ACTIVE EXPLORATION

Signature Projects are characterized by active exploration. In the classroom, students engage in academically rigorous and challenging activities. In the community, students perform service to benefit the community and apply their learning to solve authentic/meaningful problems. Career-related aspects of the projects support active career exploration and help students to make adult connections.

Signature Projects are academically rigorous applied learning projects that are a hallmark of School to Career practice in Boston. Signature Projects are characterized by six A's:
   Authenticity
   Academic Rigor
   Applied Learning
Active Exploration
   Adult Connections
   Assessment

Examples of Classroom Activities

Web Site Project
O'Bryant

• Students learn advanced web design and management skills.
• Students master HTML, the basic web design programming language.
• Students design templates, planning guides, and layout sheets to facilitate their final product.
• Students design complex web pages using page layout techniques.
• Students learn to create extensions, add media, data, and other objects.
• Students learn to use industry software such as Flash, Dreamweaver, and the Adobe web authoring programs.

School to Career Pathway Video Project
Brighton

• Explore project feasibility
• Determine project needs and cost
• Establish project time line, form teams, assign timeline tasks
• Write scripts
• Use video camcorders, editing equipment and digital cameras
• Research project related issues
• Create production storyboard
• Determine production details: video and audio track, special effects and production roles
• Participate in set design: identify sound effects/music
• Conduct rehearsal, reassess production plans
• Develop production checklist: set design sketch, sound on tape, production role sign-in and timetable

Westie Water Wars Project
West Roxbury

• Water test and document procedures on video
• Students use computer and Internet research methods, surveys and press conferences to gather pertinent information
• Research issues on Internet Electric Library, Galenet, and World Wide Web search engines (Google.com) Products: Webography of Web sites; articles annotated
• Create and administer surveys and chart results.
• Write a team script with visual, i.e. storyboard for water conservation campaign
• Production of TV news feature with editorials, 30-60 second Public Service Announcement (PSA) or Talk Show. Product: Script includes video and audio track, special effects and production roles
• Collect props, design sets, identify sound effects/music, rehearse, polish production plan. Products: Prop checklist, set design sketch, sound on tape, production role sign-in and timetable
• Produce video. Products: News feature, editorials, PSA and Talk Show
• Integrate new data from retesting water and documentary results. Products: Comparative graphs and documentaries included in script.
• Produce video. Products: News feature, editorials, PSA and Teen Talk Show.

Business Plan (NFTE) Project
East Boston

• Students look at business plans from previous years
• Former students present their plans from previous years
• Develop the idea. The whole plan is based on exploring/researching one idea and expanding it.
• Analyze customer needs
• Conduct market research by researching costs and analyzing market research data to determine the feasibility of the business idea
• Present ideas and research analysis to class members and use their feedback effectively
• In writing, describe the business idea, detail the marketing research and analyze the possible competition for such an idea
• Organize ideas and write an outline for an oral presentation of the business idea
• Analyze different business structures to determine the best one for a particular business idea

One in a Million Class Fund Project
Charlestown

• Create a class fund from scratch by inventing a name, opening a business bank account, writing a letter to the public, and creating promotional materials.
• Determine a share price and sell certificates of ownership in the class fund.
• Create a contract to go along with certificates, explaining terms of the investment.
• Research investments by using multiple resources: Wall Street Journal, Quicken.com, surveys, ValueLine investment survey, etc.
• Understand and analyze earnings reports, P/E ratios, financial stability, dividend payments, etc for all companies researched.
• Monitor progress of portfolio on daily basis. Chart results.
• Write a report on the status of the fund and present it to investors. This midterm report is followed by a final report that investors receive upon the close of the fund.
• Present ideas in written investment proposals and in presentations to class.

ETA / City Build
Mary Baker Eddy Entryway Structural Design Project
Dorchester

• In the beginning stage, students meet with a team composed of a consultant, engineer, architect, and project manager of the Baker House to study the scope of the entire design.
• Students develop graphic design skills that will allow them to complete the project.
• Students conduct internet research to compare different design styles and specifications.
• Students develop their own sets of criteria to better read Blueprints.
• Students use freehand drawing and CAD software for the project.

From pH to Parkland Project
Charlestown

• Complete chemical tests of water in three test locations
• Graph data
• Summarize data
• Complete bird biodiversity survey
• Infer habitat quality from bird survey results

Books and Bookings Project
East Boston

• Read assigned literature
• Explore different cultures and time periods connected to the literature
• Research, write, and present findings on the geographical, historical and literary aspects of the Boston area
• Market destinations through brochures and oral presentations
• Book travel reservations and plan tours
• Write scripts and tour sheets
• Write thank-you letters, newspaper articles
• Plan and present multimedia projects

Children's Books - Read Them! Share Them! Write Them!
Boston High and West Roxbury

• Reading, discussing, and critiquing children's books
• Researching children's literature on the Internet
• Learning how to use a story map (graphic organizer)
• Using a short story map to create a short story
• Writing a children's story with the five elements of the short story
• Setting, characters, conflict, plot, resolution)
• Learning how to Read Aloud to engage an audience of young children
• Students create their own children's book and integrate different technologies into the product so it looks professional
• Students learn how to organize and time manage their product so it is completed on time
• Students work in pairs and cooperative groups to complete their projects and practice skills
• Students write a reflection essay on the children's book project

Codman Square Lead Contamination Initiative
Dorchester

• At the beginning of the project, students brainstorm dangers of environmental contamination, and causes of lead contamination, and try to offer solutions to those problems.
• Students develop working definitions of environment and justice.
• Students pretest their present knowledge about lead and lead poisoning.
• Students conduct internet research to develop a list of the ten most important facts about lead poisoning.
• Students evaluate and rank lead-related sites.
• Students examine data from the Health Centers 1999 Community Survey.
• Students analyze data regarding asthma.
• Students discuss the importance of collecting data, clustering, identifying high-risk areas and how programs are created to address health and environmental issues.

Narrowing the Digital Divide by Building Computers Project
J.E. Burke

• Learn how computers work by identifying parts and learning hands-on the function of each part
• Problem solve and trouble shoot actual problems that are set up on a demo computer
• Test parts and return unusable parts to the Enabling Center for appropriate recycling
• Students catalog parts
• Students collect needed parts to build their computers
• Students assemble computer
• Test computer
• Complete a PowerPoint presentation of the steps involved in both upgrading and building a computer
• Form groups for video part of project
• Write script
• Assign parts
• Practice with consultant
• Produce and edit final version of video

TechAssist - Helping Schools Help Themselves
Madison Park

• Learn to diagnose, classify, and document various kinds of problems in working and non-working school computers.
• Learn elementary troubleshooting procedures.
• Return computers with minor problems to school service
• Learn to clean up disk space, de-fragment hard drives and run computer utilities that improve computer performance.
• Learn intermediate procedures of computer troubleshooting
• Learn to install and uninstall Microsoft OfficeLearn to install Windows DOS, 95/98, 2000 operating systems
• Learn to partition and format hard drives, diagnose and troubleshoot more advanced problems
• Learn to install Network Operating System (NT)
• Learn to set computers up so that they are network ready
• Learn to communicate and articulate problems and solutions to people who are having problems with their computersLearn to process aspects of referral, service, and production operations related to managing a computer tech support service