Personal Project Paper
Personal Project Links: Timeline, Generating Ideas, Global Contexts, Planning, Success Criteria, Research, Personal Project Paper, Applying Skills, Reflecting, Exemplars, Requirements, Supervisors, Helpful Links, Process Journal, Rubric, Learner Profile Traits, Inquiry Cycle, Meetings with Supervisor
In order to complete the process for the Personal Project, each student must have the following three documents ready to submit for IB:
MYP Projects Academic Honesty Form (where you write your supervisor meeting notes)
Paper/Report (see suggested template)
Works Cited (go to mybib.com to format in MLA 9)
CHECKLIST: Personal Project Paper Format Requirements & Guiding Questions
Please Note Specifications for Final Draft
No more than 15 pages. Target 10-15 pages. Written work should be 11 point font size Arial or Times, .78 inch or 2 cm margins. DO NOT include a title page. Use the subheadings to organize your paper.
Bibliography doesn’t count in page count and should be a separate document. Use MLA 9 for citations.
Optional Appendix: You may have an appendix with pictures, charts, and evidence, up to 10 pages.
CRITERION A: PLANNING
PERSONAL INTEREST & GOALS
Write one to two paragraphs addressing these questions:
What were your initial ideas and how did you narrow them down to a specific goal?
How is your goal motivated by your personal interest? Was there an experience that sparked this interest?
What are the reasons for your goal? What parts of your goal are highly challenging and how is it a measurable goal?
What is your learning and product goal? What guiding questions can help you focus your learning and product goal? Write 3-5.
GLOBAL CONTEXT
Write one paragraph exploring the Global Context that connects to your project:
How can you focus your project through the lens of the global context that is most appropriate? How does your project relate to a specific Global Context?
INTENDED PRODUCT
Write a paragraph about your intended product.
What is the intended product? Why did you choose it? What is its purpose & function (educate, entertain, inform, persuade, etc.)?
SUCCESS CRITERIA
Write a paragraph before your success criteria chart.
What are your success criteria for your product/outcome and how will this help you measure your success? What are the reasons for these criteria? Explain each criterion and why you chose it. See examples at link.
How are your success criteria appropriate and suitable for your product? What information helped you decide on the criteria? Be specific. How will you use these criteria to self-assess your progress through the development of your product?
DETAILED PLAN FOR PERSONAL PROJECT
Write a paragraph answering the guiding questions before your timeline chart.
What series of steps will lead to the completion of the product?
How does your detailed plan address your success criteria? Connect your series of steps to the associated success criteria.
What is your approach to planning and recording the development process of your project? How will you document your progress?
CRITERION B: TAKING ACTION AND APPLYING ATL SKILLS
Prior Knowledge & Research Consulted
Write a paragraph or two answering the questions below before your research chart.
What prior knowledge and skills helped you be successful in achieving your goal? What did you already know about your topic?
What knowledge did you gain from your research? What types of sources did you consult? How did you pick your sources, and how did you know they were credible or reliable? See PROVEN method.
Product Development & Planning Documents
Write a paragraph or two answering the questions below.
What will your product be? How did you decide what elements to include in your product? What factors influenced your choices?
How can referring to your success criteria improve your product/outcome throughout the process?
What obstacles have you encountered? How have you had to adjust your planning process as new deadlines or challenges emerge?
How are you using self-management skills? What planning documents show them? (lists, diagrams, drawings, screenshots, budget, etc)
Pictures of Product Development
Include pictures/screenshots of your product development & explain with notes
Application of ATL Skills for the LEARNING. See ATL Handout for Descriptions of the ATL Skills
Write an introductory paragraph before your ATL Chart
How did you demonstrate the ATL skills for your learning goal? What evidence can you include to show proof of the skill?
What skills were developed and which ones did you already have? How has the personal project enhanced those existing skills?
Application of the ATL Skills for the PRODUCT. See ATL Handout for Descriptions of the ATL Skills
Write an introductory paragraph before your ATL Chart.
