Transcript Senior Project - Sullivan School District

SENIOR PROJECT
overview
WHAT IS SENIOR PROJECT?
Well, it’s a project created in the senior year, of
course!
 Seniors select a topic of high interest to them and
complete the following components:

Research Paper
 Product
 Portfolio
 Presentation

FIRST: SELECT A GENERAL TOPIC
PAST TOPICS HAVE INCLUDED:
Nursing
 Photography
 Fishing
 Coaching
 Business
 Party Planning
 Robotics
 Automobiles
 Cooking
 Fashion Design

Film
 Scrapbooking
 Quilting
 Comic Books
 Graphic Design
 Music Production
 Music Performance
 Skate Parks
 Weight Loss
 Dog Training

WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN?

Make a list of the top
ten things you would
like to do before you
die.

Circle the items on
the list that could be a
possibility for your
senior project.
SECOND: CHOOSE A RESEARCH PAPER
TOPIC

Research Papers must






be 6-10 pages in length
written in MLA style
pertain to the overall senior project topic
reflect analytical thinking
cite sources
pass the Yes Test
The Yes Test is as follows:
YES TEST
Yes
No
Item
____
____
Paper is in Times New Roman
____
____
Paper is in 12 pt Font
____
____
Paper has one inch margins
____
____
Paper is double spaced
____
____
Paper has correct heading on first page
____
____
Paper has pages numbered in correct fashion
____
____
Paper has a works cited page in correct format
____
____
Paper uses parenthetical citations
____
____
Paper has rubric included
____
____
Paper has a typed, clean copy of final outline
____
____
Note cards are contained
____
____
Source cards are contained
____
____
Paper uses correct number of sources
____
____
Paper meets minimum length requirement
RESEARCH PAPERS CANNOT:
be a “history of” paper
 be a “how to” paper
 be plagiarized

SO HOW DOES ONE PICK A TOPIC?



Think of an issue pertaining to your topic.
For example, Frisbee Thracklebush is interested
in football. He already knows he can’t write a
history of football paper or a how to play football
paper. He notices that many football players are
having shoulder injuries, and he wants to know
why. He learns that the players are not properly
training.
He decides to write a paper about the impact of
weight training on players performance.
NEED ANOTHER EXAMPLE?
Juliette Burke is interested in exploring a career
in the medical field, especially obstetricians. She
already knows she can’t do a history of medicine
paper or how to become a doctor paper.
 She is curious about stem cell research, so she
decides to write about the controversy behind
stem cell research. She plans on assessing the
pros and cons to reach her own conclusion about
the issue.

GO BACK TO YOUR LIST OF CIRCLED
POSSIBILITIES

For each circled item, think of at least one
possible research paper topic.
IF YOU ARE STUCK TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
A TOPIC, YOU SHOULD:
talk to someone about it. A parent, a teacher, a
friend, your advisor.
 consider a compare/contrast approach or a
cause/effect approach.
 think of problems, issues, or controversies in the
field you are exploring.

THIRD: DECIDE ON A PRODUCT
Products need:
to be manageable to
complete during the
senior year
 to be something you
are excited to work on
 take at least 20 hours
to complete
 demonstrate a
learning stretch
 be school appropriate

Products cannot:
be something you
have already done
 be an assignment for
another high school
class including Four
Rivers and Health
Occupations.

PRODUCTS MUST FALL INTO ONE OF
THREE CATEGORIES
Physical Product
 Performance
 Job Shadow

PHYSICAL PRODUCTS
A physical product is a tangible item that one
makes. Items such as woodworking, sewing,
writing, and working on cars are all considered
physical products.
 The item should be made entirely by the senior.
Kits, especially craft kits, are not acceptable.

PERFORMANCE
A performance is a skill you learn, usually
through classes taught outside of SHS, which can
be demonstrated through a live performance.
Drama, dance, and music presentations are all
considered part of the performance category.
 Your product will be either a 3 minute live
performance during your presentation OR a 1 ½
minute video clip of your performance.

JOB SHADOW/VOLUNTEER
A job shadow project is one where the senior
follows/helps a professional. Working with a
nurse, working in a school, and coaching are all
considered Job Shadowing.
 Your product will be a case study.

MORE EXAMPLES

If you are interested in photography, but have
already taken loads of digital photos using a
point and shoot camera, you could try to push
yourself to the next level by





learning how to use a Digital SLR camera on the
manual setting
learning how to use studio lighting to take portraits
learning how to express your point of view by
creating a series of cohesive photos
putting together a showing of local photographic
artists
putting together a portfolio of new work using the
latest photo editing software
MORE EXAMPLES
Frisbee Thracklebush has already chosen his
general topic and research paper topic: Football.
 He already plays football, so completing another
year is not a learning stretch.
 He could job shadow a coach, but he’s not
interested in coaching. Plus he can’t practice
football and job shadow at the same time. He
would have to find a different coach to shadow,
and he doesn’t have the time to do that.

