Project Interviews

We need to determine which interview from each group is going to be re-posted here, on the class blog. In your groups, you need to read each group member's interview, leaving a brief comment on each one offering warm or cool feedback about the quality of the answers. Consider the following questions when you read the interviews.

Has the student really answered the question asked of them? Does the answer go deep into the student's experience or does it remain on the surface? Does the answer convey their individuality and personality in some way?

After reading each interview, make sure you leave a one-two sentence comment on each interview. When you are finished reading all the interviews your group must select the most illuminating and interesting interview. After you have reached a decision, leave a comment on the selected interview that states "We select this interview to represent our group." Oh, the student whose interview is selected will received extra credit for the progress report and third marking period grade. Good luck!

Thursday and Friday Agendas

Thursday

Today you will use your class time to meet the SMART goal you set for yourself yesterday. When you have finished working on your goal take a moment at 10:40 to leave a comment on yesterday's post on YOUR blog about what evidence you produced today to meet your goal. I will be checking your blogs and updating the new marking period in Edline, so this comment will count. Please use your time wisely and make some progress.

Friday

Today you will begin an email interview with your new group feedback partner (check the group posters near your table if you forgot!) . The purpose of the interview is to help your partner become aware of their thinking about the project. How does someone become aware of their own thinking? It takes conscious reflection on one's actions, beliefs, knowledge, and ideas. We do this all the time when we make decisions that affect ourselves and others. We also tend to think more about what we say when we talk publicly or in front of others. Your interviews will be published on your blogs and selected ones will be published on the class blog.

We will conduct the interviews by sharing our questions through emails between the interviewer and the interviewee. Today, you will develop specific questions for your interviewee based on the following protocol for two rounds of questions. Your questions should cover the following areas:

Round 1

• Clarify the project goals and purposes. Why are they doing the project? What is important about it? How do they expect it to turn out in the end?
  
• Planning. What actions have they taken so far? What actions do they still need to take? What will be the evidence they produce? How will they collect data? What obstacles or roadblocks do they expect to encounter?
• Taking Action and experimenting. What are the different ways they have been working? What programs, skills, and research have they been doing? What has been new for them?
  
• Assessing and Gathering evidence. What evidence have they produced so far? What have they made? What date have they collected?
  
  
  Round 2
  
• Studying, reflecting, and evaluating. Have they met their goals? What have they learned so far doing the project? Have they learned new information? Have they learned something about themselves?
  
• Modification. Have they had to make any changes to their project or plan? Has their thinking about the subject changed? Would they do anything differently now?
• Revisiting goals and purposes. Does the project still make sense?
  

Write out a specific question based on each • bullet point about the project. Email me your 7 questions to review before we move onto the next step of the project. For example a clarification question might look like: Joseph, why is it important for you to research herpes and STD? What do you want to tell people?

Again I will be checking my email and updating Edline. Your questions must be emailed to me at the end of the period (your emails have the date and time)

New Weekly Goals Post #7

Today you need to reflect on last week's goal by adding a comment. After you've reflected on your progress, you will need to post a special SMART goal for next Tuesday. I will be out of school Thursday and Friday for a project I have been working on. On Thursday, you will have the entire class period to work on your project. To that end, I would like you to set two (2) SMART goals for this week.

• The 1st goal can be your weekly goal to accomplish by next Tuesday.
  
• The 2nd goal must be a goal you will accomplish on Thursday.
  

Using the SMART goal template your second goal will start like this "By the end of 2nd period on Thursday I will........and I will know I have achieved......because........

Next week, when I get back I will be looking for concrete evidence that you met your goal for Thursday. It will count as a 'quiz', so set a goal that you know you can meet and produce some evidence for. For example, Angelica might set a goal to produce THREE new slides for her presentation on Japanese fashion. I will want to see the new slides next week.

On Friday, you will be starting the 1st part of an interview that you will conduct via Google Documents with your new group partner.

SMART Goal Setting

In order to help you set and meet your individual goals, we are going to look at protocol for goal setting that professionals use. The idea is to set smart goals that you can accomplish. So why do we call them SMART goals? Take a minute right now and think about each letter in the word SMART: S-M-A-R-T. What word might each letter stand for that would help you set and meet goals? Try and figure out at least one and leave your inference as a comment.

SMART goal indicators

• S - Simple - keep your goals directly related to the task at hand. Use your backwards plans.
• M - Measurable - your goal should show growth with demonstrable evidence.
  
• A - Achievable - your goal should be something that you can accomplish with effort.
• R - Realistic - no amount of effort or hard work can overcome an unrealistic goal.
• T - Time Table - your goal should have a deadline.

After looking at some examples of student goals, which can be found on any of the student blogs, you have to re-assess your own goals and see if they are SMART goals. If you feel that your goals aren't smart or are missing any of the indicators you can use the following template to help you set or re-set your goals.

SMART Goal template

By next blank blankI will blank blank blankand I will know I achieved blank blank blankbecause blank blank.

Does your 4th weekly goal include all the information that the SMART template provides? Everyone can practice using the template by restating your 4th weekly goal using the template and add it as a comment to your original post.

Searching For An Expert

By now everyone should have developed a list of questions and an introduction you would like to ask an expert in your project area. But how do we find experts? While there are some experts in the school that you can contact, everyone in here can start searching for an outside expert to ask for help and briefly interview with your questions. In fact, one of the best ways to gain new knowledge is to interview a person. That way, they share their knowledge in their own words, which means they are putting that knowledge in their own words from their perspective. This is a higher order of thinking that just giving you a list of facts and/or advice.

To start your expert search, you should begin by searching locally in Brooklyn and New York City in general for people with careers related to your field. For example, Mariah might search for chefs, television, New York

Let's look up the results that pop up and see if we can find contact info like an email address for Mariah.

Now that you've seen it's possible, spend some time trying different combinations of keywords in Google and see if you can find as many contacts to email your interview questions. Send me an email at the end of the period with all the contacts your are able to discover. Include the person or business's name, email address, and area of expertise.