How did you demonstrate the ATL skills for your product goal? What skills were developed and which ones did you already have? To demonstrate, you must include specific examples & evidence to show application of the skill. (screenshots, lists, emails, diagrams, etc.)
CRITERION C: REFLECTION
Development as an IB Learner through the Project
Write a paragraph or two where you reflect on what you learned throughout the entire project:
How has completing the project extended your development as an IB Learner (refer to learner profile)? Refer to 1-2 traits.
How did reflecting throughout the inquiry cycle (inquiring and analyzing, developing ideas, creating the product, evaluating your product) inform your next steps through the process? Would you do anything differently in retrospect such as spending more time on one step or adding a step to your process? Did you learn anything about yourself through the process?
Product Evaluation of Success Criteria
Write a paragraph or two where you evaluate your product before your assessed success criteria chart.
First, state explicitly whether the product was achieved or not and to what extent.
How do you evaluate your product/outcome against the criteria you established? Indicate by bolding or underlining where you fell on the rubric. Then, write a paragraph and justify your score by giving a detailed account for the reasons and causes for your score.
What were your strengths and areas for improvement (or limitations) to your product/outcome? Explain in detail.
What challenges did you encounter and how did you deal with them?
Pictures of Final Product
Include pictures or screenshots of your final product and explain with notes what you are showing the reader.
Extension of Knowledge and Understanding
Write a paragraph or two where you reflect on what you learned throughout the entire project:
How has completing the project extended your knowledge and understanding of your topic? Summarize the new knowledge and insights related to the learning and product goal.
Do you plan to further your interest in the topic in the future?
Personal Project Paper Rubric
Assessment Criteria for the Report/Paper
24 marks
Criterion A: Planning, 8 marks
Criterion B: Applying Skills, 8 marks
Criterion C: Reflecting, 8 marks
Rubric
Rubric
Maximum 8 per Criterion --Supervisor will score holistically for each criterion on a 1-8 scale
Criterion A =Planning
____/8
Strand i: State a learning goal for the project and explain how a personal interest led to that goal
1-2: States a learning goal
3-4: States a learning goal and outlines the connection between personal interests and that goal
5-6: States and learning goal and describes the connection between personal interests and that goal
7-8 States a learning goal and explains the connection between personal interests and that goal
Strand ii: state an intended product and develop appropriate success criteria for the product
1-2: States their intended product
3-4: States their intended product and presents basic success criteria for the product
5-6: States intended product and presents multiple appropriate success criteria for the product
7-8: States their intended product and presents multiple appropriate, detailed success criteria for the product.
Strand iii: present a clear, detailed plan for achieving the product and its associated success criteria
1-2 Presents a plan that is superficial or that is not focused on a product
3-4 Presents a plan for achieving the product and some of its associated success criteria
5-6 Presents a detailed plan for achieving the product and most of its associated success criteria
7-8 Presents a detailed plan for achieving the product and all of its associated success criteria
Criterion B: Applying Skills
= ____/8
Strand i: explain how the ATL skills were applied to help achieve their learning goal
1-2 States which ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their learning goal
3-4 Outlines which ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their learning goal
5-6 Describes how the ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their learning goal, with reference to examples or evidence
7-8 Explains how the ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their learning goal, supported with detailed examples or evidence
Strand ii: explain how the ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their product
See link for more information on the ATL Skills.
1-2 States which ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their product
3-4 Outlines how the ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their product, supported with superficial examples or evidence
5-6 Describes how the ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their product, supported with reference to examples or evidence
7-8 Explains how the ATL skill(s) was/were applied to help achieve their product, supported with detailed examples or evidence
Criterion C: Reflecting
= ____/8
Strand i: explain the impact of the project on themselves or their learning
1-2 States the impact of the project on themselves or their learning
3-4 Outlines the impact of the project on themselves or their learning
5-6 Describes the impact of the project on themselves or their learning
7-8 Explains the impact of the project on themselves or their learning
Strand ii: evaluate the product based on the success criteria
1-2 States whether the product was achieved
3-4 States whether the product was achieved, partially supported with evidence or examples
5-6 Evaluates the product based on the success criteria, partially supported with specific evidence or examples
7-8 Evaluates the product based on the success criteria, fully supported with specific evidence or detailed examples
Notes about impact of the project:
• could refer to any aspect of having done the project: inquiry, action and/or reflection
• could include progress made towards the learning goal
• could include ways in which the student has grown as a learner, such as improvement in the ATL skills
or learner profile attributes
• could include ways in which the student has grown or changed as a result of the project.
