Personal Project Student Guide And Process Journal

1. 168

2. 167

3. _________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Using this book 4
_________________________________________________________ Personal Project Timeline 5
_________________________________________________________ Calendar of dates 6-15
_________________________________________________________ Getting Started 16
_________________________________________________________ Introductory Questionnaire 18
_________________________________________________________ Topic Selection Form 21
Commitment Contract 24
_________________________________________________________
Planning Questionnaire 25
_________________________________________________________
The Design Cycle 27
_________________________________________________________
What is the Personal Project? 28
_________________________________________________________
Sample Topics and Central Areas of Interaction 30
_________________________________________________________
Written Documentation: Process Journal & Personal Statement 31
_________________________________________________________
Sample Personal Statement Outlines 34-35
_________________________________________________________
Personal Statement Checklist 36-37
_________________________________________________________
Areas of Interaction 38-43
_________________________________________________________
AoI Web 44
_________________________________________________________
AoI Key Questions 45
_________________________________________________________ Assessment Criteria 46-51
_________________________________________________________ Assessment Criteria Checklists 52-55
_________________________________________________________ Personal Project Grade Boundaries 55
_________________________________________________________ Supervisor’s Feedback 56-61
_________________________________________________________ Final Student Self-Assessment 62-64
_________________________________________________________ Bibliography Guide 65-68
_________________________________________________________ Appendix Facts 69
_________________________________________________________ Process Journal 70-166
166 3
11137

4. USING THIS STUDENT GUIDE AND
PROCESS JOURNAL
This Student Guide and Process Journal has been
created for the purpose of helping you to succeed
with your Personal Project.
The Student Guide section has all the information
to answer your questions about the Personal
Project and will be invaluable to you throughout
your work.
The Process Journal section begins after the
Student Guide and there are several pages for
you to record your progress. Some of the pages of
the Process Journal are blank and some are lined.
Use the Process Journal pages to write notes,
draw diagrams, work through problems, record
interviews, list your sources, etc.
Your Process Journal is yours to use as you wish,
but remember, it will form part of your overall
Personal Project.
Good luck and enjoy your journey.
Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to
with diligence.
—Abigail Adams
4 165

5. _________________________________________________________
2009-2010
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Phase 1: Selecting the Topic
_________________________________________________________ Information Session / Preparatory pamphlet June 2009
_________________________________________________________ Complete Introductory Questionnaire June-September 2009
_________________________________________________________ Discuss topic options with supervisor Week of 28 Sept-2 October
Prepare topic selection form and Commitment Contract 5-9 October 2009
_________________________________________________________
Obtain signature(s) from AoI leader(s) for chosen AoI(s)
_________________________________________________________ Present final topic, title (in form of a guiding question) and Week of 12-16 October 2009
_________________________________________________________ AoIs to supervisor and to Mrs Krake (for approval)
Phase 2: Planning the Project (after final approval)
_________________________________________________________
Complete Planning Questionnaire 16 October– 16 November
_________________________________________________________
Create a timeline that will help guide you through the 16 October– 16 November
_________________________________________________________ project (this can change)
_________________________________________________________ Begin research 16 October– 16 November
_________________________________________________________ Discuss planning / timeline / resources with supervisor Week of 23-27 November
_________________________________________________________ Phase 3: Gathering the Necessary Material
_________________________________________________________ Preliminary bibliography due to supervisor Week of 30 Nov– 4 Dec
_________________________________________________________ Collect & record information / data / material November ‘09– February ‘10
Phase 4: Working on the Product
_________________________________________________________
Work on product, revise plans, keep journal November ‘09– February ‘10
_________________________________________________________ —meet regularly with supervisor
_________________________________________________________ Finish work on product and show to supervisor Week of 15-19 February
_________________________________________________________ MYP Personal Project PRODUCT Exhibition 3 March 2010
_________________________________________________________ Phase 5: Presenting the Outcome
_________________________________________________________ Outline of Personal Statement due Week of 8-12 March
_________________________________________________________ 1st draft of Personal Statement due Week of 22-25 March
2nd draft of Personal Statement due Week of 12-16 April
_________________________________________________________
Submit final draft of Personal Statement, process jour- 7 May 2010
_________________________________________________________ nal and self-assessment (pp 62-64) to supervisor
_________________________________________________________ Viva Voce by each student—15:30-16.15
15:30-
15:30 8 June 2010
_________________________________________________________ NB: Make regular entries in your process journal
_________________________________________________________ throughout phases 1-4.
164 5

6. September 2009
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5
Classes begin
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Jeûne
Genevois
No classes
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
Meet with
supervisor
this week
Seize the moment of excited curiosity on any subject to solve your doubts; for if you
let it pass, the desire may never return, and you may remain in ignorance.
—William Wirt
6 163

7. _________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
October 2009
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
_________________________________________________________ 1 2 3
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Prepare topic
_________________________________________________________ selection form
and Commit-
ment Contract
_________________________________________________________ Obtain signa-
ture(s) from
_________________________________________________________ AoI leader(s)
for chosen
_________________________________________________________ AoI(s)
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
_________________________________________________________ Present final
topic, title (in
_________________________________________________________ form of a guid-
ing question)
_________________________________________________________ and AoIs to
supervisor and
to Mrs Krake
_________________________________________________________ (for approval)
Start research
_________________________________________________________
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
_________________________________________________________
Half-term Half-term Half-term Half-term Half-term
_________________________________________________________
No classes No classes No classes No classes No classes
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
_________________________________________________________ Classes
_________________________________________________________ resume
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
162 7