Goal Reflection #2 and Goal Setting #3

Well, today it should be pretty clear that when you set your mind to something, you can achieve it. Before you reflect on last weeks goals and set new ones to move your project forward, consider what President-elect Barack Obama has achieved. It is a historic moment for America.

Think about Obama's path to becoming the next President of the United States. What goals do you think he set for himself? What was the most challenging one and how do you think he met that goal? Leave a comment below.

Your individual project should seem a little easier today, considering what Obama achieved yesterday after years (maybe decades) of hard work. Now you need to reflect on last week's goals and set new goals for yourself. Tomorrow you must present written or physical evidence that you met your most recent goals. Please follow the protocol for goal setting:

• Go to your project blog and leave a comment on last week's goal setting post reflecting on whether or not you achieved your goals.
  
• If you met your goals, please clearly explain how and what evidence you will show me tomorrow.
• If you did not meet your goals, clearly explain why you did not and what roadblocks impeded your progress. At this point, you must also answer the question "How will failure to meet my own goals affect me in life?"
• Post a NEW entry on your goals for next Tuesday, November 11th with the title GOALS #3.

Editing, Revision, and Introduction

Yesterday you submitted (or should be finishing) a minimum of seven questions for an outside expert in your field. Before you start searching for experts to contact you need to revise your questions for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. You need to make sure all your words are spelled correctly with proper capitalization. If we are going to ask people for help we need to convince them with both the questions we and how we ask them. Appearances are incredibly important when dealing with new people and new circumstances.

Based on the questions I've seen so far, everyone needs to go to their SENT box and open the email with the questions. Copy and Paste the questions into a new email and use the CHECK SPELLING feature in the top right of the tool bar. Send the questions again to me AND your feedback partner to double-check your spelling and grammar.

When you have finished revising your questions, you need to write a brief introductory preface for the email that you will send out to potential experts in your field. The preface should cover the following items:

• Introduce yourself and explain that you are working on an independent portfolio project at Brooklyn Prep High School.
  
• Explain how your project connects back to you and your interests.
• Explain how you discovered the person, group, or business's contact information.
• Ask them if they (or someone they know) would be willing to share their experience with you through a short email interview.
  
• Thank them in advance for any help that they may provide in your efforts.

Please save the preface as NAME_preface in your Google Documents and share the file with me.

Finding an Expert

Many of you are struggling with the idea of how to start your project, because there is an overwhelming amount of information on the Internet. As you know, information is nothing unless you are able to comprehend, apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate it. In order to help find some guidance we will be searching for experts, or people who have already applied the kind of higher order thinking you will have to, to help us out with the project.

We happen to live in a city of experts. In terms of your projects, many of you will be able to find help and ideas within the school and others will have to look beyond the school walls. How you do find an expert? You search for people and contact information in the industry you are researching and you reach out to several of them until someone responds. I was contacted by a student at the Young Writer's Academy to talk about my work as a writer in Brooklyn. I sat down for an interview about my writing process. The student found my email on the Internet and contacted me. I responded because I thought it would be good for the community.

Before you start searching for an expert on your project (or area of interest), you will need to think of several questions to ask your expert. For example, Dominique wants to make an autobiographical film. She might ask an expert on film "Why did you get into film-making?", "What are the basic steps to making a film?", or "How can I plan out my film?"

Each of you needs to write a series of at least seven questions for an expert about your project. They should not be yes or no questions, but ones that will help guide your work. Email me your questions today at mr.powhida@gmail.com

If you finish your questions early, start searching for people in your field of interest or if you know a faculty member that might be able to help, include them in your email today. So, if you are making a video/film search for "Brooklyn, Film makers, production companies". If you are doing fashion, search for "Brooklyn, fashion designers," If you find any contact information, save it in your RESEARCH DOCUMENT in google docs.

Goal Reflection #1 and Goal Setting #2

Tuesday is goal reflection and goal setting day in class. Today, I would like you to honestly answer the question "Have you met the goal you set for yourself last week?" This is a yes or no answer, which will decide your next response:

• If you answered yes, please briefly summarize how you met your goal and what describe what evidence you have to prove it.
• If you answered no, please explain why you did not meet your goal. List and explain the reasons you could not meet your goal. Please be honest.

Please post your first goal reflection as a comment on your first goal setting post on your blog.

Goal Setting #2
Please post your new goals for next Wednesday (Tuesday is election day!), which will give you a full day off to work on meeting your goals for next week. Again, this should be a next step for most of you in class. Post your new goals on your blog as "Weekly Goals #2" by the end of class.

Evidence #1:
On edline one of your grades in this class will be providing evidence of achieving your weekly goals. You must show me the evidence in some form. Use Gmail, Google Documents, or your blog to share electronic evidence with me such as research or typed lists. Please ask to start a folder today for written or gathered materials such as photographs or drawings.

Weekly Goal Setting Introduction

Now that you have a preliminary 'backwards plan' for your project you will start a weekly routine of setting personal goals for your individual project. The goals you set for your project should be based on your backwards plan, which many of you will update with new steps that you find out you need to accomplish as you work on your project.

Every Tuesday from here on out you will set new goals to be accomplished by the following Tuesday. Today you will set a realistic goal to accomplish by next Tuesday. Depending on how complex or difficult the goal you may want to set one large, detailed goal or a few small, easily accomplished goals. As we move through the semester you will have project time in class at least once a week, but right now you will have to get some of the work done outside of class.

Next Tuesday, your warm-up in class will be to update your progress on your blog by leaving a comment. Your comments should explain not only whether or not you met your goal, but why or why not. Then, after you've commented on your previous goals, you have to set new ones for the following week as new post.

Today, we will look briefly at some of your backwards plan posts and/comments and try to set some possible goals together. Then you will set your goals based on your backwards plan. Goals must be posted on your blog along with your backwards plan.

Backwards Plan

Creating an independent project for yourself is a big task and often the hardest part is getting started. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the whole idea of a project. In order to help ourselves get started we are going to do some backwards planning. What is backwards planning?

Backwards planning is really just a tactic to take a big project and break it down into smaller, manageable chunks that you feel like you can accomplish.

