North Miami Middle School

Community Project

Guide

Student's Name: _ _ __

_ _ _ _ __

Groups Mernbers: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Teac her Advisor:

What is the MYP Community Project?

The MYP community project is an activity for 8th graders in the IB Program to complete as a part of
the program requirements . This project gives students the opportunity to develop an awareness of the
needs of the community and to address those needs through service learning .
The aims of this project are for students to ...
(a) participate in a sustained , self-directed inquiry within a global context;
(b) generate new creative insights and develop deeper understandings through
in-depth investigation ;
(c) demonstrate the skills , attitudes, and knowledge required to complete a project
over an extended period of time ;
(d) communicate effectively in a variety of situations;
(e) appreciate the process of learning and take pride in their accomplishments

Community Project Timeline

Aua. to Oct.
Decide on a
community need

Oct. to Dec.
Complete and
submit your proposal

Identify what you

Continue to research
need to learn about the
for information to meet
community need

your goal
Define a goal that
addresses the

community need

Record all
information and

activities in your

process journal

Develop your plan to

meet your goal

Record all
information and

activities in your
process journal

Dec. to Mar.
Create or carry out
your project
Record all rel evant
experiences and

thoughts in your
process journal

Mar. to May ._ Evaluate your project

based on what you
proposed to do or
create

Reflect in writing on
what you
accomplished

Submit your process

journal to your advisor
Prepa re for an oral

presentation of your
project

Types of Community Projects

Community projects can be categorized as follows:
Direct Service
a Help someone
through direct action
b. Provide a service for
someone

c. Create a program
that serves others

Indirect Service
a. Develop a system in
which negative
behaviors are changed
for the better

Advocacy
a. Raise awareness of
a problem in the
community by writing
or speaking about it

b. Improve the
community's natural
surroundings

b. Write to the major or

city council asking for
positive change in your
community_

Research
a. Conduct research
on a topic and share
that information with
community members

Global Contexts
Your project should fit a global context so that you understand that what you do likely fits into a
common humanity shared by others on this planet. The global contexts are below:
Identities & Relationships
Orientation in Time & Space
Personal & Cultural Expression
Scientific & Technical Innovation
Globalization & Sustainability
Fairness & Development

Who will monitor your progress?

Students are expected to monitor their own progress using the Community Project Guideline on page
2. Teacher advisors should also be asking students about their progress on a weekly basis.

Who will be your advisor?

Any adult in the school can be your advisor providing the adult agrees to advise you on your project.
If you cannot find an advisor, then an advisor will be provided for you.

What is a process journal?

A process journal is simply a written record of your ideas, research, sketches, conversations,
th oughts , reflections, contact information and any electronic media (pictures, recordings) that you
collect while completing your community project. It is preferred that students use note paper and
maintain the note paper in a binder, but this is only a preference and not a mandate. You can use a
composition notebook or spiral notebook if you prefer. Most binders come with pockets for storing
items , so keep this in mind when choosing what to use for your process journal.

How will your project be assessed?

Your community project will be assessed on how well you perform in the four criteria:
Criterion A: Investigating
Criterion 8: Planning
Criterion C: Taking Action
Criterion 0: Reflecting

The scoring rubrics for each criterion are on the following pages. Take time to examine the rubrics so
that you know what is expected of you.

Criterion A: Investigating
Maximum:8
In the community project, students should be able to:
de fine a goal to address a need w ithin a community, based on personal interests
ii .

identi fy prior learning and subject-specific knowledge relevant to the project

Iii .

demonstrate research skills.

Students do not ach ieve a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
Students:
i.

state a goal to address a need within a com munit y, based on personal

interests, but this may be limited in depth or accessibility

1-2
ii.

identify prior learn ing and subject-specific knowledge, but this may be

limited in occurrence or relevance

iii.

demonstrate limited research skills.

Stud ents:

outline an adequate goal to address a need within a community, based

on personal interests

3- 4
ii.

identify basic prior learning and su bje ct-specific knowledge relevan t to

some areas o f the project

iii .

demonstrate adequate research skills.

Students:

define a clear and challenging goal to address a need within a

community, based on personal interests

5- 6
ii.

identify prior le arning and subject-specific knowledge generally

relevant to the project

iii.

demonstrate substantial research skills.

