This Resource Guide is also available in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) .

Table of Contents

Culminating Project Forms
Culminating Project Graduation Requirement
Project Components
Timeline for Culminating Projects
Development of Requisite Skills for a Successful Culminating Project
Proposal for Culminating Project

Guidelines for Fundraising, Advertising and Distribution of Materials
Guidelines for Working With Community Advisor

Forms

Forms in Microsoft Word format:
If you have a recent version of Microsoft Word on your computer, these forms can be opened and filled in before saving and/or printing the file.

• Culminating Project Proposal
• Parent/Guardian Approval for Community Advisor
• Statement of Integrity
• Letter to Potential Community Advisor
• Community Advisor Background Check
• Project Time Log
• Community Advisor Final Observation

Forms in PDF format:
To use these forms you must have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. PDF format will allow you to fill in the information and print the completed form. However, if the form is saved to your computer, the form will not retain the filled-in information.

• Culminating Project Proposal
• Parent/Guardian Approval for Community Advisor
• Statement of Integrity
• Letter to Potential Community Advisor
• Community Advisor Background Check
• Project Time Log
• Community Advisor Final Observation

Rubrics (PDF format):

• Rubric A: Project Proposal
• Rubric B: Scholarly Paper
• Rubric C: Portfolio
• Rubric D: Written Reflection
• Rubric E: Presentation

Culminating Project Graduation Requirement

The Culminating Project is a graduation requirement established by the Bellingham School District for students beginning with the class of 2006. By completing all the requirements for graduation, including the 10 th grade Certificate of Academic Achievement, required courses, and the Culminating Project, students will have had opportunities to demonstrate their competence in all seven Bellingham School District Essential Student Learnings.

Bellingham School District Graduates Will Be:

• Knowledgeable Individuals who read with comprehension; write with skill; communicate effectively and responsibly; and demonstrate academic proficiency in the arts, geography, mathematics, civics and history, health and fitness, social sciences, and physical and life sciences.
• Quality Producers who successfully apply academic, intellectual, artistic, and practical learning to create quality products and performances.
• Effective Communicators who apply their communication skills and processes effectively in a variety of ways and settings.
• Competent Thinkers who are able to think analytically and creatively, solve problems and make decisions.
• Effective Collaborators who can work successfully with diverse individuals and groups.
• Responsible Citizens who are informed and apply knowledge to improve the quality of their lives and communities.
• Life-Long Learners who are self-directed and apply learning confidently and successfully to new and different situations and tasks in preparation for a changing world and workplace.

Goals of the Culminating Project

The overall goals of the Culminating Project are:

• To demonstrate and document a significant learning stretch beyond classroom experiences;
• To engage in work related to a personal interest or passion;
• To connect/benefit community through the work of the project;
• To complete a quality process, product and performance;
• To experience personal growth and reflection in preparation for the future; and
• To apply learning for transfer to life beyond graduation.

The Culminating Project represents the culmination of a student’s K-12 educational experience and provides his/her an opportunity to demonstrate how their learning connects beyond high school to whatever might come next. Students are required to do an in-depth examination of a topic. From their research, students must demonstrate that they can organize information from multiple sources, interpret the information meaningfully, and communicate this meaning to others. Successful completion of the Culminating Project demonstrates that a student can manage complex tasks requiring problem-solving skills. The Culminating Project provides students with an opportunity to explore a topic for which they have a personal interest and passion, and thereby to demonstrate a benefit to their community. The Culminating Project includes the following components, each designed to provide structure and support for the student, and to allow personalized demonstrations of what the student knows and can do.

Project Components

The Culminating Project has five components: an overall proposal, scholarly paper, portfolio, written reflection, and presentation. Students must meet minimum standards on each of the components to be successful in meeting the graduation requirement. Rubrics are provided to describe culminating project work that would exceed minimum standards, would meet minimum standards, or would not be acceptable. Broad categories for culminating projects include:

• Developing or improving a skill or performance
• Designing or creating a product, service, system or event
• Investigating a career

A. PROPOSAL

Purposes of the Proposal:

• To define and defend the student’s plan for his/her culminating project
• To obtain necessary permissions and commitments (e.g., parent, school advisor, community advisor, statement of integrity)

Contents (see Rubric A):

1. Topic
2. Goals and Rationale
3. Scholarly Paper
4. Plan and Portfolio
5. Quality Overall Proposal

B. SCHOLARLY PAPER

Purposes of the Scholarly Paper:

• To establish the student’s knowledge base as it relates to his/her culminating project
• To demonstrate skills for scholarly writing, including use of formal English and accepted research style

