Independent Projects, Graduation Projects, Senior Projects, Culminating Projects - how can students develop them and how can teachers, parents, librarians help? Across the United States and Canada, education reforms have led to a demand for demonstrations of competency as a requirement for high school graduation. In these schools, all students, of all abilities, must give evidence of the capacity to find and use specific information, to independently develop and organize a complex project, to speak and write clearly, and to think critically. Independent Projects is designed to provide students, teachers, librarians, and administrators with an easy-to-use method of incorporating independent projects into the high school curriculum. The book is divided into four parts. Part 1 begins by defining an independent project as "a concentrated, in-depth study of a self-selected topic that falls outside the normal curriculum." It then describes the types of independent projects that can be employed, and guides teachers through the process of the project, defining their role; giving advice about how to get started and where to go for resources; and presenting step-by-step methods for the planning, development, and presentation of the project. It also clarifies the role of the librarian in researching the topic chosen for the project. The last chapter of this section gives the reader advice on how to best put the book to use. Part 2 is an easy-to-use handbook for students, teachers and parents to use to select topics and develop them into Independent Projects. The step-by-step design and the worksheets serve as guides to completing worthwhile projects with minimum frustration and procrastination. Part 3 follows two Independent Projects from topic selection to presentation. Part 4 provides twenty-five one-page synopses of sample Independent Projects in content areas including history, English, Tech. Ed. art, music, business, and foreign language. Each sample project page provides background, resources, and deve

About the Author
Patricia Hachten Wee (M.S.Ed., Temple University) has taught scientific research, ecology, environmental science, biology, and physical science. She has advised high school students with independent projects/graduation projects for many years. Science fair project work has been a major component of her school's curriculum and she has advised and encouraged students in this work for most of her teaching career. She is the author of Managing Successful Science Fair Projects (J. Weston Walch, 1996) and Science Fair Projects for Elementary Schools (Scarecrow Press, 1998). Her high school students are regularly finalists in International Science and Engineering Fair, The Intel Science Talent Search, The DuPont Science Essay Competition, The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, and other national competitions.


Book Information
ISBN 9780810837850
Author Patricia Hachten Wee
Format Paperback
Page Count 144
Imprint Scarecrow Press
Publisher Scarecrow Press
Weight(grams) 417g
Dimensions(mm) 280mm * 214mm * 10mm