Name:__________________ Period: _____
2015 College and University Showcase
Research Project for 8th grade Language Arts
For this project you are to become a representative of the college or university of your choice. You will research your topic and
then share the results of your investigation in a report and oral presentation with a PowerPoint. This assignment includes the
following components: Internet research; Cornell note-taking; drafting, editing and mailing letters of request; preparation,
practice, and delivery of a three to five minute oral presentation including a PowerPoint, which will be videotaped and
uploaded to the school YouTube account for viewing purposes; construction of a free-standing display for College Night;
planning, hosting and attending College Night, and drafting, editing and mailing a formal thank you letter that will include
your video link.
College and University Showcase Requirements:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
College Research and Choice: Research colleges on the Internet using Collegeboard.com,
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search (complete College Matchmaker and record your results),
Petersons.com, collegeview.com, u101.com, and edu-directory.org. (or any other applicable source) Take Cornell notes!
Look for colleges that offer the field of study in which you are interested, and a place you might want to live
for several years. Field of study is more important than location.

Select several four year universities, as every student will not get his/her first choice since there can be no
duplicates in any of the classes. College research C-notes (minimum two pages) is worth 50 points.

We will spend one day researching colleges, and then you will finalize your research from home or after school.

College Choice Lottery will be held on (B) Monday 1.12.15 and (A) Tuesday 1.13.15 Do not be absent that day.

Your 3 x 5 card with your assigned college will be kept to record date letter of request is sent, date
package/information received, contact person, and date formal thank you letter is mailed. You will turn in this
card on March 20. This card is worth 25 points.

Do not lose it!
Total Pts: _____/75
Letter of Request: You will write and word process an error free, three paragraph letter to the college you are
researching and representing requesting:

brochures, pamphlets, a campus newspaper, pennant, t shirt, etc.

You will use the block style letter (refer to pages 741-747 in your textbook).

A copy of this letter will also be included on your display board, if they do not send a letter to you.

This letter is worth 100 points.

Rough draft (typed) due in Google Docs (A) 1.20.15 and (B) 1.21.15(25 points) and the final is due Tuesday (A)
1.27.15 and Wednesday (B) 1.28.15 See Sample letter following instructions.
Total Pts: _____/125
Oral Presentation: You will prepare a 3-5 minute speech about the college you are representing. You will not memorize,
read, or recite your speech; you will speak from note cards.

You will create a PowerPoint for your presentation. Your speech is essential, the PowerPoint is an accessory.

You will dress to impress since you are representing a distinguished four-year university. Information about
appropriate dress will be provided.

You will be videotaped and the video will be uploaded to the school’s YouTube website.

You will submit a final draft of your speech on February _______________.
This speech is worth 100 points; the PowerPoint is worth 25 points. Refer to pp. 666 – 691 in your textbook to write
your speech and pp. 696 – 702 in your textbook to prepare your oral presentation.
Total Pts: _____/125
Speech Evaluation: The day after you give your speech, you must take copious Cornell notes on one of the
presentations and write a one-page double spaced evaluation of one of the speakers that night for homework. You will
be assigned a specific student to take notes.

You are evaluating, pointing out strengths and weakness, not grading! (what they did well, what they could
improve, what you learned)

This paper is not shared with the speaker you evaluate.

This evaluation is worth 50 points
Total Pts: _____/50
College Night and Display Board:

A couple of students will be responsible for designing invitations.

All students will deliver invitations to their parents.
Students will help with set-up, hosting, and clean-up at College Night.
In addition, you will construct a free standing display board of the college you researched and represent.
You will have your picture taken with your parents standing next to your display board at College Night which is
Tuesday 3.17.15. Put this in your agenda and tell your parents ASAP because attendance is mandatory!

This picture will be sent to the university with your formal thank you letter.

The display board is worth 50 points with an optional 5 extra credit points.
Total Pts: _____/50
Formal Thank you Letter: After College Night, you will write and word process an error free three paragraph letter
to the university contact person telling them about your presentation, College Night, what you learned, and thanking
them for their help with your project.

This letter will be mailed with the picture from College Night.