Contents (see Rubric B):

1. Ideas and Content
2. Organization
3. Word Choice and Voice
4. Fluency
5. Conventions
6. Format
7. References
8. Quotations
9. Extended Learning

C. PORTFOLIO RELATED TO PROJECT, PRODUCT, OR PERFORMANCE WITH CONNECTION/BENEFIT TO COMMUNITY

Purposes of the Portfolio:

• To document consistent, ongoing effort on the project
• To document involvement with community and community advisor
• To capture ongoing thoughts and ideas of the student
• To collect artifacts for display/presentation

Contents (see Rubric C):

1. A log/journal that demonstrates work on the project over time
2. Application of new learning
3. Connection/benefit to community
4. Artifacts

D. WRITTEN REFLECTION

Purposes of the Written Reflection:

• To demonstrate thoughtful introspection and analysis of the student’s personal learning stretch
• To describe what the student has learned about self and community through the project
• To demonstrate effective communication skills

Contents (see Rubric D):

1. Components
2. Length and format
3. Organization
4. Word choice and voice
5. Fluency
6. Conventions

E. PRESENTATION

Purposes of the Presentation:

• To demonstrate a significant learning stretch beyond classroom experiences and to reflect on learning
• To demonstrate effective communication skills
• To synthesize and share the overall culminating project experience

Contents (see Rubric E):

1. Introduction
2. Body
3. Application of learning
4. Organization
5. Language use
6. Conclusion
7. Verbal
8. Non-verbal
9. Delivery/Eye contact
10. Appearance
11. Media (electronic, visual, audio)
12. Impromptu skills

Audience:

1. The presentation will be made to a panel of at least three adults, including district employee(s) and community member(s).
2. Presentations will be limited to a total of 20 minutes, which must include at least five minutes for panel members to engage in question-answer format with the presenter.

Additional presentation venues may include:

1. Demonstration of quality projects to juniors.
2. Display of portfolios and examples of quality projects.

Timeline for Culminating Projects

Grades 9-11

Since the Culminating Project is designed to allow students to demonstrate essential skills learned over time, students and teachers must have clear understandings of the knowledge and skills that will be needed. To ensure student competency as effective communicators, thinkers and producers, these skills must be taught, practiced and learned, and assessed and monitored beginning with the class of 2006. The skills have been incorporated into required course content in English, mathematics, science, and social studies in grades 9, 10 and 11, providing opportunities for students to learn, practice and master skills under the direction of teachers. For future years, the skills will be taught, practiced and learned beginning in grade 6 and monitored through middle and high school prior to graduation.

There are three important ways students should begin advance preparation for the Culminating Project:

• Recognize the importance of mastering the skills embedded in course requirements and establish the habits of producing quality work.
• Identify personal interests that stimulate a desire to learn in more depth than the regular high school curriculum.
• Become aware of community issues and needs related to student interests.

Grade 12

The Culminating Project will be completed by each student during the senior year, although the proposal may be written during the junior year. Students may receive support to complete the project through several methods. These could include a culminating project elective class in which specific support is provided through course activities and assignments. Students may elect to do the project independently, communicating with the school’s Culminating Project Coordinator(s), and meeting deadlines for each component without involvement in a specific class. The independent approach may be most appropriate for students involved in Running Start, but could be used by any student.

All students, regardless of how they choose to complete the project, will work with a qualified community advisor who is knowledgeable about the topic or issue and who can support the student’s learning through the project. The support person’s role will be clearly defined and training will be provided.

Development of Requisite Skills for a Successful Culminating Project

The Culminating Project is, as its name implies, an opportunity to demonstrate the culmination (or accumulation) of skills the student has developed throughout his/her K-12 school experience. These skills are articulated at the state, district, and classroom level through:

• The goals and Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs)
• of Washington State
• The Bellingham School District Essential Student Learnings
• The curriculum taught in each grade level and department K-12

The following sections provide a summary of these connections between the expectations for general education and the skills needed to successfully complete a culminating project.

Washington State’s Learning Goals include:

1. Read with comprehension, write with skill, and communicate effectively and responsibly in a variety of ways and settings;
2. Know and apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics; social, physical and life sciences; civics and history; geography; arts; and health and fitness;
3. Think analytically, logically and creatively, and integrate experience and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems;
4. Understand the importance of work and how performance, effort and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities.

These goals are further defined in Washington’s Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs). The chart that follows identifies those EALRs that guide teaching and assessment of student skill development in preparation for the Culminating Project.

