Service Learning Project

Service learning is a method by which students learn through active participation in thoughtfully organized service, which is conducted in, and meets the needs of, the community. It helps foster civic and moral responsibility. At the same time, it is fun! This projectwill give you real world exposure to food waste issues and the opportunity to make a tangible, positive contribution to the environment in the process. Students will work in groups of 3-4 students.

It is recommended that groups develop projects based on their interests and experience. For example, if you are an education major, you may decide to develop and implement a lesson plan on food waste. If you are a business major, you may decide to develop an food waste reduction analysis for a local business. If you are an art major, you may develop an art show with the theme of food waste and proceeds going to an environmental organization. While you may develop a project outside of your chosen specialty, projects are generally more successful if you work in a field you are most familiar with. Please note that it is not appropriate to simply take an existing volunteer project that someone else has developed and complete it. Originality and creativity are important in successfully completing this project.

As a class, we will have the opportunity to see the development of the projects and provide input for improvement through a series of presentations during lab. Each group will present the progress of their project using Powerpoint technology in the labon February 3. As it is a group project, it is imperative that each member contributes during presentations and discussions. If you are absent on the day of the presentation, you will receive a zero. Each presentation and associated discussion about your project will last 15-20 minutes. Bring your Powerpoint presentation on a thumb drive to the lab. The presentations are an excellent opportunity to get input on your project, as well as enlist possible volunteers.

A brief (2-3 page) written project proposal of each group's project, its aims/goals, methods and timeline, is due in lecture on Thursday, February 17. If needed, each group will then meet with the professor to make certain the project is on the right course. You should not proceed with your project until it has been approved by the professor.

All projects involving articles, surveys, brochures, presentations and other written materials must be given to the professor for approval and editing prior to use or before March 5, whichever is sooner. Spelling, grammar and accuracy of information are critical.

During the Food Symposium on April 8, groups will present the methods and final results of their project in a poster format presentation. Projects must be complete prior to the final presentation. Each individual will be graded by the other member of their group based on their contribution to the project.

The following materials are due at the beginning of or prior to the poster presentation:

  • Each group member will turn in a completed Community Service Form (link on course website).
  • Each group member will turn in a completed Service Learning Log (link on course website). Please use this form during the semester to keep track of all the time you donated towards your project
  • Each group will email an electronic copy of a one-page summary of their project, with a photo, to the instructor. The format must follow the sample summary found on the course website.For your one-page summary, be certain to include:
  • Description of your project
  • Location of your project
  • Agency and individuals that you worked with
  • Lessons that you learned
  • Impact you made on the community by your project
  • Total number of volunteer hours worked for your project

The service learning project will be worth 125 points and will be graded on the following criteria:

Originality and Creativity10

Project Proposal15

Lab Presentation10

Individual Contribution20

Poster Presentation/Final Product40

Service Learning Form & Log 5

Summary5

Service Learning Project Proposal

Your service learning project proposal is due at the beginning of lecture on Thursday, February 17. Late papers will not be accepted.

Paper Formatting:

Names of group members and date at top right of page

Title of project at top of page

12-point New Times Roman font, double spaced, 1-inch margins, stapled

Length should be 2-3 pages.

Divide your proposal into 4 sections with headings, explained below.

Paper sections:

Project summary

Provide a short (no more than 300-word) summary of your project. Briefly, what are you going to do?

Project goals

What are the goals of your project? What will you benefit by doing the project? How will your collaborators benefit? How will the environment benefit?

Project methods

What do you propose to do? Be detailed in exactly what you will be doing, who you will be working with, etc. The reader should be able to perform your project by reading your methods. You may use bullets or numbers for this section if you’d like.

Project timeline

Provide a detailed timeline for your project, tying certain tasks in your methods to a date on the calendar. Be certain to build into your schedule adequate time for review and comment by your professor on any materials you develop for your project prior to its use. A table works well for a timeline.