Middle Years Programme
Eighth Grade Orientation
Ada Merritt K-8 Center
Guiding Question
How will my MYP
experiences help me in the
future?
Ada Merritt K-8 Center
Eighth Grade Highlights
MYP Requirements
Culminating Project
High School Fairs
Eighth Grade Exams
End of the Year Activities
Ada Merritt K-8 Center
Ada Merritt K-8 Center
What is the 8th Grade
Culminating Project?
The MYP Culminating Project is a great opportunity to:
learn about a topic that interests you
apply the skills you have developed while participating in
the Middle Years Programme at Ada Merritt K-8 Center in
all your subjects and through approaches to learning
develop and showcase talents and interests that you may
have and apply them to a chosen goal
apply your knowledge of the design cycle
do what you want to do on your own.
Your Culminating Project should also clearly focus on an
issue or theme closely related to an Area of Interaction.
Your 8th Grade
Culminating Project should:
have a clear and achievable goal
allow you to express a truly personal message
be the result of your initiative, creativity, and ability to
organize and plan
reflect your special interests, hobbies, special
abilities, or concerns about particular issues
deal with a topic or area to which you are committed
be entirely your own work—authenticity is very
important and you will be required to sign a
document stating that the project is your own work.
What your 8th Grade Culminating
Project should not be:
a group project
an all consuming project taking over your whole
personal and social life
an interference with your studies, even though it will
involve many hours of work
anything that does not truly reflect your own work,
values, interests and/or concerns
How will it be graded?
Your project will be graded using the Technology
assessment criteria.
The various phases of the Design Cycle will each receive
a grade during the course of the year.
Your presentation of the final product will be evaluated by
your teacher and your peers using a rubric.
The project is an independent research activity and you will
complete it on your own. You will, however, receive
guidance and support during selected homeroom classes
and during your technology and gifted classes. Your will
receive a packet that is designed to help you through the
process and to ensure that your project has all the
required components.
What type of project can you
do?
You will be working on this project for an extended period of
time, so it needs to be something you really want to do.
Depending on your goal, you might choose to do:
an original work of art (for example, visual, dramatic or
performance)
a written piece of work on a special topic (for example,
literary, social, psychological or anthropological)
a piece of literary fiction (for example, creative writing)
an original science experiment
an invention or specially designed object or system
the presentation of a developed business, management,
or organizational plan, or the development of a new
student or community organization.
Examples of Successful Projects
Creating a picture book for young children
AIDS information for teenagers and young adults
Writing a vegetarian recipe book
Choreographing a dance performance
Designing and constructing a beach chair
The importance of sports for handicapped people
Creating a travel guide
Designing and making clothes and accessories
Creating books and games for the visually
impaired
Designing a website for a zoo
What are the required components of
the 8th Grade Research Project?
A Design Folder compiling your work
through all the phases of the Design Cycle
A link to an area of interaction
A guiding question
A presentation of the project with visual aids
A structured piece of writing or personal
statement
All project components need to be
presented in your Design Folder
The written report will include:
A Cover/Title Page
A Table of contents
An Introduction: the focus of your project with
a link to an area of interaction
A Rationale: why you chose this project and
the particular Area of Interaction
The Process you followed to complete this
project, divided into subsections for each step
of the Design Cycle
A Conclusion: reflecting on the process, the
product and its impact
A Bibliography
Appendices
Tentative Project Timeline
Eighth Grade Project Presentation.
September 22, 2010
Start thinking about what you want to do
September 29, 2010 Investigate: Submit your Problem Statement and Design Brief
October 6, 2010 Submit your Project Proposal of 2 ideas of projects
October 20, 2010 Design: select one topic and elaborate on your design
November 3, 2010 Submit your written SMART goal with a rubric.
November 17, 2010 Plan: submit planning sheet
December 1, 2010
January 5, 2011
Create: Submit Design Folder showing documentation of the creation
January 26, 2011
process (include process journal entries, photographs, tapes, drawings,
February 16, 2011
rough drafts, etc.)
March 9, 2011
April 6, 2011
April 27, 2011 Written Personal Statement: see checklist
May 11, 2011 Classroom Presentations: Peer and Teacher evaluations
Week of May 16 Project Fair: presentation of projects to underclassmen.
May 25, 2011 Evaluate: Submit self evaluation of project
Enjoy this opportunity to:
• learn more about yourself and a
topic that interests you
• show off your knowledge,
skills, and talents!
Ada Merritt K-8 Center
High School Fairs
October 13, 2010: Young Women and
Young Men Academies
October 20, 2010: MAST Academy
October 27, 2010: High School Fair with
representation from:
Coral Gables High School
International Studies Prep Academy
International Studies Charter High School
Terra High School
Applications due January 15, 2011
Ada Merritt K-8 Center
Eighth Grade Exams
Mid-term and Final Exams
Algebra 1 Exit Tests
Earth Space Science Exit Exam
FCAT in Mathematics, Writing,
Reading, and Science
Spanish Language AP Exam
Ada Merritt K-8 Center
End of the Year Activities
Eighth Grade Field Trip
Prom/Dance
Promotion Ceremony
Ada Merritt K-8 Center
Eighth Grade Orientation
September 22, 2010
The direction in which education starts
a man will determine his future in life.
Plato
Ada Merritt K-8 Center