Now, Imagine it's January and you have just shown your amazing project to our class. In your mind, try and imagine where you are in the school. Try and visualize what you have just shown, read, or presented to your audience. Think about exactly how you presented your project. Close your eyes and imagine exactly what your project looks like and what the audience will see.

You should have an idea of what your final project will look like. The question is 'how did you get all the way there from here?' Instead of starting with the first step, let's start with your end goal. Take 5 minutes and write down 5 steps, in any order, that you think you will have to do to create your project. Leave a comment and make sure to include your name if you are not logged into your Google account.

After looking over some of the steps that you have listed, you will now create a simple blog post and try to round out your list of steps and put them in order from the final goal to the first step. You have already completed some of the steps, so list should get easier as you get towards the beginning.

Please post your plan on your blog under the title "Backwards Plan". This plan will help us set and meet individual goals and create a TO DO list.

Project Worksheet #2

Check your gmail account for the second project worksheet that I have shared with you. You need to save a copy of the document and rename it to YOURNAME_worksheet_2. Please answer all of the questions on the worksheet.

Please check Edline for any missing work, which may be submitted until tomorrow morning. Grades will be submitted by noon.

Warm-up Exercise: What's in a question?

Today, we will look at a new research document that I've shared with you. You will use this document to help you document your inquiry into your project idea.

Before we get started post a comment with your response in the form of a question to following prompt:

"If you could ask the next president one question on live TV during a debate what would it be?"

When you have finished posting your question and watched today's demo, please finish yesterday's initial research post on your own blog. What did you find out researching the five keywords your chose? If you did not finish yesterday, please read the post below for instructions.

Initial Research

Today you need to complete some basic research based on your project idea. Your goal is start exploring your topic and discovering examples of your project idea, information about your topic, and resources to help you develop your thesis question. Your thesis question will become the guiding question for your entire project.

For most of you, your projects are too vague and open ended, so today you should start to search for information about your ideas to help you start to narrow down your topic into a specific area. For example, both Joseph and Jasmine are interested in raising awareness about diseases that affect the community. They might conduct a Google search about the following key words; disease, Brookyln

To start your research today, post a comment reply to this post listing 5 keywords that relate to your independent project idea. Based on your keywords, use different combinations of the key words and start seeing what information comes up.

At the end of the period, you need to post a new Blog entry titled "Initial Research" and post a brief summary (2-3 sentences) of what you learned or didn't learn about each key word that you started with today. You can list specific, important information that you learn, website URLs (addresses), and/or what you roadblocks you encountered searching for the term.

Your post should use the Bulleted List feature in the formatting options in the posting menu bar
so that it looks like this:

• Keyword 1 - information that you found out.
• Keyword 2 - www.keyword2.com - I found a website all about my keyword. It has alot of useful links about my keyword.
• Keyword 3 - I didn't find out much information about this key word. It wasn't really helpful in searching for information. I don't think I'll use this again.
• Keyword 4 - Based on this keyword, I found out a list of keywords that I am going to research tomorrow including x, y, and z.
• Keyword 5 - I found out that....and...it's really important because....

You research will be useful in formulating a specific thesis question. By the end of next week we will be presenting detailed project proposals and discussing them in our Socratic Circle. Your project proposal will attempt to provide a way for you to answer your thesis question in the form of an independent project based on research and/or creative experimentation. Post the results of your preliminary research on your blog at the end of class.

Google Documents

Working on computers today is very different than it was five years ago. Many more computers have Internet access and people work on more than one computer. One way to store and edit work on any computer with Internet access is Google Documents. Google Docs is a lot like Microsoft Office, but it lives on the Internet. You don't need any special software or programs, just a functional web browser like Firefox. With Google Docs you can create documents, spread sheets, and even basic presentations. Also with Google Docs you can do more than save files online, but you can share them with other users, publish them online or right to your blog. It's a very powerful, easy to use tool that may become a venue for your senior portfolio.

Today we are going to explore how to upload or create our first Google Document and share the results with me and your feedback partner. Watch the demo on the screen on how to create a Google Document, how to upload a Microsoft Word file, and how to share a finished document with me and your feedback partner.

When you are finished with your project worksheet, you will make it a Google Document and share it with me at mr.powhida@gmail.com

Project Warm Up and Worksheet

Last week I asked you to post your first independent project idea on your blog. Take a minute and look over your project idea. When you have reminded yourself about your project idea, post a comment here with five questions that you have about your project or that your project idea raises. For example, if Tyree is going to create an investment portfolio, a question might be "What stocks should I invest in?"

Your questions can be about the content of your project, how to make the project, skills and materials you might need, what academic connections it has, and why it is important.

When you have finished adding your questions as a comment, please complete the project worksheet by clicking on the link.

1. Copy and paste the text of the Google document into Microsoft Word and answer the questions as clearly as you can.
   
2. Save the file as YOURNAME_PW.DOC
3. Send the file to mr.powhida@gmail.com as an attachment. Please pay attention to the demo so that you can complete the worksheet and turn it in.

Initial Project Ideas

Now that you have written down your first idea or ideas for an independent portfolio project, take a moment and review what your wrote at the beginning of class. Check your writing for accuracy and precision and then post your first idea under the title "Initial Project Idea". Remember what you post online is public and will be a document of your process. We will discuss your initial ideas tomorrow in class, so be prepared.

Customizing your blog

Take a moment and leave a comment about how you customized your blog. What change(s) did you make to the default layout of your blog? Please include your first name at the end of the comment if your display name is different.

Online Course Evaluation

Please complete the following course evaluation. You can leave comments regarding any of the questions. Click Here to take survey

Last workday and exit survey

Tuesday:

Today and tomorrow are the final days of class and all projects should be submitted Wednesday afternoon. I will accept projects and incomplete project essays until Monday June 16th since it is officially the last day of the marking period. Everyone should take the opportunity today and tomorrow to complete their projects or write your incomplete project essay. Also, BE SURE, to make sure you have commented on any previous class agendas this marking period.

Seniors, only projects turned in tomorrow will be marked and graded for portfolio.

