Capstone Project
Overview and Instructions
Scholar Name:__________________________________
Overview: For the remainder of the school year you are going to participate in an authentic
learning experience of your choice. We are going to help you plan, find, and participate in a project
that will result in you having to present products of your learning. This will be a requirement for
your promotion to the next grade, for high school scholars- it is a graduation requirement. This is
your chance to explore and learn something you are passionate about. Since this is your learning
passion- you need to do this individually, HOWEVER- someone might pick an authentic learning
path that can pair with your idea nicely and you can create a final project together to present in the
end. Example: Someone’s passion is to learn about animal science so they go to work in a zoo and do
volunteer work. Someone else’s passion is animal conservation and photography. Your combined
project could be a photo album with information about each animal.
Essential Questions:
Habit 8- Find my Voice and Help Others Find Theirs
Talent- What are my strengths and talents?
Passion- What do I love to do?
Need- Where is a need?
Conscience- What would make a difference?
Student Project Calendar Overview:
Quarter 2 Big Rocks:
-Research authentic learning choices
-Apply for internships, jobs, volunteer work, competitions,
classes, establish projects/plans, etc.
-Gather any supplies/materials needed for learning choice
-Set yourself up to begin learning choice by January 2023
Quarter 3 Big Rocks:
-Participate in authentic learning choice
-Maintain and update evidence of authentic learning
-Collect artifacts, items, showcases, photos, examples, journal
entries- anything evident of your learning
Quarter 4 Big Rocks:
-Begin preparing and organizing evidence of your learning for
a presentation
-Write a thesis about your learning and your plan moving
forward
-Write thank you cards for those who helped you during your
authentic learning adventure
-Present to an authentic audience your Capstone Project
1
Scholars are encouraged to work on their Capstone during lunch hour as well as an anchor
activity in any other class when work is completed and with permission of the teachers.
Scholars will also have to spend time outside of school engaging in their learning project.
Planning Authenic Learning Choice: Examine the example below of thinking about, and
beginning to plan the process of your authentic learning choice.
What is something you
enjoy learning about?
How can this
connect/help others?
What can you do or
participate in, in order
to expand this interest
of yours?
(Where is your
community of
learners?)
What is something you
can create and present
that shows what you
learned?
Example 1:
Cartoons and
comedy shows
Example 1:
-Make
educational/funny
videos for kids
-Make cartoon strips
with social
commentary that
promote awareness
about causes
-Bring joy to others
Example 1:
-Watch interviews
online with
comic/cartoon
creators and
producers
-Begin to collect
comics from online
and annotate their
content
-Reach out to local
cartoonist online
-Look for cartoon
classes at a local
community college,
community center,
or start an art club
at school
Example 1:
-Make an actual
animation show
-Make a portfolio of
comics
-Submit comics to a
local newspaper
-Create an
Instagram profile for
your art and
animation shorts
2
Your Turn Planning an Authenic Learning Choice: Following the same sequence of
planning, complete the chart below for THREE ideas that you have. If you find that some of
the questions are difficult to answer and plan for, then move onto another idea- it’s okay to
have blank squares- a part of planning for a major project is Beginning with the End in
Mind- if you find that you can’t find the End, then it’s not a viable idea.
What is something you
enjoy learning about?
How can this
connect/help others?
What can you do or
participate in, in order
to expand this interest
of yours?
(Where is your
community of
learners?)
What is something you
can create and present
that shows what you
learned?
*Ideas on next page
Idea 1:
Idea 2:
Idea 3:
3
Final Product Instructions:
Below is a list of choices to present your research. You must select one. This project should
be evident of weeks worth of research, and done with high fidelity and time commitment.
Please see the Final Product Rubric for details and requirements.
End in Mind- during the beginning of Quarter 4 you will present your Product to
members of the Paideia community.
Written Products and
Performances
Oral Products and
Performances
Visual Products and
Performances
Advertisement
Blog
Brochure
Editorial
Experiment
Game
Journal
Lab Report
Letter
Logbook
Magazine Article
Poem
Proposal
Questionnaire
Script
Short Story
Storyboard
Textbook Excerpt
Audio Recording-Podcast
Debate
Dramatization
Interview
Newscast
Panel Discussion
Play
Poetry Reading
Rap
Skit
Song
Teaching a Lesson
Banner
Cartoon
Collage
Collection
Computer Graphics
Slide Presentation
Data Table
Diagram
Display
Diorama
Drawing
Fimstrip
Graphs
Maps
Paintings
Photo Essay
Scrapbook
Sculpture
Storyboard
Video
Mural
4