your topic
• 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 that the Personal Project is your own work and that all sources of information have
been properly cited in your final report.
Your project must not:
• be part of any assessed course work
• take over your whole personal and social life, nor interfere with your studies, even though it will
require you to dedicate significant time and effort to complete it.
• be too closely linked to any specific subject.
Why do a Personal Project?
The Personal Project is a culminating event in your time in the MYP. It is a requirement of the program
that all students are expected to complete. During your time as an MYP student you will have developed
in many ways and learned a great deal. If you choose the right Personal Project, it will give you the
opportunity to share with others something that is of great interest to you as an individual but that also
shows some of what you have learned as a result of being in the MYP. It’s also excellent preparation for
the kind of schoolwork you might encounter in college and for the IB Extended Essay (a requirement of
the Diploma Programme).
What’s next?
When
Today
Thursday, May
28th
By June 5th
Summer
(OPTIONAL)
What
Learn about the Personal Project and complete goalsetting exercises
Attend the Personal Project exhibition during 8th period and investigate your
options. Take notes on other students’ presentations on the notetaking sheet
you’ll receive in 8th period.
Complete the yellow “Personal Project Plan” organizer prior to writing your
proposal. Supervisors will be assigned based on this plan, but it’s okay if it
changes.
Do some preliminary research and start to record what you’ve learned. Hone in
on what you’re really interested in, even if that might be different from your
original plan. If you are doing something over summer that you would like to be
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Late August /
early September
Mid-September
the basis for your project, you should stay in contact with Ms. Clarkson with your
questions throughout the summer.
Write your proposal and submit it through the school website (completed in
social studies classes). Learn about the Process Journal and what it involves.
Receive feedback email from MYP Office (to Chromebook email account)
Receive Student Handbook and begin the formal Personal Project Process.
What type of Personal Project can I do?
Depending on your goal, you might choose one of the following types of projects:
• 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, that is, for an
entrepreneurial business or project, a special event, or the development of a new student or
community organization.
Your project may involve others (for example, if you are directing a play, organizing an exhibition, or
starting a new student/community organization). Remember, however, that your own contribution
must be central to the event, and clearly visible. It is your work that will be assessed.
The most important step you can take to assure a successful project will be to set an appropriate goal. In
fact, the majority of your project will be evaluated on the goal you select and how well you accomplish
it. The goal should clearly explain what you want to do and why you want to do it. Here are some
guidelines for you to follow.
One simple test of a good goal is to apply the ABCDs of goal setting. Regarding the Personal Project, here
are some questions to ask:
Assessable
•
•
How will you be able to measure whether or not you accomplished your goal?
Is your goal specific enough to be able to measure?
Believable
•
•
Is your project realistic? Can you accomplish your goal in the time you have available?
Do you have control over the factors required to make your project work or are you overly
dependent on others?
Challenging
•
•
Why is the goal worthy of nine months of your time?
If it’s not, how could it be extended so that it would provide a greater challenge?
Desirable
•
Is the goal of your project really important to you?
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•
Why is it important? What is the personal connection?
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An Example
Use the ABCDs of goal setting to evaluate the following Personal Project goals. All are related to the
topic of tattoos. Which would be the best choice for a Personal Project?
1.
to learn about the history of tattoos
2.
to investigate what motivates people to get tattoos and how pleased they are with the results
3.
to investigate how tattoos affect others’ perceptions
4.
to learn about the health risks of tattoos and educate others by creating a brochure
5.
to learn about various tattoo styles and design a tattoo for someone
What does this tell you about how you should structure your own goal?
Think
Exercise #1:
List 3 topics you are considering for your Personal Project (in order of preference) and explain WHY you
are passionate about those topics.
1.
2.
3.
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Exercise #2:
Next, using the ABCDs of goal setting, answer the following questions:
Your topic:
___________________________________
Assessable
•
How will you be able to measure whether or not you accomplished your goal? These measures
are called “specifications” and they will be used to assess the success of your project in
achieving its stated goal.
•
Is your goal specific enough to be able to measure?
Believable
•
Is your project’s primary goal realistic? Can you accomplish your goal in the time you have
available?