Wednesday:

Please be sure to fill out the course evaluation form provided to you. Please be honest and thoughtful in your reflections. This is a new course that depends on your feedback for improvement. You don't have to put your name on the feedback form. Please make sure it is returned to the envelope at the front of the room.

Juniors - Next Year's Portfolio

Juniors-
Having had the opportunity to take this class as juniors, I would like you to think about your senior portfolio. One of the requirements for the senior portfolio is to include a project that shows you are ready for life after Brooklyn Prep. Thinking about the project you undertook (and in some cases finished!) in digital portfolio, what kind of new project do you envision including in your senior portfolio? Please post your response as a comment below.

Seniors-
You have 4 class days before your portfolio presentations. While many of you have written drafts of your letters, have you considered including your project as your life after Brooklyn Prep piece? If are using your project in your portfolio, please post a brief comment about what habit of mind you reflected on through the project. How does the project demonstrate your understanding of that habit of mind.

BE SURE TO COMMENT ON ALL POSTS, these count as part of your 3rd semester grade for participation. Please respond to ALL posts.

Check-in

This week will be an abbreviated schedule, we will only be meeting today and tomorrow. Juniors will be presenting portfolios and seniors will be preparing portfolios on Thursday and Friday. Before you work on your projects, take a moment and simply leave a comment in response to the following question "Where are you at with your project? What's left to do?" Again, if you feel that you will not complete your independent project by June 13th, make sure you complete the essay assignment listed below. Please make the best use of your time this week on your portfolios and projects.

I am also available to read cover letters for portfolios. Email me your files or share them with me as Google documents and I will be happy to give you feedback and/or suggestions for revision.

Incomplete Project Essay

Many of your projects are based on good ideas that y0u may not have had the resources or time to accomplish. If you feel that you are not going to be able to accomplish your project before the end of the marking period, you must write a brief 1 - 2 page essay summarizing all the steps you have taken so far and what steps remain for you to complete your project.

The essay is not a formal research paper. It is a process essay based on your initial project question. For example, Kimani Reid asked "How can I make an animation?" His project has been about creating a flash animation. Go back to your project idea and formulate your essay around your project idea as a question. "How can I make a video about Brooklyn Prep?" "How can I make a documentary about teen pregnancy?"

The essay should attempt to show all the steps you have undertaken so far to complete your project. Additionally, you should try and address the following questions. They can be used as an outline to help structure your essay:

• What's the question or issue?
• What's my viewpoint and why?
• What's my evidence?
• How does this connect to my own experience?
• Why is this important?
• Have I incorporated individuality and creativity in my work?
• What are different possibilities or solutions for the issue I am addressing?
• Have I experimented or taken a risk?
• Does my work reflection organization, and cooperation with others?

This essay is primarily for students will will not have any finished product to reflect their efforts this semester. It can also be used to support partially finished projects and/or strengthen grades on projects. If your project is strong and you feel it reflects your commitment this semester, please put all your effort into finishing the project for your portfolio.

Post a comment in response to the alternative assignment whether you feel you will need to write the essay to help pass the course or whether you feel you can finish your project by the June 13th final deadline.

Independent Project Deadlines

We only have twelve days left of class officially, though some of you will be out at least one or two of those days for portfolio conferences.

Juniors, your portfolio presentation days are May 29th and 30th. You may not have class next Thursday. That leaves you 9 days to complete your projects. If you do not finish your project in time for portfolio, you may still turn it in before June 16th, the last day of the 3rd marking period. You can always use the project in your senior portfolio. If you plan on using your project in your portfolio, you need to submit the project to me by Wednesday May 28th so I can grade the project and give you a grade sheet. If you need a laptop to present your project during Portfolio, please sign up for one on your portfolio day. Send me an email with the request.

Seniors, your projects are due Wednesday June 11th if you plan on including the project in your portfolio so that I can give you a grade sheet. Please try and get the project turned in before then, so that you have time to incorporate the project into your portfolio letter.

Regardless of whether or not you finish your project or use it in your portfolio, we will be giving brief presentations the final week of school on our overall progress.

Help Sign-Up

Now that we are in the final marking period of your projects, I will be working with individuals and groups at your stations and/or on the overhead to help you accomplish specific parts of your projects. Please take a minute now and think about what you need help with on your project. Before you post your request, do you think anyone else in your group needs to know the same thing? If so, make sure you note that in your request. When you have a request for individual or group help, please post it as a comment below.

I will be working this week with individuals and groups based on your requests. Consider this a sign up sheet for help. The sooner you post your request the sooner I can help you or model a demo for your group. You can also post requests of things you need like signing out a camera, getting a pass, requesting times to film outside of class, or specific materials.

As always, you must post your goals for the week and reflect on last week's goals. It's a new marking period, please be aware that many of you did not post regular weekly goals and respond to them regarding your progress.

Project Conference Agenda

This week the 2nd Marking Period ends and part of your assessment includes a brief project conference. Today you will have time to prepare for your meeting by gathering together all of your evidence that you have produced so far. Examples of evidence include photographs, videos, surveys, research, and/or art work. You have to show me progress that indicates that you will be able to finish your project for your portfolio.

When we conference on Wednesday and Thursday, I will be looking to evaluate your progress according to the following criteria.

PLANNING

• Have you defined a problem to solve for your project?
• Have you developed a possible solution with the project?
• Have you identified clear steps towards finishing your project including resources and goals?

TAKING ACTION/EXPERIMENTING

• Have you persisted in accomplishing your goals?
• What practices and activities have you engaged in?
  

ASSESSING/GATHERING EVIDENCE

• Have you begun to organize your evidence into a presentation form?
• Can you show evidence of your research, thinking, or creating?

REFLECTION/EVALUATION

• Have you reflected on your project and your thinking?
• Have you learned anything about your own strengths and weaknesses as a learner?
• What Habit of Mind do you think are relying up the most?
  

MODIFICATION

• Have you changed your project based on new knowledge?
• Has your thinking about your project changed in any way based on new knowledge?