8. November 2009
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pedagogical
Day
No classes
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Discuss
planning /
timeline /
resources
with
supervisor
29 30
Preliminary
bibliography
due to
supervisor
Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at small advantages.
Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly.
—Confucius
8 161

9. _________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
December 2009
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
_________________________________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
_________________________________________________________
Classes end
_________________________________________________________ at mid-day
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
_________________________________________________________
Winter Break Winter Break Winter Break Winter Break Winter Break
_________________________________________________________
No classes No classes No classes No classes No classes
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 27 28 29 30 31
_________________________________________________________ Winter Break Winter Break Winter Break Winter Break
_________________________________________________________ No classes No classes No classes No classes
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
160 9

10. January 2010
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
Winter Break
No classes
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Winter Break Winter Break Winter Break Winter Break Winter Break
No classes No classes No classes No classes No classes
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Classes
resume
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of defeat. Con-
centrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses ...on your powers, instead of
your problems.
—Paul J. Meyer
10 159

11. _________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
February 2010
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
_________________________________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Finish work
on product
_________________________________________________________ and show to
supervisor
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
_________________________________________________________
Half-term Half-term Half-term Half-term Half-term
_________________________________________________________
No classes No classes No classes No classes No classes
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 28
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
158 11

12. March 2010
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6
MYP
Classes
Personal
resume
Project
PRODUCT
Exhibition
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Outline of
Personal
Statement
due
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
1st draft of Pedagogical
Personal Day
Statement
due No classes
28 29 30 31
Spring Break Spring Break Spring Break
No classes No classes No classes
Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.
—Thomas A. Edison
12 157

13. _________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
April 2010
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
_________________________________________________________ 1 2 3
_________________________________________________________ Spring Break Spring Break
_________________________________________________________ No classes No classes
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
_________________________________________________________ Spring Break Spring Break Spring Break Spring Break Spring Break
_________________________________________________________ No classes No classes No classes No classes No classes
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
_________________________________________________________ Classes
resume
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 2nd draft of
Personal
_________________________________________________________ Statement
due
_________________________________________________________
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 25 26 27 28 29 30
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
156 13

14. May 2010
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 Submit final 8
copy of
Personal State-
ment, process
journal and
self-
assessment
(pp 62-64) to
supervisor
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Ascension Ascension
No Classes No Classes
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Whit Monday Pedagogical
Day
No classes
No classes
30 31
Nothing valuable can be lost by taking time.
—Abraham Lincoln
14 155

15. June 2010
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
_________________________________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Viva Voce
by each
_________________________________________________________ student—
15:30-16.15
15:30-
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 27 28 29 30
_________________________________________________________ Classes end
at mid-day
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
154 15

16. GETTING STARTED
The most important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover
new ways of thinking about them.
—Sir William Bragg
16 153

17. _________________________________________________________ WHAT STEPS SHOULD I FOLLOW?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Your study of ATL has prepared you for your personal project.
The stages in the development of your personal project will
_________________________________________________________ include the following:
_________________________________________________________ • exploring and choosing at least one AoI and matching it with
_________________________________________________________ a topic which has a clear focus on the dimensions of your
_________________________________________________________ chosen AoI(s)
• planning the project
_________________________________________________________ • gathering the necessary material
_________________________________________________________ • working on the project
_________________________________________________________ • presenting the outcome (1. the product, 2. the personal
_________________________________________________________ statement and 3. your Viva Voce)
_________________________________________________________ Remember to record all information and ideas in your process
_________________________________________________________ journal.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ ∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ GETTING STARTED
_________________________________________________________
This guide is meant to give you ideas, but your own creativity is
_________________________________________________________
important. To help you get started, you could:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 1. Remember Personal Projects you have seen from the past years
_________________________________________________________ 2. Read the list of sample Personal Projects on page 30
_________________________________________________________ 3. Talk to your family, friends, teachers, supervisor, and Year 12/13's
_________________________________________________________ 4. Complete the introductory questionnaire (p. 18)
_________________________________________________________ 5. Write down ALL ideas in your process journal
_________________________________________________________ 6. Meet with your supervisor (Meeting 1)
_________________________________________________________ 7. Decide on your AoI(s) and topic. Fill out the topic selection form, on
_________________________________________________________ page 21.
152 17

18. PERSONAL PROJECT
INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONNAIRE
The Personal Project, as you are by now aware, requires you to take responsibility
for your learning by researching and investigating a project of your choice. The
following questions are designed to help you work out what areas you might he
interested in pursuing. Fill in Questions 1-9 before you meet with your supervisor
for the first time.
1. What Area(s) of Interaction do you find a particular affinity with?
2. What do you do in your spare time ? What are some of your hobbies or
interests?
3. What are some of the things you do really well? (e.g. act, play piano or soccer)
The real voyage of discovery lies not in seeping new
landscapes but in having new eyes.
— Marcel Proust
18 151

19. _________________________________________________________
4. What would you like to be better at?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 5. When it comes to writing, what types of written assignments do you most enjoy
and why?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
6. What types of written assignments do you least enjoy and why?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
150 19

20. 7. Think about your school and wider community. Is there any aspect of your
community that really infuriates you? (eg. perhaps there aren't enough trees in your
local park).
8. At this point in time, what are some of your ideas for your Personal Project?
FINAL FINAL Key Advantages &
PERSONAL RESULT Area(s) of Interaction that Disadvantages
PROJECT (e.g. CD, are of topic
IDEAS Poster, essay, Central to topic
VCD, model, (select one or two)
etc.)
Human Ingenuity
Community & Service
Environments
Health & Social Ed.
ATL
Human Ingenuity
Community & Service
Environments
Health & Social Ed.
ATL
Human Ingenuity
Community & Service
Environments
Health & