C.A.S.
CREATIVITY, ACTIVITY, SERVICE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmYn0yUjhMQ
AHS video: https://youtu.be/jN33sbXAAS0
WHAT CAS IS…
What is CAS? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAwZ5glGM18
WHAT CAS IS…
• Experiences for growth
• Development of self-awareness
and a sense of identity
• Connections with extended essay
(EE) and theory of knowledge (TOK)
• Purposeful and thought-through
• A life-style
• A singular experience, a series of
experiences or a collaborative
project of experiences
• Support for academic disciplines
• International-mindedness
• Thoughtful reflections of experiences
WHAT CAS IS NOT!
WHAT CAS IS NOT!
• NOT about logging hours
• NOT a religious activity interpreted as
proselytizing
• NOT paid activity or service
• NOT activities that create social
divisions or are divisive
• NOT activities that do not “extend”
the student
• NOT work done for another IB class
• NOT isolated, unplanned, singular
experiences
2015 CHANGES AT A GLANCE
This list are the changes from
• Now it’s Creativity, Activity and Service
• CAS experiences, not activity
• No hour-counting, just CAS experiences
• 7 learning outcomes (not 8)
• CAS project must be at least over 1 month
• Required 3 documented interviews with coordinator
• CAS participation must be continual throughout the
two years
7 LEARNING OUTCOMES
(You will include these in your proposals and reflections in ManageBac)
Examples sheet for students to go through…
Understanding the CAS Learning Outcomes.pdf
CREATIVITY
• Creativity is exploring and extending ideas,
leading to an original or interpretive product
or performance.
• Music, theatre, film, design technology,
visual arts, dance, fashion and other
experiences that involve creative thinking
fall under creativity (for example, joining a
choir or engaging with fashion design).
• Ideas of what do you think works?
• Ideas of what you’re already doing?
*** See CAS handbook for more ideas!
ACTIVITY
• Activity is physical exertion contributing to a
healthy lifestyle.
• Taking on a new sport or extending your
ability (for example, with football, yoga,
dance, aerobics classes, biking or hiking),
counts as activity.
• Ideas of what do you think works?
• Ideas of what you’re already doing?
*** See CAS handbook for more ideas!
SERVICE
Service in India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jooDckH56yU
• Investigating and identifying a community
need, designing a plan of action that
respects the rights, dignity and autonomy of
all involved (for example, reading to the
aged or advocating for a cause) and then
implementing that plan. It is then reflecting
upon the experience and demonstrating
what you learned somehow.
• Ideas of what do you think works?
• Ideas of what you’re already doing?
*** See CAS handbook for more ideas!
SERVICE
• Meaningful contribution to the community
• Identify a need and try to meet it
• Is your service WANTED? Do they WANT you there?
• Are you doing it just for yourself or for others?
• Decision-making, problem-solving, initiative, and
responsibility
• Develop relationships with other students and
community members
• Collaboration with others (students, community)
• UNPAID
• Can be at different levels: campus, local or
international
• BE SAFE! Don’t do something that puts you at risk.
EXAMPLES OF CAS EXPERIENCES
The following table provides a brief list of possible CAS experiences.
5 STAGES OF CAS EXPERIENCES
• 1. INVESTIGATION –
identify a need / issue
• 2. PREPARATION –
design a plan
• 3. ACTION –
implement a plan
• 4. REFLECTION –
reflect on your feelings &
thoughts from experience
• 5. DEMONSTRATION –
what and how you learned,
share through CAS portfolio
*** include this information for your proposal beforehand on ManageBac
STAGE 1 – INVESTIGATION
SERVICE LEARNING
Investigation has three basic parts. Include this information in your proposal on ManageBac.
• 1. Personal profile:
• Being cognizant about one’s interests, skills, talents and areas for growth develops selfawareness while providing personal insights about topics of concern and abilities.
• 2. Finding a cause:
• Generate topics of concern—local, global and general.
• Notate your key interests, skills, talents and areas for growth. How could you utilize
these?