You can use your class time today to answer these questions or prepare to show me evidence that answers the questions using your blog and/or anything that you have researched or created. You should be able to show me examples of your learning or prepare an answer for each question.

Video Blog Entries

How do you see yourself using video on your blog or in your project?
Post a reply as a comment below and then we will begin our introduction to iMovie and iSight so that you can learn how to record your own project intros, interviews, and weekly goals, updates, and/or reflections.

We will spend some time this week learning the steps to record, edit, and publish our project introductions on online.

Project Interview Blog Post

The final step of your interview is to publish your interview to your blog. You will be posting the interview where you answered the questions, since they pertain to your project. It will provide blog visitors with an insightful reflection into your own thinking about the project. Yesterday Saquaya asked a good question about the interview "How do you propose questions for a project that is thoroughly explained within the blog and what the person has explained yesterday?"

The goal of the interview is not to have the interviewee restate their thesis, but to discover where they are within the project now. It has been more than two months since we began this process, and the interview is simply a way to get the interviewee to reflect on their progress in a public way that should be interesting for others to read.

By the end of class today, each interviewer and interviewee should have finished writing and responding to both rounds of questions suggested in yesterday's protocol. To post your interview to your blog, open the completed interview document in Google docs and click the SHARE option and select the PUBLISH AS WEB PAGE option. On the next page, click the POST TO BLOG option. It will post the interview directly to your blog for others to read.

Interview Questions

Today, based on your research, you will begin the second step of your project interview with your partner. The purpose of the interview, really, is to help your partner become aware of their thinking about the project. How does someone become aware of their own thinking? It takes self awareness and conscious reflection on one's actions, beliefs, knowledge, and ideas. We do this all the time when we make decisions that affect ourselves and others. We also tend to think more about what we say when we talk publicly or in front of others. Your interviews will be published on your blogs and selected ones will be published on the class blog.

We will conduct the interviews by sharing our questions through Google documents between the interviewer and the interviewee. Today, you will develop specific questions for your interviewee based on the following protocol for two rounds of questions. Your questions should cover the following areas:

Round 1

• Clarify the project goals and purposes. Why are they doing the project? What is important about it? How do they expect it to turn out in the end?
  
• Planning. What actions have they taken so far? What actions do they still need to take? What will be the evidence they produce? How will they collect data? What obstacles or roadblocks do they expect to encounter?
• Taking Action and experimenting. What are the different ways they have been working?
  
• Assessing and Gathering evidence. What evidence have they produced so far? What have they made? What date have they collected?
  
  
  Round 2
  
• Studying, reflecting, and evaluating. Have they met their goals? What have they learned so far doing the project? Have they learned new information? Have they learned something about themselves?
  
• Modification. Have they had to make any changes to their project or plan? Has their thinking about the subject changed? Would they do anything differently now?
• Revisiting goals and purposes. Does the project still make sense?
  

Write out four (4) questions based on the first four (4) areas of feedback and share the document with your partner. They will write their answers and save the document. Then based on their answers write out three (3) more questions for the last three areas of feedback and save the document. Your partner will answer the rest of the questions. You should be able to finish the interview today. You should try to address your partners project by modifying the questions that you feel are important for them.

For example: Adam, why are drawing cartoon characters? What do you want to show people? Well, you see, the thing is, I got mad skills as an artist and, you see, I'm trying to demonstrate my creativity. I really didn't know what else to do, but I'm trying to accomplish something I'm good at, yo.

Project Interviews

Your homework from last week was to produce some evidence of your learning. As your teacher, I am looking to see some tangible proof of your progress. This is a form of assessment, but it will take some time to give you feedback about the evidence you produce. In a self-regulated learning environment, students are also responsible for finding new and open ways of getting feedback on their learning. Take the first five minutes of class to post a quick comment reflecting on your goals from last week if you have not done so.

One way of gaining valuable feedback about your stated goals and the outcomes so far is to conduct an interview with a peer. Today you will chose an interview partner whose project isn't immediately familiar to you. You cannot chose your closest friend. The point of the interview is twofold; (1) you will devise some questions for the student to help them reflect on and evaluate their learning and (2) give you the opportunity to be a 'critical friend'. A critical friend is an active listener who offers feedback and provides their insight to the speaker.

The interviews will be conducted in three stages this week. Today you will chose an interview partner and conduct some basic research about your interview partner. You need to read their blog page, analyze any evidence they have produced so far (surveys, video, photographs, planning, lists, drawings, sketches), and/or discuss with their idea with them briefly if there is little or no visible evidence. When you have finished your preliminary research, open a new Google document and write a brief (1 paragraph) summary of what you believe their project is about. Save the document as Interview with insert student's name.

This step should not take the whole class period, and you should continue work on your own project. As usual, you also have to post three new project goals for the weeks of April 15th - April 29th on your blog. These project goals include the time off you have for spring break, so you should plan accordingly. Is there a big step you want to complete during your time off? You should definitely take the opportunity to get a part of your project done.

Google Documents

Working on a project in two places can a be a difficult task sometimes. One way to keep things organized between your laptop computer and your home computer is to use Google Documents. In Google documents you can do word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. Google Docs will let you save the files so that they are compatible with programs like Microsoft Office, which includes Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Today, before you get back to developing your goals, I'd like you to watch a brief demo on Google Docs and then sign in and create a new document. Simply type "This is a Google Document" in the body of the text and save the file.

Please make sure you have posted your reflection on last week's goals and your new weekly goals for April 8 - 15.