•
Do you have control over the factors required to make your project work or are you overly
dependent on others?
Challenging
•
Why is the goal worthy of nine months of your time? If it’s not, how could it be extended so that
it would provide a greater challenge?
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Desirable
•
Is the goal of your project really important to you?
•
Why is it important? What is the personal connection?
Having answered all of the questions above, re-write your goal (below) with a few of the
specifications for success. Think of these as guidelines for monitoring your success. If it’s helpful, start
the sentences with the phrase “I will know my project has been successful if…”
Goal
Criteria for success
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The Global Contexts – Focusing your Personal Project
Remembering way back to middle school, you probably heard a lot about the Areas of Interaction as a
component of the MYP. Since then, the Areas of Interaction have changed a bit, in the interest of
making them clearer and easier to understand. Now, they are called the MYP Global Contexts, and there
are six of them. You can think about these Global Contexts as “lenses” for your project; a way of giving
the project focus and clarity of purpose. Use the guiding questions and descriptions below to help you
choose an appropriate Global Context for your project. You should only choose one.
Identities and Relationships
Who am I? Who are we?
 Students will explore identity; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual
health; human relationships including families, friends, communities and cultures; what it means
to be human.
Orientation in Space and Time
What is the meaning of “where” and “when”?
 Students will explore personal histories; homes and journeys; turning points in humankind;
discoveries; explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between, and the
interconnectedness of, individuals and civilizations, from personal, local and global perspectives.
Personal and Cultural Expression
What is the nature and purpose of creative expression?
 Students will explore the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture,
beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our
appreciation of the aesthetic.
Global Context
Identity and relationships
Orientation in space and time
Personal and cultural expression
Example topic – Rap as a music genre
Examine the question, “Why does rap speak to me?”
Explore the development of rap as a style of music across
continents
Perform a rap song that expresses your unique culture for
peers and have a question-and-answer session
Scientific and Technological Innovation
How do we understand the world in which we live?
 Students will explore the natural world and its laws; the interaction between people and the
natural world; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of
scientific and technological advances on communities and environments; the impact of
environments on human activity; how humans adapt environments to their needs.
Globalization and Sustainability
How is everything connected?
 Students will explore the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the
relationship between local and global processes; how local experiences mediate the global; the
opportunities and tensions provided by world interconnectedness; the impact of decisionmaking on humankind and the environment.
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Fairness and Development
What are the consequences of our common humanity?
 Students will explore rights and responsibilities; the relationship between communities; sharing
finite resources with other people and with other living things; access to equal opportunities;
peace and conflict resolution.
Global Context
Scientific and technical innovation
Globalization and sustainability
Fairness and development
Example topic – Solar energy devices
Design a 3D model of a solar device with instructions for
construction
Investigate how, in history, different cultures have made
use of energy for different needs.
Examine the possibilities presented by solar energy
technology to solve problems of limited resources.
The following table shows some examples of the use of each global context for an MYP personal project.
Global Context - Identities and relationships
• Two sides of social networking; an awareness campaign about digital citizenship and cyber
bullying
• How online identities impact offline relationships; a research essay
• Keeping culinary traditions; cookbook following family recipes with historical relevance
Global Context – Orientation in space and time
• Explorers in search of a new world; immigration over the ages through visual texts
• The Mayflower and the dream of religious freedom; a personal family history
• Charting a family history through archives and visually representing genealogy
• Representing local history; a running map of local historical sites
Global Context – Personal and cultural expression
• Video games as a form of cultural expression; a short film using five video games that shows how
they are an expression of our culture
• The art of Manga in Japanese culture; a Japanese anime and a survey of the understanding of
peers
• Culture and self-expression through dance at the local community arts center; a performance
Global Context – Scientific and technical innovation
• Vintage video games and handheld controllers; building a device
• Why are genetics and genomics important to my health?; a media presentation
• Can stem cells replace organ transplants?; an investigative report
Global Context – Globalization and sustainability
• The struggle for water in developing countries; an awareness campaign
• The impact of the financial crises of Europe and the European Economic Community on the
United States; a visual presentation
• Education as the tool to change the future of Peru; a workshop for adults
• The role of the developing countries in protecting the tropical rain forest; a collection of slides
Global Context – Fairness and development
• Supporting fair trade: Cocoa trade in Ghana; an awareness campaign for our school
restaurant/cafeteria to promote fair trade
• Open-market economies and their role in fair trade; a talk for students
• Exploring the intersections of race and inequality; a radio broadcast
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All projects will, by their design, show some understanding of the MYP Approaches to Learning as
well. These skills should be represented in your process journal, which you will begin after your project
has been submitted.