Grade & Descriptor
1 (0-2 marks) F
Produces work of a very limited quality. Conveys many misunderstandings of the process of learning independently. Very rarely demonstrates critical thinking. Very inflexible, rarely shows evidence of knowledge or skills.
2 (3-5 marks) F
Produces a report of limited quality. Communicates limited understanding of the process of learning independently. Demonstrates limited evidence of critical thinking. Limited evidence of transfer of knowledge or approaches to learning skills into the project.
3 (6-10 marks) C-
Produces an acceptable report. Communicates basic understanding of the process of learning independently through the project. Begins to demonstrate some basic critical thinking. Begins to transfer knowledge and approaches to learning skills into the project.
4 (11-14) C
Produces a good-quality report. Communicates basic understanding of the process of learning independently through all stages of the cycle of inquiry. Often demonstrates critical thinking. Transfers some knowledge and some approaches to learning skills into the project.
5 (15-17 marks) B
Produces a generally high-quality report that demonstrates a thorough process. Communicates good understanding of the process of learning independently through all stages of the cycle of inquiry. Demonstrates critical thinking, sometimes with sophistication. Usually transfers knowledge and approaches to learning skills into the project.
6 (18-20 marks) A
Produces a high-quality report that demonstrates a thorough process. Communicates extensive understanding of the process of learning independently through all stages of the cycle of inquiry. Demonstrates critical thinking, frequently with sophistication. Transfers knowledge and approaches to learning skills into the project.
7 (22-24 marks) A+
Produces a high-quality report that demonstrates a thorough process. Communicates comprehensive, nuanced understanding of the process of learning independently through all stages of the cycle of inquiry. Consistently demonstrates sophisticated critical thinking. Successfully transfers knowledge and approaches to learning skills into the project with independence.
Requirements for the Personal Project Paper
Assessment Criteria
24 marks
Criterion A: Planning, 8 marks
Criterion B: Applying Skills, 8 marks
Criterion C: Reflecting, 8 marks
Unit 6: Personal Project Paper & Expo
CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING
Students can demonstrate their perspective on their learning by communicating their approaches to learning skills throughout the process and the resources needed to develop their project. Students will discuss the process of inquiring, acting, and reflecting after investigating, planning, acting, and reflecting on the Personal Project.
KEY CONCEPT
Students will communicate their process for the Personal Project orally and in writing.
RELATED CONCEPTS
1) PERSPECTIVE is the position from which we observe situations, objects, facts, ideas and opinions. Perspective may be associated with individuals, groups, cultures or disciplines. Different perspectives often lead to multiple representations and interpretations
2) RESOURCES: Resources relate to the supply of a commodity or of information or knowledge about a topic.
SUBJECT-SPECIFIC CONCEPTS
investigating, planning, acting, reflecting, process journal, product, report, exhibition, bibliography
GLOBAL CONTEXT
GLOBAL CONTEXT: ALL FIVE: Orientation in space and time, personal and cultural expression, fairness and development, scientific and technical innovation, Identities and relationships (All five are included since students choose their own Global Context for the MYP Personal Project).
Global Context: Personal and Cultural Expression
Exploration: Product
Students will choose a global context for their line of inquiry for their specific personal project and will communicate their learning and product through a written report and verbal discussion.
STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Communicating ideas can convey information in a meaningful way with a specific purpose in mind to show the development of learning and the approaches to a product using resources and a unique perspective.
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
Factual
In what ways have you demonstrated the approaches to learning skills by inquiring, acting, and reflecting on a goal of your choosing?
Debatable
What is the best way to prepare for your exhibition and share your knowledge?