• Students brainstorm topics or issues. Once they have determined a topic or issue for
their service, they then move to the third part of investigation.
• 3. Gathering information about a community need:
• Media: Include television, radio, Internet, newspapers, journals, brochures, maps, etc.
• Interview: Meet with an expert on this topic to ask prepared questions.
• Survey: Prepare questions and survey a chosen group to gain a better understanding.
• Observation/experience: Visit an organization or community group where a need is
apparent; students may also draw upon prior experience.
STAGE 2 – PREPARATION
SERVICE LEARNING
In all situations, students need to prepare.
• Identify a local, regional, national or international
organization working on this topic. Find out and
record what they’re doing.
• Determine what you will do (is it appropriate?)
• Prepare a proposal that articulates the plan and
informs any partners of what they will be doing. You
should enter this in ManageBac.
• When doing a CAS project that includes service,
clarifying roles and responsibilities for all involved.
STAGE 3 – ACTION
SERVICE LEARNING
Put your ideas for service into action, either individually or in groups.
Remember that you may incorporate one or more kinds of action to
meet the identified need. Here are 4 types:
• direct service: where students’ interaction involves people, the
environment or animals, such as tutoring, planting trees
• indirect service: where students provide assistance in ways where
they do not see the recipients of what they have done, such as
writing and supplying bilingual books or improving an
organization’s website
• advocacy: where students assist through educating the public or
supporting or initiating a campaign
• research: where students collect information through varied
sources, analyze data and report on a topic of importance to
influence policy or practice.
STAGE 4 – REFLECTION
SERVICE LEARNING
The process of reflection assists in becoming more aware of
the value of CAS experiences and can also lead to an
articulation of meeting the learning outcomes.
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Examine your thoughts, feelings and actions
How did it affect you?
How did it affect others around you?
Did you actually meet a need or were you just going
through the motions?
STAGE 5 – DEMONSTRATION
SERVICE LEARNING
• Make explicit the connections between your growth,
accomplishments and the 7 learning outcomes
• Can be done in a variety of ways
• Choose one that you prefer and are interested in!
• art, music, poetry, movement, song, poem, video,
poster, audio, pictures, written, dialogue, comic strip,
dramatic performance, letter, dance, or a
conversation with me during tutoring hours or over
lunch
• Upload these to ManageBac
• Must be honest, like a conversation with us rather than a
rote, mindless regurgitating
• Examples from students…
NO IBS, PLEASE 
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“I graded papers and cut paper for a teacher.”
“I made brownies for my mom and friends.”
“I cleaned my room.”
“I walked to my classes.”
“I went on a date.”
SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL
• Go to ManageBac and login with login and password:
https://allenhs.managebac.com/login
• Create a detailed proposal and submit it to me. Include:
• Description: What’s the idea? Be specific about what you will do.
• Goals: Goals and how you plan to grow though it.
• Learning Outcomes: Which of the 7 Learning Outcomes will be
addressed? Brief describe how they’ll will be addressed.
• Final Results: What do you hope to accomplish as the results of
your work? What do you expect to learn?
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I will either approve, ask for further clarification, or deny it
Complete the activity. If it’s longer, give me updates
When finished, complete your thoughtful reflection
After submitting reflection, I will either approve, ask for
further clarification, or deny it
REFLECTION
• While a specified number of reflections is not stipulated or
required, reflection is the vehicle to personal growth in CAS
experiences.
• Engage in reflection by choice, not by force.
• Reflection is used to demonstrate achievement of the learner
profile.
• How do my choices and actions model empathy, compassion
and respect for others?
• How does this CAS experience allow me to become a genuine
inquirer?
• To what extent do my CAS experiences encourage creative and
critical thinking?
• How do the ethical issues that arise in my CAS experiences
change me?
• How does my CAS experience allow for risk-taking?
• Relate reflections to the IB learner profile and 7 learning
outcomes
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
WHILE REFLECTING
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How did you react to / feel about the event?