Throughout the Personal Project process, you should keep track of how you are using and
developing skills in the following
 Communication – Interaction with others and literacy skills
 Research - Information and media literacy, critical literacy
 Self-management – Organization of time and materials and affective skills
 Social Skills – Collaboration with others
 Thinking - Critical thinking, creativity and innovation, reflection and transfer of skills and
ideas from one type of task to another.
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The IB Learner Profile and the Personal Project
Since you began in the IB Middle Years Programme, you have participated in a variety of classroom,
school-wide and extra-curricular activities designed to help you develop the characteristics of an IB
Learner. The Personal Project is an opportunity for you to show us how well you can demonstrate these
qualities. Please think about this as you begin your Personal Project.
Inquirers – You are expected to select a topic about which you are curious and have questions. If you think
you already know everything you need to know in order to complete your project, then you do not have
a good idea. It may be helpful to list questions you have early on to be sure you are on the right track
Knowledgeable – You are expected to know where to find information to answer the questions you may
have about your topic and or your product. Remember, this is a research project and needs to include
primary and/or secondary sources
Thinkers - You are expected to use the knowledge you gain from your research to successfully complete
your project
Communicators – You will need to determine the best way to communicate what you have learned and
justify your choice. (e.g., scrap book, video, brochure, power point, piece of art, music, creation, event
etc)
Caring – You may want to think about how your project can benefit other people and/or how it may
benefit the environment
Open-minded – You may want to think about how your project can present an opportunity for you or for
others to learn more about your own or other cultures
Risk-takers – You may want to think about how your project can present an opportunity for you to stretch
yourself and try something new or unfamiliar.
Principled – Remember that your project will provide an opportunity for you to take responsibility for
your own actions as you work to achieve your goal, as well as any consequences for the decisions you
make
Balanced – Your project will definitely help you to see how well you can manage your time to be sure you
meet deadlines, while also taking care of other academic responsibilities, out of school commitments and
the need for “down time”
Reflective – Throughout your project, you will be expected to reflect on your progress, the need to make
any changes, and your personal strengths and challenges.
Before proposing your project, consider your strengths and areas for growth as they relate to the
Learner Profile traits above. Think about the implications that your strengths have for what kind of
project you can (and should) do before you sit down to write your proposal.
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Project Timeline
Each student’s exact project timeline will be slightly different, however, this chart provides a general idea of what all students should be working on over the
next few months. If you get ahead or behind in the project, do not get discouraged or stop working. Continue working on the project and seek help from your
project supervisor, who will be assigned next school year. Use the blank space at the bottom to set your own goals for completing the project.
May
June
Brainstorm topics of
interest and select a
potential topic.
Personal Project Plan
sheet due June 5th.
July
Personal Project Management: What to do and when
August
September
October
November
December
January
Submit a
proposal and
receive feedback
on your plan.
Conduct background research on your topic to
help you narrow your topic towards a proposal.
OPTIONAL: Students who would like to begin
work on their project over summer should contact
Ms. Clarkson regarding their ideas and plans.
Do ongoing research to help you achieve your goal. Record your sources
of information using your chosen citation platform. This research should
be more specific and directed than your background research.
Establish and use a process journal to record your thoughts, research findings
and ideas about the project. This journal can be a traditional notebook or
digital one, such as an ongoing Word document or a LiveBinder.
Meet regularly with your project supervisor. Meetings are generally held
during an extended lunch period in the second week of each month.
Complete Personal Project Checkpoints (included in the
Student Handbook).
Work towards completing your final product or
outcome by the time you return from winter break.
This will leave you time to complete the report.
Production of the project
report and choosing the
process journal extracts.
Final product or
outcome due
Fri, Jan 29th
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