ACE Academy of Long Beach

SENIOR PROJECT SUPPORT

Educating for Careers Conference March 2015

ACE Overview• Architecture, Construction and Engineering career-themed CA Partnership

Academy

• Fieldtrips, mentoring, dual enrollment, and work-based learning experiences

• Demonstrate knowledge/understanding through Integrated/Interdisciplinary projects currently highlighting LEED Certification

• Internships / Job Shadow Experiences

• House Build Competition, ACE Ambassadors, ACE Camps, Community projects and presentations

Project Background

• Requirements of old project:– It had to involve Architecture, Construction,

and/or Engineering in some way– It had to be “green” either in design, materials

used, or product produced– It had to benefit the community

• Assignments of old project:– Power point presentation to a panel of judges– Research paper– Activity logs– Journals– Model of their design

Pros / Cons of Projects

PROS•Integrates CTE and Core Classes•Requires group collaboration•Requires workplace skills•Meets academy and content are standards

CONS•Not all grade level teachers participate•Not always equity of effort within the groups•Sometimes difficult to get industry partners involved•Skills needed aren’t always taught at each grade level

Senior Capstone 2015• Matches the current curriculum and industry pathways• Focuses on current real world application• Is more explicit in the expectations and directions• Requires group collaboration as opposed to group work• Has check points along the way for accountability• Clearly spells out deadlines and accountability checks• Incorporates more technology and technology skills• Uses industry for realistic feedback• Provides resources for students

• 2 Teams competing for one contract• Project Management team (5 students) chosen by

teachers overseeing each team• Groups (committees) of 4-5 chosen by students, one

being the committee chair who will have regular meetings with the project managers

• Students will be looking into how to get a Jordan High building LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environment Design) Certified

Senior Capstone 2015

– Each team’s goal is to become Certified: 40-49 points

– Each committee will need to contribute points to the team’s total

– Gain points for the team by selecting credits in the assigned category that are possible to achieve

• Products:– Individual Research Paper on one of the credits chosen– Team Project Folder, including contributions from each

committee» Committee title page» Meeting minutes for each weekly committee meeting» Research Papers» Graphic representing all the credits chosen by your

committee– Team Power Point Presentation, including contributions

from each committee

• The Owners (including teachers and industry partners) will decide which team will get the contract for an extra 5% bonus on top of the project score

• Each Project Management Team will get a total of 100 points to distribute among the committees based on effort

• Each student will evaluate themselves and other committee members. This may affect the individual grade each student receives.

Supports & Scaffolding

• Essential– Description/Instructions– List of due dates for different parts of the project– Grading rubrics for each product

Supports & Scaffolding

• For students needing more…– Dates & Duties chart (Gantt chart)– Meeting Minutes template– Thinking map or mind map templates for research

(compare and contrast, flow chart, etc.)– Bibliography citations template– Leadership seminars for project managers– Rough Draft due dates for completion points only

Supports & Scaffolding

Supports & Scaffolding

Supports & Scaffolding

Supports & Scaffolding

• Throughout the project:– Give students some time to work on it in class under the

supervision of a teacher• Beginning, Middle, and End checkpoint days

– Invite industry partners, outside professionals, administrators, etc. to give feedback to your students throughout (not just at the end)

Supports & Scaffolding

• Scaffolding through the years:– Use similar rubrics for each year, but introduce

more complexity and depth– If possible, have a running theme that builds

through the years to the capstone– Capstone project should encompass both learned

skills and academic content from previous years

Supports & Scaffolding

• Sample skill scaffolding through the years:– 9th grade: group presentation– 10th grade: individual paper and group presentation– 11th grade: group visual or model, individual paper,

group presentation– 12th grade: student project managers, plus

everything else!

Supports & Scaffolding

• Sample academic content scaffolding through the years:

ACE Family Fun

Planning Tips• Work as a team• Incorporate standards from all participating content areas• Incorporate technology as much as possible• Create a theme for your project/grade level• Break down the skills you want to assess• Create rubrics ahead of time and distribute them with the project• Provide students with enough time to create a quality project• Calendar out your deadlines ahead of time and publish them for the

students• Include a group/self evaluation or reflection piece

• Get buy-in from as many teachers on your team as possible• Use the same style of rubrics and support materials as regular

class projects• Consider having the group present to an audience- not

necessarily their peers!• The premise should directly relate to real life as much as

possible

Do’s & Don’t’s / Planning Tips

Questions/Comments

Sondra McNair: SMcNair@lbschools.net

Carynn Paulsen: Cpaulsen@lbschools.net

562.423.1471

www.aceacademyoflb.net