Did it develop any personal interests, skills or talents?
What challenges did the experience provide?
How did you feel about the challenges?
Were there consequences of your experience for
you, others, the community?
What of the 7 seven learning outcomes were met?
How did you change through this?
How did the experience reflect your ideas / values?
Are there any global or ethical connections?
UNDERSTANDING REFLECTION
REFLECTION IDEAS…
Written reflections (ManageBac) and verbal reflections (with CAS
coordinator / lunch group) are the most common ways students
reflect. These are important methods; however, keep in mind that
meaningful reflection can be expressed in various ways. Often,
written reflection cannot express the depth of an experience in the
way that visual, auditory or kinesthetic means of reflection.
Kinesthetic reflection:
dance
theatre
mime
role play
Auditory reflection:
lyrics
rap
jingle
melodies
Visual reflection:
photography
painting
animation
sculpting/ceramics
mosaic
prints
textile/needlework
By engaging in diverse forms of reflection, students may discover
their preferred ways to reflect and integrate reflection by choice
into their daily lives.
CREATIVE REFLECTION IDEAS…
• “Some students organized an impromptu ‘flash mob’ to
commemorate their attendance at an annual Youth Leaders
symposium. One of the art students then followed this up with a
cartoon depiction of the event, which included caricatures of
each student who had participated accompanied by speech
bubbles with their individual comments on the flash mob
experience and the symposium.”
• “A student created a magic show as his choice for expressive,
meaningful reflection. Challenges and surprises were represented
by objects appearing out of hats, from behind ears and
magically out of thin air. Similarly, items disappeared within an
instant, representing challenges successfully met along his CAS
journey. The magic show demonstrated the student’s passion for
magic—his distinct talent—as well as a compilation of numerous
skills and knowledge acquired during his time in the DP.”
• “Following his involvement in a CAS project focusing on improving
social justice, a student wrote two songs that acted as a
culminating reflection. The student performed these songs in the
school cafeteria, with an accompanying visual presentation that
gave further details on his reflections and overall experience.”
CREATIVE REFLECTION IDEAS…
• “One of my students decided to take one photograph a week
throughout her CAS experience that captured what she was
feeling, thinking, seeing or learning. She combed through her
photographs to create a gallery without a single caption to
present to the community. She wanted to see if what she saw
through her camera lens would reflect the story accurately.”
• “A student turned in a basketball to represent his reflection in
Activity. All over the basketball he wrote phrases, attached
photos, and adhered articles to repurpose the ball as a road
map to his experience and represent his reflections.”
• “Students who, as part of a CAS group project, were tutoring
children within the Hmong community learned about the story
quilts that are their traditional art form. They collaborated on a
tapestry using learned skills from the Hmong artisans to tell
about their collective journey.”
• “A student decided to make a drawing on his growth process
through CAS. Just with drawings we could understand how his
experiences developed his self-identity.”
EXAMPLES OF GOOD REFLECTIONS
CAS PORTFOLIO
ongoing from beginning, turn in senior year
create a “scrapbook” of what you did in CAS
can be electronic, in ManageBac, or a tangible “scrapbook”
showcase your experiences and reflections
pick and choose what you want
include a collection of evidence (photos, videos, etc…)
must show a sustained CAS lifestyle over 18 months
reveal how you have developed
valuable for a college or work resume
include documentation from our 3 scheduled meetings
showcases your CAS program, source of pride
not a singular preferred method for CAS portfolio – up to you!
Format ideas: digital, online, diary, journal, scrapbook, create
a website, blog, scrapbook, files, video log, etc. or blended
• it’s not WHICH format you use, but HOW you use it
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CAS PORTFOLIO
Make sure that you include the following:
1. Profile:
• Include interests, skills and talents, plans and goals
• focus on the IB learner profile
• identify both short-term and long-term goals
2. Experiences:
• incorporate a variety of reflections, learning moments,
personal achievements
• add reflections regarding their process of development
• state how you have utilized the CAS stages
3. Evidence:
• collect the evidences of their involvement and achievement
in CAS
• can include planning documents, letters, emails, certificates,
acknowledgements of participation and achievements,
photographs, videos, etc.
