Capstone Course Outline 

(Subject to change as required)

Weekly Syllabus

Course Outline:

Overall introduction

This course is viewed as a support system for credit with very specific requirements. It may take a student longer to complete the capstone product for the CIM.

• What is the Certificate of Initial Mastery?
• What is a Capstone Project?
• How does completion of a Capstone Project fulfill one of Rhode Island ’s graduation by proficiency requirements?
• What are the minimum requirements for a student to earn Early Enrollment credit in this course?

Exploring interests and issues

• Start with issues, why they are worth knowing, anything controversial about the issue.
• Proceed from Interest to Issue to Core Question.
• Suggested activities:
• Model the process with a school-based issue and inquiry.
• How would you find out?
• Where would you get the information?
• Who should you talk to?
• Interest Activity
• List five of your interests and rank them
• Next, turn the top three into questions.
• Use Inspiration software or other mind mapping techniques to develop these interests.

Core Questions

• Types of questions
• Reference list of sample student core questions
• Asking essential questions packet (Big 6)
• CIM manual examples and explanation
• One-on-one conferencing with student for core question
• Additional strategies

Orientation to Standards and PBGR’s

• Why use standards to develop a capstone product?
• Applied Learning Standards:

• ·         Orientation for all students

• ·         Individual conferencing as needed

• ·         E2 – NSPS English Writing standard orientation and conferencing. This includes the elements of writing narrative reports, response to literature, reflective and persuasive essays, etc. and conferencing.

• ·         Grade Span Expectations for ELA (and Math where applicable)

• ·         Individual student’s content standards (specific to his/her capstone project) and conferencing

• ·         Connecting core questions to specific standards and conferencing

• ·         Information and Technology literacy and standards and conferencing

• ·         Connecting with Advisor to determine appropriate content standards

Research Process

Utilize the following strategies to develop research skills

• Big 6 process
• Annotated bibliographies
• A minimum of 10 quality annotated resources
• Citation of sources using MLA format
• Writing outlines
• Note-taking techniques/note cards

Selection of Capstone Advisor

• Criteria for advisor (See Capstone Manual)
• Sample Advisor contract
• Roles and responsibilities of advisor (refer to Capstone advisor timeline in manual)
• Capstone Advisor’s log
• Advisor and student sign off on proposal

School to Career/mentoring/community outreach

• Explanation of role of mentor
• Students are encouraged to establish contact with an outside mentor wherever possible. It is understood that some contacts would be made through the Web.
• The School to Career coordinator should serve as a contact for students.
• Virtual Volunteering Project - this is a good site for mentor connections; www.serviceleader.org/vv is the site address.

Drafting the Capstone Proposal

Using the Capstone manual and include the following in your proposal:

• Applied learning standards, content standards, and Grade Span Expectations
• Application of the standards selected in their own words
• Narrow and appropriate focus

Creating Timelines

• Working backwards to create the timeline
• Samples

Finalizing the Capstone Proposal

• Students will be exposed to types of instruction to allow students to write good proposals.
• Students need to assure they have answered the Core Question in their project
• Students should have all of the basic components and templates of the manual available in electronic form.

Expectations for reflective journal entries

• Orientation to reflective writing (samples)
• Discussion of sample journals (refer to CIM manual and other samples)
• Journals should focus on problem solving such as obstacles encountered and how they were addressed. Journals should not be a summary of what was discussed in class on a specific day.

Rubrics from CIM manual for Capstone Product

• Oral presentation rubric
• Appropriate Applied Learning standards (especially AL 1, depending upon student selection of a,b, or c)
• Content/Product rubric

Presentation Process

• Instruction on oral presentation strategies
• Students should practice presentations with peer and advisor feedback.
• Outsiders such as mentors and parents may be invited for these presentations.
• Mirror review techniques.
• Self evaluation.
• Modeling: viewing and critiquing previous Capstone presentations using CIM oral presentation rubrics.
• Exposure to different presentation settings.
• Perfect Presentations: good resource.

Instruction on techniques using technology in presentations (refer to power point sheets)

• Practice presentations, using appropriate rubrics with peer evaluation/feedback
• Practice using the core question as the guiding focus of the presentation Invite advisors and stakeholders to practices for feedback
• Instruction on using note cards or power point to supplement presentations
•  Preparing presentation folders for final CIM capstone presentation

Reflective narrative guidelines

• Refer to Reflective narrative guidelines and rubric in CIM manual

Presentation of Product

• Presentation before members of the Capstone class, invited guests, and judges.
• This presentation must meet standard and may fulfill the requirement for the CIM.

Adapted From:

Exhibition Toolkit | Plan and Develop Support Structures | Supporting Students during the Exhibition Process

Rhode Island Diploma System Local Assessment Toolkits

http://www.ride.ri.gov/highschoolreform/dslat/

October, 2005