The rough draft is due (A) March 24 (B) March 25 (25 points) and the final draft is due the following class
period and will be mailed on March 31, 2014. This letter is worth 50 points.
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6)
Total Pts: _____/75
Total Project Pts: _____/500
Sample Letter:
701 E Bard Rd
Oxnard, CA 93033
January 6, 2015
Frank Brown, President
Columbus State University
4225 University Ave
Columbus, GA 31907-5645
Dear Mr. Brown,
Hello, my name is Melissa J. Guerrero. I am fourteen years old and an 8th grader at Charles F. Blackstock Jr. High
School, in Oxnard, California. I am enrolled in a program called AVID. AVID stands for Advancement via Individual
Determination. My favorite subject is History because I love to learn what happened before we became a country and all
the events that happened for it to become one. Also I maintain a G.P.A. of 3.0. In my spare time I love hanging out with
my family and friends. My hobbies include playing soccer and dancing. In the future I would like to become either a Jr.
High teacher in the area of history, or a counselor for Jr. High students. (This paragraph is where you introduce yourself
to the school)
Ms. Leal, my Language Arts teacher, recently assigned us a project called "College and University Showcase". Our
assignment is to become the "surrogate recruiter" for Columbus State University. For my project I must prepare and
deliver a four to five minute oral presentation before my classmates. This will be videotaped and a link to the video will
be put on our school YouTube website for your viewing pleasure. Part of this project is to construct a freestanding display
of Columbus State University, for college night March 17, 2015. This is very much like a college fair where students and
parents can view different colleges. (This paragraph you can copy word for word and change the name of the college to
your college)
To help me be the best representative I can be for Columbus State University, could you please send me brochures,
pamphlets, maps of the campus, recent issues of the campus newspaper and other printed matter? To help me construct
the finest display of Columbus State University I can, could you please send me a pennant, a t-shirt (adult-s) and any other
Columbus paraphernalia? I have visited your website to educate myself in the history and programs offered at Columbus
State University. I thank you for your help and look forward to your participation and cooperation. (This paragraph you
can modify to suit your needs)
Sincerely yours,
Melissa J. Guerrero
College and University Showcase Requirements:
1. College Research and Choice: Start with researching colleges using the link
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search Complete your Cornell notes based on your college board profile
and have your college choices ready on the day of the lottery. Do not procrastinate! The criteria you are
researching is:
 Test Scores & Selectivity
 Sports & Activities
 Type of School
 Academic Credit
 Location
 Paying
 Campus & Housing
 Support Services
 Majors & Learning Environment
 Diversity
2. Letter of Request: You will write and word process an error free, three paragraph letter to the college
you are researching and representing requesting brochures, pamphlets, a campus newspaper, pennant, t
shirt, etc. You will use the block style (refer to pages 741-747 textbook). You will enclose a picture of
yourself that you provide. A copy of this letter will be on your display board.
3. Oral Presentation: You will prepare a 3-5 minute speech about the college you are representing. You will
not memorize, read, or recite your speech; you will speak from note cards. You will create a Google
Presentation for your presentation. Your speech is essential, the PowerPoint is an accessory. You will
dress to impress since you are representing a distinguished four-year university. You will be videotaped
and the video will be uploaded to the school’s YouTube website. You will submit a final draft of your
speech and show me your note cards before you present to the class. Your speech must include:
a. Introduce the college/university
h. And any other interesting fact you
b. Name of president or chancellor
found important such as school
c. History and location
mascot
d. Campus and Housing
i. You must thank your university
e. Majors & Learning Environment
publicly in your speech for their
f. Sports & Activities
support in this project
g. Tuition cost
4. Speech Evaluation: The day after you give your speech, you must take copious Cornell notes on your
assigned students’ presentation and write a one-page double spaced evaluation of the speaker that night
for homework. You are evaluating, pointing out strengths and weakness, not grading! (what they did well,
what they could improve, what you learned) This paper is not shared with the speaker you evaluate. Refer
to pp. 666 – 691 (textbook) to write your speech and pp. 696 – 702 (textbook) to prepare.
5. College Night Display Board: After invitations are sent and speakers are arranged and College Night is
planned, you will construct a free standing display board of the college you researched and represent.
You will have your picture taken with your parents standing next to your display board at College Night
which is March 17, 2015. Put this in your agenda and tell your parents ASAP because attendance
is mandatory! This picture will be sent to the university with your formal thank you letter. Your display
board must include the following information and be creative using your school colors, pictures and
paraphernalia received from your college:
a. Name of School- creative, colorful,
f. Tuition cost
and bold
g. And any other interesting fact you
b. Location-detailed information with
found important such as school
map and/or pictures
mascot, history etc.
c. Campus & Housing
h. Letter from the school or letter
d. Majors & Learning Environment
written to the school
e. Sports & Activities
6. Formal Thank you Letter: After College Night, you will write and word process an error free three
paragraph letter to the university contact person telling them about your presentation, College Night,
what you learned, and thanking them for their help with your project. This letter will be mailed with the
picture from College Night.