Goals and Reflections

Last week I asked you to set three weekly goals that you could meet by this Tuesday. On Thursday afternoon, I asked you to briefly reflect on your progress towards meeting those goals. Setting and meeting your own goals in an important habit of self-regulated learning. Let's see how you did in terms of setting your goals, which I've posted here. After we've discussed the goals you set, everyone must report on whether or not they met their weekly goals as honestly as possible. You must post your goals and your evaluation on your blog today. Additionally you must outline three new weekly goals that you will make an effort to meet by next Tuesday under a new post titled Weekly Goals "April 8 - 15"

Rosalyn
1. Finding more informtation on the 3 different spanish music (salsa,
merengue, bachata)
2. Finding which songs I'm going to put in my blank Cd.
3. Thinking how I'm going to write the information down like doing a
essay or what
Tanonya
GOAL 1
That I will have a survey for kids to who want to answer the questions
thatI will have.
GOAL 2
That I will try to get around n see if i can get people tobe in my
video. I will get there names and get there answers for questions I
will have for them so that we can already have it before we do the
video.
GOAL 3
That I will gather pictures and music to put in my video.So that it
could connect back to the reason of the project.
Chelsei
1. Draft a list of sites I want to photograph
2. Get the camera and finish my Photography
3. Begin to play around with imovie and note features I would be
interested in using
Shayna
My three goals for this class would be to enhance my idea for my
painting, complete my painting, and be able to have others understand
my painting.
Stephanie
1) By next tuesday i would like to have the majority of my poems
gathered together.
2) I would like to add more poems to the collection
3) And come up with a plan and steps of how im going to put
everything together!!
Azalia
1. TO FINISH HISTORY OF ALL DANCES
2. TO FIND DANCERS TO INTERVEIW
3. BEGIN ORGANIZATION OF VIDEO
Kanesha
1. Decide who to interview and what I am going to ask.
2. Set up a time to use the camera to take pictures.
3. Gather some music to play in the background for the project.
4. Conduct an interview with at least two people.
Malaynthia
1. I need to bring you back your camera.
2. I need to take the picture of my building.
3. I need to start my project already.
Saquaya
1. Officially get a 'crew' and 'models' for my shoots
2. To pick 3-5 locations that I will like to shoot for the final project.
3. Obtain a tripod
Angelica
My first goal is to come up with a actual sketch of the painting. i do believe this is the hardest part because i am not the best artist. My second goal is to figure the cost of the canvas board and how many that i will need. My third is figuring a goal sheet of times that i want to have the work done by this is so i don't become overwhelmed by the project. These are my goals that i hope to complete by Tuesday and i hope to get them done.
Brian
My goals for next week are to get a get a good amount of surveys back
to start applying statistical data on powerpoint.
Adam
1.my first goal is to complete my project and passthe class.
2.my second goalis to get enoouggh information to dothis project imgonna need images and vidos lyrics and things like that to complete my project.
3. my last goal is to learn the powerpoint better and make my project great
Nekeema
##- 1. To edit my videos into a documentary
%%- 2. Finish my proposal
##- 3. Get my whole project reviewed by two people to get feedback.

Weekly Reflection

Based on your goals, take a few minutes at the end of the period today to reflect on both your actual and expected progress on your three goals for next Tuesday that you set for yourself. Please touch upon the following points:

• What have you actually produced? (new ideas, questions, surveys, sketches, research...)
• What will you produce over the next four days?
  
• Were you able to work productively in class? What roadblocks did you encounter and how can you overcome them?
• How are you doing overall on your project?

Please post your response on your blog as "Weekly Project Reflection"

Self-Regulation and Continuous Learning

Working independently or within a group is something that requires a lot of each you. In order to be successful in college you must be able to set and meet goals to become a self-directed learner. What does that mean? If a professor says, "write an 800 word paper on Government due in one month?" How would you do it? What are some steps you might take to meet the professor's demand? (Leave a comment on the blog right now with a few steps you might take as a self-directed learner)

Self-Regulation is an important part of assessing your own progress on any given task. To self-regulate your own work, you have to set some basic goals, know when they have been met, and if they meet necessary standards. Part of of this process of self-regulation first requires you to think about your own style of learning. Answer the following questions on your blog in a new post:

1. What is the best environment (home, school, work, etc.) for your learning?
2. Where do you choose to study?
3. Where do you choose to work creatively?
4. How do you work with others?
5. What is your favorite way of learning (listening, looking, doing, etc)?
6. What do you think are your talents or strengths (arts, writing, speaking, problem solving)?
7. Where do your personal interests lie?
8. Do you check for accuracy and precision?
9. Are you persistent in developing your work?

Self-regulation begins with your own internal reflection on how you learn and work best. Once you start to realize your strengths you can start to work towards those on your own. If you have finished your self-evaluation, take a moment to set three individual goals about for developing your project next week. Also set one group goal. Discuss this briefly with your group. Email me your goals, and I will give you feedback about your goals.

Project Work Groups

As we start to transition into our individual project work we also need to work more effectively. Today we need to re-organize our class into groups that are doing the most similar work, not simply who we like to sit with. As your begin your projects, I will be working with groups on specific lessons and ideas that relate to those projects. Today, we will decide upon the group categories, break into small groups and then you will work together to come up with a list of questions/needs.

The groups will conduct their work in the following manner. Everyone will individually write down two or three things they need to know about their project. Then, everyone will share their questions one at a time with the group. If anyone knows the answer for the question or how to help, please share with your group. When you have all gone around, chose the most important questions you want lessons on or help with in your group. Write them down on a big sheet of paper and hang up the questions near your table. One person will present the questions to the class.

Project Proposal

Portfolio Project Proposal

Now that everyone has had some time to think and re-think your individual portfolio project it is time to submit a formal written proposal by Wednesday March 19th. The proposal will be included in your 1st marking period grade as a major project, because it should reflect all the thought and energy you have devoted to your project so far. For many of you, this is an opportunity to improve your grade by putting together all of the little steps you may have missed into a clearly written, one page document that outlines your independent portfolio project.

A formal proposal is a requirement for thesis papers, projects, grants, small businesses, and studies to a name few examples where writing is a key part of getting funding or permission to develop your own idea. In college or career it is an integral part of getting things done in a competitive environment. Being able to clearly and directly state your or someone else’s ideas, plans, and rationale is a very important skill. Grant writing, a specific kind of proposal where individuals and groups propose ideas for funding, can be a full-time job.

Your proposal should touch upon all of the steps we taken so far in our planning, but now you will have to refine your project idea into a clear thesis statement. This statement will guide the rest of your proposal like it would guide an essay or report. Please use the following outline to structure your proposal.