Connections to Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs)

Proposal for Culminating Project

For your proposal, complete the “Culminating Project Proposal Template.” This is available on the District website at www.bham.wednet.edu/learning/culminating-project/index.htm. As you work on your proposal, look ahead to the rubrics that will be used to evaluate the proposal, the scholarly paper, the portfolio, the written reflection and the presentation. This will show whether your ideas match the standards on which you will be evaluated.

To be ready for review, your proposal must include:

• Proposal Coversheet
• Culminating Project Proposal Template
• Culminating Project Parent Consent
• Statement of Integrity

All four of these pieces must be completed before your proposal can be approved. Once approved, it is your responsibility to place these in your Culminating Project Portfolio.

Proposal Components

Project Topic/Idea

• Briefly describe your idea for a culminating project.

Goals and Rationale

Connection/Benefit to Community

• How will your project benefit/connect to the community?
• Identify proposed community advisor. Describe his/her expertise and potential connection to your project.

Learning Goals

• What do you already know about your chosen area of study?
• What formal training/accomplishments do you have in this area? How will it help your work?
• What significant new learning will you experience? What do you want to learn from this experience?

Benefit to Self

• How does this project match a passion or interest you have?
• How will completion of the project benefit your future?

Scholarly Paper

• What essential question will you pursue in your scholarly paper? (one sentence)
• List specific sources you expect to find most valuable.
• How will your scholarly paper relate to your overall project?

Plan and Portfolio

• What is your vision of the final result of your Culminating Project? (Examples: skill improved, performance given, product created, service planned and delivered, process/system designed and accomplished, event organized and coordinated, career investigated.)
• List supplies or materials you will need and the projected costs.
• What obstacles and risks might you encounter?
• How will you document the progress of your culminating project?
• How will your community advisor help you carry out the plan?

Guidelines for Working with Community Advisor

Qualifications for Community Advisors

• Must be at least 21 years old.
• May be a relative if that individual has sufficient experience and expertise, but students are highly encouraged to look beyond relatives and find a professional in their field of interest.
• Not a member of the residing school faculty.
• Knowledgeable or experienced in the student’s chosen field of interest.
• Unless the student’s parent or guardian waives the requirement, the advisor must complete a criminal background check prior to working with the student.

Selection of the Community Advisor

• Complete your proposal so you are clear about what you want to learn and the type of support you believe you will need from your advisor.
• Find a community advisor who is also involved in your field of interest and willing to share knowledge, experiences or insights. Your community advisor may be someone with whom you and your parent/guardian are familiar. The district will want to protect you by doing a criminal background check on your advisor unless your parent/guardian waives this requirement. If you need help finding a community advisor, there are agencies such as the Whatcom Volunteer Center or Whatcom Connections that may be helpful in your search. Your teacher or school Career Center will have information about how to access lists of possible advisors in your field of interest.
• Provide your advisor with the Becoming a Community Advisor brochure and the Letter to Potential Community Advisor
• Ask your advisor to complete a Community Advisor Acceptance Form and to return it to the District office. If your parents are waiving the background check, submit the waiver form to your school’s Culminating Project Coordinator.
• Work with your advisor after either your parent or guardian completes the waiver or the official background check process has been completed.

Protocol Guidelines and Expectations

• Be prepared and punctual for all appointments with your advisor. Make a point of finding out how your community advisor prefers to be contacted (phone or email).
• Communicate in a timely manner. Call ahead of time to meet with your advisor and do not expect him/her to fit into your schedule on short notice. Clearly state the purpose of your communication.
• When contacting your advisor by voicemail or e-mail be sure to leave complete information that includes your full name, school’s name, how to reach you and the date and time.
• Cultivate a respectful and professional relationship with your advisor. Be polite and flexible.
• Stay in regular contact with your advisor. Keep him/her apprised of the progress you are making on your project.
• Express your appreciation every time the advisor makes time for you, whether it is for a few minutes on the phone or a few hours on the job.
• Treat the community advisor’s tools, books, materials, etc., with profound respect.
• Discuss how your project will benefit the community. Ask for his/her input and discuss this issue with the advisor to get their perspective as a member of the community.
• For safety reasons, stay alert to inappropriate behaviors or communications. Discontinue contact immediately if you are uncomfortable with anything being said, done, suggested or implied.
• Individual teachers, the school district or the advisor are not responsible for providing supplies or materials or any expense encountered during the project. Do not expect the advisor to provide you with these items.
• Let your parent/guardian and teachers know when you are meeting with your advisor, how long you plan to meet, the purpose of your meeting and transportation plans.
• Keep a log of the times and activities that you do with your advisor. Use Project Time Log to keep track of your project activities and contacts with your advisor.