CAS SENIOR PROJECT
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Seniors will complete a collaborate CAS project
Will include Creativity, Activity and/or Service
Required for passing CAS, getting IB diploma
Should show initiate, perseverance, skill-development,
cooperation, problem-solving, decision-making
A group of contributing students, part of a team, with
different roles
Should enhance and integrate your interests & skills
Don’t have to be service, but can be or be included
Must be at least 1 month, can be longer
Can be a new idea or a previously-used project
Reflect individually about the experience (preferably in a
creative way)
CAS SENIOR PROJECT: IDEAS
• Creativity: A student group plans, designs and creates a mural.
• Activity: Students organize and participate in a sports team
including training sessions and matches against other teams.
• Service: Students set up and conduct tutoring for people in need
over an extended period of time.
• Creativity and activity: Students choreograph a routine for their
marching band.
• Service and activity: Students plan and participate in the
planting and maintenance of a garden with members of the
local community.
• Service and creativity: Students identify that children at a local
school need backpacks and subsequently design and make the
backpacks out of recycled materials.
• Creativity, activity, and service: Students rehearse and perform a
dance production for a community retirement home.
CAS SENOR PROJECT:
SERVICE LEARNING OPTION
Must meet a genuine need, agree on by both sides
Build upon prior knowledge, links to disciplines
Liaison officer – person to contact community
Think of potential risks
Must be feasible
Need approval (CAS coordinator, Allen High
School)
• Reflect on how they went though the process and
how they felt / thought about it
• If it’s for a grade for IB, it can’t count for something
else, but it can (and should!) extend from
something you’re doing in class
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CAS INTERVIEWS:
• We will have 3 formal interviews together:
• Meeting #1 – beginning of junior year
• understanding CAS setting goals, get to know you, ?’s
• Meeting #2 – toward end of junior year
• how are you are progressing, discuss CAS project, ?’s
• Meeting #3 – 2nd semester of senior year
• discuss how CAS project went, look over CAS portfolio,
wrap up program, growth, what learned, complete
CAS checklist for approval, ?’s
• Feel free to ask questions and honestly tell me how
things are going. I value your openness!
DIVERSITY IN VALUES / BELIEFS
• Students can participate in faith-based, cultural or
political events (charity events, music for church,
political campaigns, cultural traditions, etc.)
• “Students’ personal engagement with faith-based,
cultural, or political events can add great value to
individual CAS programmes.”
• Explore how your ideas and values align with IB
• Students cannot proselytize, or share their faith as a
primary purpose
• It cannot be divisive in nature
SITUATIONS – YES? / NO? / MAYBE?
• Chat in groups whether it works or not and why.
• Situation 1: Student wants to protest at pro-life march.
• Situation 2: Students do yoga in the park.
• Situation 3: Going to a museum or a rock concert.
FINAL THOUGHTS…
• Can’t be paid
• Can’t be for a grade in another class (but it can be an
extension from class)
• Give LOTS of details and descriptions
• Can’t be crammed, but must be ongoing throughout your IB
experience (18 months, beginning junior year)
• CAS experiences must somewhat equally distributed between
Creativity, Activity and Service. You can’t have all activity and
very little service/creativity. There must be balance between
the three.
• Try to enter proposals, reflections and updates in ManageBac
at least every two weeks.
• Try to reflect on your experiences quickly and timely
• Is evaluated Pass or Fail. You must pass to get your IB diploma.
CONTACT INFO
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any
questions at all! I have 5th period dedicated to CAS.
CAS coordinator: Jordan Kauffman
Email: jordan_kauffman@allenisd.org
Room: F112
Phone: (972) 727-0400 Ext. 5512
CAS Website: http://www.allenisd.org/Page/43077
ManageBac: https://allenhs.managebac.com/login