• Please introduce your project and what is important about it. Please list the main ideas that your project will address. Examples include what will be communicated, what you will learn, or how it will demonstrate the habits of mind.
• Please provide a rationale your project by supporting your main ideas. Please provide an analysis of any research questions you have, planning you have done, materials or skills you will need, and what evidence you will use to support your idea. Please explain why it is important, how it will affect others, and how it connects to the larger community.
• Please discuss how the project reflects you as a unique individual and what it will add to your portfolio presentation that is not present in your other work. How does the project reflect your creativity and risk-taking?
• Conclude your proposal by discussing your commitment to the project. Discuss what challenges you will face and possible solutions. Briefly discuss your strengths and weaknesses working on projects.

Your proposal must be a minimum of four paragraphs or one page, typed and double-spaced in 12 pt Times font with your name. It may not exceed two pages.

Materials List

By next Tuesday you should have your blog completely caught up to today's assignment, which is to create a list of materials that you will need to complete your project. Your materials can be both physical; paper, paint, video cameras and academic; learning how to use Flash, how to use Photoshop, or edit a video. Think about what you will need and what you will need to learn or learn more about. Type up a list of everything you could possibly want to use and know, don't worry about whether or not we can actually get it yet. Think big first. Post your list on your blog using the list feature.

Project Idea Presentation

Tomorrow you will be presenting your project idea to the class. You will have to talk for 1 - 2 minutes and answer questions from your peers. Today, you should take time to prepare for your presentation. The protocol outlined below should give you talking points for your project. Take a look at the presentation protocol and then prepare a brief outline with as much information as you need for tomorrow. Then, go back and look at all the initial project ideas that have been posted on class blogs. Write down one question you have about five (5) different projects. Turn in your presentation outline and questions at the end of the period.

Presentation Protocol:

1. State your name and grade.
2. Briefly explain your project idea.
   What is the main question or issue?
   
3. Summarize your backwards plan.
   
4. Explain why you think your project is important.
   
5. How will your project affect others? How does it connect to the community?
   
6. Discuss what two habits of mind your project will exemplify

The class must ask each presenter at least two questions and receive an answer before we move on. The class may also provide any comments or suggestions to each presenter in addition to the questions.

Following the presentations we will discuss which projects will be the most meaningful additions to a portfolio.

Blogs and Backwards Plans

Class,

Many of you have either NOT signed up for a blog at www.blogger.com or emailed me your blog URL (ex: http://adamlaw550.blogspot.com/). Also you all need to post your backwards plan drafts. Having a blog is a central part of the class and your grade.

For those of you who posted your backwards plan, today you are going to try and put the steps in descending order from the last step to your first step. When you post your backwards plan, use the Numbered List feature in the posting tool bar. Now that you have had a break, take a fresh look at your plan and start to fill in all the gaps. Your backwards plan should start to have concrete steps you could take to begin your project.

1. Presenting my film to the senior class at a town hall meeting or special presentation in the spring.
2. Adding a sound track to my video in iMovie
3. Bringing in CDs or MP3 files to use in my video
   
4. Editing my film in iMovie by deciding what footage I want to include or cut. I have to put all of the shots into a sequence.
5. Shooting the footage for my video
6. Borrow a video camera to use to shoot my video
7. Create a production plan for my video where I outline all the different shots I'd like to take.
8. Storyboard the idea for my video on paper with sketches and notes
9. Write a brief treatment for my video, basically a summary of what will be in the video
10. Get feedback from my peers about the idea for my video
    
11. Brainstorm different ideas for my video

This is a basic plan that works backwards from the final step, but it is still missing a lot of steps, but your plan should look something like this with at least ten steps. If you can't think of at least then things you would have to do then you haven't given your idea enough thought.

Backwards Planning

Creating an independent project for yourself is a big task and often the hardest part is getting started. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the whole idea of a project. In order to help ourselves get started we are going to do some backwards planning. What is backwards planning?

imagine it's early June and you have just shown your amazing project to our class. In your mind, try and imagine where you are in the school. Try and imagine what you have just shown, read, or presented to your audience. Try and imagine exactly how you presented your project. Close your eyes and visualize exactly what your project looks and what the audience will see.

Now, you should have an idea of what your final project will look like. The question is 'how did you get all the way there from here?' Instead of starting with the first step, let's start with your end goal. For example, several students are interested in creating video documentaries.

Their final step might be:
"Show video at town hall in spring on digital projector"

What steps would a student have to go through to create a film. Without worrying about the order of the steps, what are some steps this student might have to go through to reach their final goal. Take a minute and think about what you know about film or video and documentaries and post ONE step you think the student would have to take to create a video that would be shown at Town Hall on the big screen.

After looking at some of the steps we think a student might have to take to create a video, start creating your own backwards plan. Today I would like you to write down that final step of your project, whether it's debuting a video or an exhibition of art work, exactly how you want to present your project. Then brainstorm a list of steps in any order that you believe you will have to go through to complete your project. Start at the end and try to work backwards, but if a step pops into your head write down. Post your final step and all your ideas on your blog under the title "Backwards Plan Brainstorm".

Creating your project blog

Yesterday some of you were unable to sign up for a gmail account because of an error.
This is because Google limits the number of email accounts given out to a specific Internet connection.

If you did not sign up gmail yesterday, do so now. You will need a gmail account for the class. If you can't sign up for a gmail account today, you will have until next week to sign up either at school or at home over the long weekend.

If you have your gmail account please sign in and visit blogger.com now. Today you are going to create a on online blog where you will keep a digital journal about your portfolio project and the portfolio process itself. Sign up for a blog with your gmail account and create a blog account. The blog address will be the URL or web address for your digital portfolio project. Try and keep it short, but it might be yourname_digitalportfolio or yourname_project. The blog title is less important and can easily be changed.

• Your first blog entry is to tell the reader about your project. You may start by writing out your project description but then you should continue to write about your perspective. How do you feel about the project? Are you happy with the project idea? Is there anything you want to change or do differently? Why are you interested in pursuing this project? Can you make any predictions about the project like what might be difficult or challenging?
• After you have made your blog entry, you need to send an email with your blog address to someone else in the classroom who has not heard your idea yet asking them to visit your blog, read the first entry, and leave a comment with some feedback about your idea.
• In return you must visit the blog of the person you sent the email to and leave them a comment with feedback about their idea.
• If you visit a blog that already has a comment from someone, find another person's blog from the class list that will be posted here once everyone has signed up for their blog.
  

