LEGACY ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE
MYP Personal Project
Process Journal Guide
Student Name:________________________
Advisory Teacher___________________
Mentor_______________________
Mission
The mission of Legacy Academy of Excellence Charter School is to instill a lifelong passion for
learning within all its students while ensuring that all learners, including those considered to be
“at risk” regardless of economic and social background, succeed academically and become
contributing citizens of a global society. This will be accomplished by:
I.
Recognizing each child’s unique abilities and talents and using these assets as the
foundation for academic development and individual growth. Instructional
strategies and assessments of continuous progress will be tailored to help individual
students grow and develop using standards that reflect excellence and require mastery.
II.
Employing a well-structured, rigorous K through 12th grade curriculum that
incorporates both the Core Knowledge and Direct Instruction reform models.
These models will be integrated into a comprehensive program of established best
practices in learning and teaching in order to develop and nurture within each child:
A)
The competence and passion for lifelong learning;
B)
Increased levels of academic performance and personal achievement
required for success in the new millennium, including the ability to engage
in critical and creative thinking and problem solving;
C)
A balanced cultural perspective consistent with a diverse community and global
economy, and;
D)
A sense of self-worth based on achievement
III.
Requiring the accountability of staff, students, family, and community in the attainment
of Legacy Charter School’s mission. For families, students and staff this includes
commitment to the policies, procedures and rules of the Academy as evidenced by
concurrence with a written accountability agreement.
IV.
Finally, it is the belief of the founders that systematic thinking coupled with the
use of a systems model will allow the maintenance of effective connections
among the various functions and operating elements. The founders subscribe to
the systems model from Cordell and Waters (1993) which defines the 3 domains
of school systems:
■ Technical Domain
o Standards
o Curriculum
o Instruction
o Assessments
■ Personal Domain
o Professional Development
o Leadership & Supervision
o Internal Communication
o Climate and Culture
■ Organizational Domain
o External Environment
o Stakeholders
o Resource Allocation
o Technology
o Accountability
Aligning the elements of each domain into a coherent, functional system will
operationalize the attainment of Legacy’s mission, vision, and fundamental goals.
LAE’s Assessment Policy requires teachers to provide students with assessment tasks
that encourage continued learning and promote inquiry. Students are given explicit objectives
and assessment criteria, as outlined in each MYP subject guide and are well informed of the
expected outcomes and norms. LAE’s students are provided specific feedback that highlights
their strengths and addresses areas for improvement. Student reflection and goal setting are
intrinsic components of the assessment program. LAE’s Assessment program includes the
nurturing of intercultural understanding and respect among students, while also providing
opportunities for exploration in real-world contexts.
MYP projects are student-centered and age-appropriate, and they enable
students to engage in practical explorations through a cycle of inquiry, action and
reflection. MYP projects help students to develop the attributes of the IB learner
profile; provide students with an essential opportunity to demonstrate ATL skills
developed through the MYP; and foster the development of independent, lifelong
learners.
Legacy Academy of Excellence’s year 1 students(6th Grade) will be the first
MYP students to complete the full process of the personal project started in year
3(grade 8) and presenting their project in year 5(10th grade) of the Middle Years
Program during legacy Academy of Excellence’s student exhibition. Please see
Personal Project Timeline below:
MYP project objectives
The objectives of MYP projects encompass the factual, conceptual, procedural and metacognitive
dimensions of knowledge. The table below illustrates the distinct and overlapping objectives of the
community project and personal project. The community project is currently not an option, but will be
phased in and offered upon authorization.
Community Project
Personal Project
Objective A
i. Define a goal to address a need within a
community, based on personal interests
i. Define a clear goal and global context for
the project, based on personal interests
ii. Identify prior learning and subject-specific knowledge relevant to the project
iii. Demonstrate research skills
Objective B
i. Develop a proposal for action to serve the
need in the community
i. Develop criteria for the product/outcome
ii. Plan and record the development process of the project
iii. Demonstrate self-management skills
Objective C
i. Demonstrate service as action as a result of
the project
i. Create a product/outcome in response to
the goal, global context and criteria
ii. Demonstrate thinking skills
iii. Demonstrate communication and social skills
Objective D
i. Evaluate the quality of the service as action
against the proposal
ii. Reflect on how completing the project
has extended their knowledge and
understanding of service learning
iii. Reflect on their development of ATL skills
i. Evaluate the quality of the product/outcome
against their criteria
ii. Reflect on how completing the project
has extended their knowledge and
understanding of the topic and the global
context
iii. Reflect on their development as IB learners
through the project
Assessment for the MYP community and personal project is criterion-related, based on four equally weighted assessment criteria.
Criterion A: Investigating
Maximum 8
Criterion B: Planning
Maximum 8
Criterion C :Taking action
Maximum 8
Criterion D: Reflecting
Maximum 8
MYP community and personal projects assess all strands of all four assessment criteria.
The annual student exhibition program displays students work and
showcases their creative projects and endeavors. A key component of the
Middle Years Program is the personal project which is a culminating
requirement of all LAE’s Middle Years Program students.
The Personal Project is a learner-centered project completed by
students in MYP year 5 (grade 10). This project promotes inquiry and helps
students exercise their independent learning skills. Students select topics
and products of their own choosing. Encouraged to focus on their areas of
interest, students have the freedom to design a project about which they
are truly passionate. Whatever topic they choose, students call upon the
concepts and skills they have gained during their time in the MYP to make
their project successful. The Personal Project requires students to utilize the
Approaches to Learning skills, which they have developed, specifically in
the areas of information literacy, communication, collaboration, thinking,
reflection and transfer. Each student meets regularly with a staff advisor
for guidance and clarification. Students are required to maintain a process
journal, as they work to complete their Personal Projects. This journal,
along with the final product, report and bibliography, are the basis for the
Personal Project and are assessed using the Personal Project criteria:







Criterion A – Use the process journal
Criterion B – Define the goal
Criterion C – Select sources
Criterion D – Apply information
Criterion E – Achieve the goal
Criterion F – Reflect on learning
Criterion G – Report the project
Have you ever wanted to build a musical instrument? Do you have questions about a topic that
you have wanted to research on your own? 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 since sixth grade in the IB Middle Years Program. The Personal Project is an individual project
completed in your 10th-grade year. It consists of three main components: a product, a process journal,
and a report/reflection paper. You will choose a topic and enjoy learning about it as you research and
develop your chosen product.
The Personal Project can take many forms, but all must be framed by one Global Context. The following
are some examples to inspire your thinking.
MYP Global Contexts
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.
Possible explorations to develop:

competition and cooperation; teams,
affiliation and leadership

identity formation, self-esteem,
status, roles and role models

personal efficacy and agency;
attitudes, motivations,
independence; happiness and the
good life

physical, psychological and social
development, transitions, health and
well-being, lifestyle choices

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.
human nature and human dignity,
moral reasoning and ethical
judgment, consciousness and mind
Possible explorations to develop:

civilizations and social histories,
heritage; pilgrimage, migration,
displacement and exchange

epochs, eras, turning points and ‘big
history’

scale, duration, frequency and
variability

peoples, boundaries, exchange and
interaction

natural and human landscapes and
resources

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.
evolution, constraints and
adaptation
Possible explorations to develop:

artistry, craft, creation, beauty

products, systems and institutions

social constructions of reality;
philosophies and ways of life; belief
systems; ritual and play

critical literacy, languages and
linguistic systems; histories of ideas,
fields and disciplines; analysis and
argument

metacognition and abstract thinking

scientific and
technical
innovation
How do we understand
the worlds 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; reflect on
the opportunities and
tensions provided by
worldinterconnectedness; the
impact of decision-
entrepreneurship, practice and
competency
Possible explorations to develop:

systems, models, methods; products,
processes and solutions

adaptation, ingenuity and progress

opportunity, risk, consequences and
responsibility

modernization, industrialization and
engineering

digital life, virtual environments and
the information age

the biological revolution

mathematical puzzles, principles and
discoveries

Possible explorations to develop:

markets, commodities and
commercialization

human impact on the environment

commonality, diversity and
interconnection

consumption, conservation, natural
resources and public goods

population and demography

urban planning, strategy and
infrastructure
fairness and
development
making on humankind
and the environment.
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.
Possible explorations to develop:
 democracy, politics, government and
civil society

inequality, difference and inclusion

human capability and development ;
social entrepreneurs

rights, law, civic responsibility and
the public sphere

justice, peace and conflict
management

power and privilege

authority , security and freedom

imagining a hopeful future
A complete Personal Project has three elements: the project itself, the written statement, and the Process Journal.
Each is important and each is required.
The Product
The main element of the Personal Project is the product you intend to create. As stated earlier, it
may take a variety of physical forms based on the Global Context you choose. If it is not something that
may be submitted, such as a performance or community service project, you should take pictures
throughout the process to document your work.
Process Journal
Through each phase of the Personal Project, you will be responsible for maintaining a process
journal to document the choices you made and an evaluation of why you made them. You will receive a set
of journal prompts that directly relate to the sections of the reflection paper you will write after the creation
of your product. You will submit your process journals as part of your project. You will be able to use
some of the Learning Seminar time for writing in your journal.
The Report
All Personal Projects include a structured piece of writing that begins by defining the goals of
your project, establishing the area of interaction on which you focused, and an outlining how you intend to
achieve the goal. Next, you will describe the process of your work, analyze the inspiration and research that
guided your work, and identify the findings you made through creating the product. Finally, you will
conclude by reflecting on the impact of your project and the new perspectives it provided you.
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
personal and cultural expression
scientific and technical innovation
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.
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.
How do we understand the
worlds 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
fairness and development
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; reflect on the
opportunities and tensions
provided by worldinterconnectedness; the
impact of decision-making on
humankind and the
environment.
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.
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
personal and cultural
expression
scientific and technical
innovation
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.
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.
How do we understand the
worlds 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?
fairness and
development
Students will explore the
interconnectedness of
human-made systems and
communities; the relationship
between local and global
processes; how local
experiences mediate the
global; reflect on the
opportunities and tensions
provided by worldinterconnectedness; the
impact of decision-making on
humankind and the
environment.
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.