International Baccalaureate Senior
Final Exam Project
Instead of hitting you with another Essay, reading assignment, etc. (after all, the assessments are over – one way or another), I am giving you the last few days of class to put together a project that will count as your final exam grade. The Thank You note is required. Pick one project from this list to do in addition to the Thank You note.
Part 1 (Required) – Thank You Note
Here are the stipulations of this assignment:
· Your thank you note must be handwritten.
· It may not be written to me.
· It must be on stationery with a matching envelope or written inside a blank card with an envelope.
· The name of the person you are thanking must be on the outside of the envelope.
· The envelope must not be sealed.
· It must be gracious, sincere and specific. Details matter as do thoughtfulness and courtesy.
· It must be written to a current and specific employee of Plantation High School.
· You may write more than one, and I will deliver them for you; however, each that I deliver must meet all of my criteria.
· “I don’t have anyone to thank,” is not an option. Believing this suggests rather unsavory things about your personality. There is someone; just think about it.
· Legibility and grammar are important; a rough draft is a good idea.
· It must be signed legibly.
· Some of you might want to argue that forcing you to write a thank you note defeats the purpose of a thank you note. That might be partly right, but I know that people, by nature, tend to complain far more than they thank, and criticize far more than they praise. Think of this assignment as your turn to shine and to let people know they were important to you.
Part II (Choose One)
College Survival Kit: Students will put together a kit of sorts to prepare for the big, upcoming change of college. They will research and plan and make sure all the bases are covered. Students may be tempted to simply copy some of this from paperwork sent by the college; however, the purpose of this assignment is to make students carefully think about what these components.
· Know Your College – campuses; important policies; orientations; activities; what it’s famous for; area attractions; size of campus; walking vs. driving vs. riding bikes; special buildings, areas, etc.; rules for freshmen; anything else you can think of.
· Lists – what to bring; what not to bring; what to find out in the first week; how students typically succeed; how they typically screw up, etc.
· Major/Career Research – prerequisites; where a major leads career wise; does it require a post-graduate degree; pay; future of field; what should I do now to prepare for it?, etc.
· The 5-year Plan (look out, Stalin!) – Create a plan for the next 5 years; envision your life at that point; what will get you to where you want to be.
Assess the Course (2-year): Students will put together a set of responses to the questions below regarding the layout, structure, and pacing of the IB English course. It should include the following:
· What worked? What strategies, approaches, lessons worked to improve your English skills?
· What didn’t work? What strategies, approaches, lessons did not contribute to your improvement?
· Ideas to change course? Things to add/ways to enhance, etc.
Senior Will: Students will put together a “will” in which they leave behind items, advice, thoughts. These thoughts can be directed to students, teachers administration, etc. Focus on these areas:
· The path to success. What does it look like? What strategies worked for you?
· The pitfalls/dangers. What tripped you up? What got in the way?
· Innovative ideas for making it work.
· Overall advice.