Project Worksheet 1 and gmail

Today you will take your first steps into working digitally in this class. Many of you have email addresses that you use personally, but today you will sign up for an academic email through Google that you will use in this class. Follow the procedure below to sign up for your gmail account. We will be using the gmail account for blogger, google docs, picassa, and more. After you sign up for your gmail, you need to complete the first project worksheet in Word and email me your responses as a word document attachment.

Steps:

1. Go to www.gmail.com
2. Sign up for the email and provide the required information only.
3. Choose an account name that involves only your name and up to two numbers. You may use your full name, your inititals, and periods and numbers in the account. For example my academic email is mr.powhida@gmail.com
4. When you have finished signing up for the email, your first task will be be to email me your responses to questions about your project idea. These are due Thursday morning if you experience any problems signing up for your gmail account. Some of you may have to wait until tomorrow to sign-up for gmail.
5. When you click on the link, which will take you to the project worksheet, copy and paste the questions into Word. Type your answers into the word file and save it as YOURNAME_1.doc and email me the file as an attachment. Please ask for help or a demo if you do not know how to attach a file.

Independent Project Brainstorm

What is your first idea or ideas for your own independent portfolio project? Take a few minutes and share your ideas on the blog by adding a comment to this post. After you have added yours wait a few minutes and reload the comment window. Leave a second comment with your thoughts or questions about someone else's project.

When you leave your comments, be sure to leave type your first name at the bottom of the message.

Printed Essays

Juniors,

Today you will receive a rubric for your project essay. If you would like me to print out the final draft of your essay for portfolio today in class please email the word file as LASTNAME_PRINT.doc (fernandez_print.doc). I will print out the final draft and whatever drafts you sent me so far to show revision.

Alternatively, during portfolio you may also show your blog on a computer to show the process you took to start developing your project and your project essay. In addition to posting your thesis questions, thesis statement, essay type, and final draft on your blog, you could also post your first draft and revisions. That way you can have the entire project online! If you would like me to post your rubric online, please send me an email requesting that today. I can send you a link to the document.

Seniors,

You will get your rubrics back tomorrow for the project essays. Please make sure you have posted your essays online and completed the self-assessment as a comment on your essay post.
In preparation for your role as a critical friend in portfolio on Friday, please find 5 new habits of mind on the web that are different from ours (PANIC). Provide a brief summary of each habit your discover and if they are similar to any of our habits of mind.

Project Essay Rubric

Your essays will be graded this week based on a rubric that I have posted online. Please read over the rubric and give yourself a grade in each of the categories and a holistic grade. Then, post the most recent or final draft of your essay on your blog. After you have posted the essay provide a self-assessment based on the rubric as a comment below the essay in the following format:

• P - 4,3,2,1
• A- 4,3,2,1
• N-4,3,2,1
• I-4,3,2,1,
• C-4,3,2,1,
• Holistic Grade (Average) - 4,3,2,1,

When you have finished posting your essay and providing a self-assessment you may finish working on your your Project Essay cover assignment. If you would like the cover printed in color for portfolio (or just to have in color) email me the file as a JPEG at mr.powhida@gmail.com Remember, you must SAVE FOR WEB in Photoshop and make sure you select JPEG as the file format. Attach the image and send the file to me by the end of class tomorrow. Also, juniors, if you would like your essay printed, I will print you latest revision or whatever you send me by tomorrow at the end of class.

Photoshop Essay Cover

To wrap up the essay project I would like you to continue exploring Photoshop by developing an 8.5" x 11" visual essay cover. The theme and content of your essay should provide the direction for you to design something interesting for the cover. You are free to use any of the techniques we explored before, and I will show you some other options and techniques that you can use, but the collage should incorporate the following elements:

• A colorful, layered background using painting, textures, patterns, or gradients.
• The title of your essay
  
• Your name
• The class name
• A minimum of three images but as many as you can creatively incorporate
• A minimum of two different filter effects
• One layer effect

The essay cover design is due next week on the 16th along with any final revisions or drafts of the essay. The essay cover is a great idea to show imagination for your portfolio, but you need to have a competent essay as well. Please do not begin your essay cover until you have submitted a revised essay complete with MLA format including a heading, header, in-text citations, and a works cited page.

Essays and MLA citations

Many of your essays are almost complete but only one person cited a source in their essay for where they got the information for their essay. Borrowing some one else's ideas or words is perfectly fine in writing if you give the author credit. If you put someone else's ideas in your own words it's called paraphrasing and you don't need to use quotes, but you must give the author credit.

Some studies have shown that teens have problems that can cause them to do bad in school (wikipedia).

Then in your works cited page at the end of the document you need to list the website or URL where you got your information from. The MLA style guide on electronic sources by Purdue University can show you how to cite a web site correctly.

"Teen Issues."wikipedia.com. 25 May 2007. 3 Jan. 2008 <http://www.wikipedia.com/teenissues>

If you use more than one entry of a site like wikipedia, cite the article title in the parenthetical quotation, ie (Teen Issues)

If you want to use the text directly from a website, you must put it in quotes.

"Studies reveal that teens face a host of complex, emotional issues that can increase stress and lead to negative performance in school work" (Teen Issues).

Please go back through your essays and cite the sources where you got your information. Try and be a thorough as possible. If there are any sentences that are not paraphrased, put them in quotes. There is absolutely no point in plagiarizing someone else's writing, and it can result in failure, suspension, and even expulsion from classes in college. It is very easy to tell when your writing isn't in your own words. It is also very easy to search for text from your essays and find the original source.

Final drafts of the essays are due for grading this Friday the 11th. Papers must include a works cited page at the end of the document. Please refer to the MLA style guide for the basic format of a works cited page The link at the top of the page also explains how to cite the websites where you got your information.