Students:
I.

define a clear and highly challenging goal to address a need within a

commu nit y, based on personal interests

7-8
il.

identi fy prior learning and su bje ct-specific knowledge that is

consistently highly relevant to the project

iii.

36

demonstrate excellent research ski lls.

Projects guide

Community project assessment criteria: Years 3 or 4

Criterion B: Planning
Maximum:8
In the community project, students should be able to:
i.

develop a proposal for action to serve the need in the community

il

plan and record the development process of the project

iii.

demonstrate self-management skills.

Students do not achieve a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

Students:
i.

1-2

ii .

develop a limited proposal for action to serve the need in the community
present a limited or partial plan and record of the development process
of the project

iii.

demonstrate limited self-management skills.

Students:
de velop an adequate proposal for action to serve the need in the
community

3-4
ii.

present an adequate plan and record of the development process of the

project

iii.

demonstrate adequate self-management skills.

Students:
develop a suitable proposal for action to serve the need in the
community

5-6
ii.

present a substantial plan and record of the development process of the

project

iii.

demonstrate substantial self-management skills.

Students:
i.

develop a detailed, appropriate and thoughtful proposal for action to

serve the need in the community

ii.

present a detailed and accurate plan and record of the development

7- 8
process of the project
iii.

Projec ts guide

demonstrate excellent self-management skills.

37

Community project assessment criteria: Years 3 or 4

Criterion C: Taking action

Maximum:8

In the community project, students should be able to

demonstrate service as action as a result of the project
il.

demonstrate thinking skills

iii.

demonstrate communication and social skills.

Students do not achieve a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

Students:
demonstrate limited ser vice as action as a re sult of the project

1-2
ii .

demonstrate limited thinking skills

iii.

demonstrate limited communication and social skills.

Students:
demonstrate adequate ser vice as action as a result of the project

3-4
ii.

demonstrate adequate thinking skills

iii.

demonstrate adequate communication and social ski lls.

Students:
demonstrate substantial ser vice as action as a result of the project

5-6
ii.

demonstrate substantial thinking skills

iii.

demonstrate substantial communication and social skills.

Students:
i.

demonstrate excellent se rvice as action as a result of the pr ojec t

ii .

demonstrate excellent thinking skills

iii.

demonstrate excellent communication and socia l skills.

7-8

Community project assessment criteria: Years 3 or 4

Criterion D: Reflecting
Maximum:8

In the community project students should be able to:

evaluate the quality of the service as action against the proposal
ii.

reflect on how completing the project has extended their knowledge and understanding of service
learning

iii.

reflect on their development of ATL skills.

Students do not achieve a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

Students:
i.

present a limited evaluation of the quality of the service as action against

the proposal

1-2
ii.

present limited reflections on how completing the project has extended

their knowledge and understanding of service learning

iii.

present limited reflections on their development of ATL skills.

Students:
present an adequate evaluation of the quality of the se rvice as action
agains t the proposal

3-4
ii.

present adequate reflections on how completing the project has

extended their knowledge and understanding of ser vice learning

iii.

present adequate reflection s on their development of ATL skill s.

Students:
present a substantial evaluation of the quality of the servi ce as action
against the proposal

5-6
ii .

present substantial reflections on how completing the project has

extended their knowledge and understanding o f service learning

iii.

pr esent substantial reflections on their development of ATL skills.

Students:
present an excellent evaluation of the quality of the service as action
against the proposal

7-8

ii .

present excellent refl ections on ho w completing the project has

extended their knowledge and understand ing of service learning

iii.

Projects gUIde

present detailed and accurate reflections on their development of ATL

skill s.

39

COMMUNITY PROJECT PROPOSAL

NORTH MIAMI MIDDLE SCHOOL

Student

a goa/ to address a need in the community based on your personal interests:

What do ou first need to research? What do you need to know?

How will you

conduct your
research?
Choose the
appropriate
box(es) and
describe what
information you
will be searching
for in each box
th at applies

Internet, reference books, documents:

Interviews:

Experience or Observations:

How will you record your research findings ? How will you record your hours and reflections ?
(e.g. composition notebook. computer-based document, binder, spiral notebook)