He could research, develop, and implement a
more advanced weight training program, but he’s
not interested in that either.
 He is interested in offensive plays, so he decides
to study professional teams and create his own
playbook.

MORE EXAMPLES
Juliette Burke is interested in the medical field.
She is already taking Health Occupations and
will already be job shadowing as part of her
requirements for the class, so she cannot count
that as part of her project.
 She could take a couple of days to job shadow at a
hospital in St. Louis.
 She could volunteer at Planned Parenthood.
 She could volunteer at a nursing home.
 She could prepare a presentation outside of class
for a local school or organization like Girl Scouts.

GO BACK TO YOUR LIST OF CIRCLED
POSSIBILITIES

Think of at least five possibilities for products.
IF YOU GET STUCK…

Talk to someone about it!!!
PROJECTS TO CONSIDER
INTERESTED IN SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY?

Journalism always needs good sports photos. You
could become a freelance sports photographer for
the Talon Tribune.
INTERESTED IN GRAPHIC DESIGN?
Approach a club or organization about designing
T-shirts for them.
 2nd semester journalism will begin to put out the
Talon Tribune. Create multiple design proposals
and present them to the class for selection.

INTERESTED IN CREATIVE WRITING?
Become an editor for Brain Sick (SHS’s literary
magazine)
 Write poems, short stories, and submit them for
publication.

INTERESTED IN ART?
Put together a Gallery Showing. Ask the school to
supply space to host an art show.
 Ask the school about painting a mural.

INTERESTED IN BUSINESS AND
MARKETING?
Host a fundraising event to help raise money for
seniors to complete projects. (Some products are
expensive.)
 Offer to design ads for local businesses to run in
the school paper or yearbook.

INTERESTED IN DRAMA OR FILM?
Write and produce your own play. Ask the
theater to host your performance.
 Make a documentary about senior project.

INTERESTED IN FOOD?
Take a cooking class outside of SHS.
 Offer to cater a school dance or event. If one of
your peers is hosting an event, you could work
with them to provide food.

LOVE SPORTS?

Plan a tournament to raise funds for a local
church or charity.
LOVE MUSIC?
Record your own album
 Plan a concert
 Produce someone else’s album
 Learn to play an instrument

YOU WILL ALSO NEED A MENTOR!
Mentors need to
have extensive
knowledge in the field
 be at least 23 years
old
 be able to spend at
least 15 hours with
you over a total at
least 3 meetings

Mentors cannot be

your parent or sibling
AS SOON AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISIONS
Fill out a Senior Project Approval Form. (Due
Sept. 16 and 17)
 These will go before a committee that will either
approve it or send it back to you for corrections.
Most corrections take the form of narrowing
research paper topics or products not being a
learning stretch.

ONCE YOUR SENIOR PROJECT IS
APPROVED

Write a Letter of Intent


see Appendix A for the outline
Create a Sign of Commitment





this is a flyer that has Your Name
the general area of interest
a graphic that represents this area
the topic of your research paper
the product you will create
These are due September 24 and 25.
SPECIAL NOTES
You cannot begin work on any part of Senior
Project until you have been approved!
 Mentor Consent Forms are due the same day as
your research paper (in December).

FIRST SEMESTER
We will be working on the research paper in class
and out of class.
 We will research, work on outlining and drafting,
and go through the whole writing process.
 Final drafts are due in early December.

SECOND SEMESTER
You will be working on the product outside of
class.
 However, you may begin work on it as soon as
you are approved.
 While working on your project

you need to keep track of your hours using the
Mentor Verification Log
 write journal entries for your Reflective Log
 take pictures for your Photos and Reflections
 If you are job shadowing, take notes for your Case
Study.

PORTFOLIO

While working on the project, you will collect and
create material to put in your portfolio.

See your Senior Project Handbook for the complete
list of components.
The Portfolio will be due in mid April.
PRESENTATION
In May you will give a 10-15 minute presentation
before an audience. Exactly whom you will be
presenting to is, as of yet, undetermined.
 An outline for your presentation can be found in
your handbook.
 You will need to have two visual aids.
 One of these must be a Tri-Fold board with
information and pictures of you working on your
product. These will be due with your portfolio
BEFORE your presentation.
 You must dress professionally.

QUESTIONS?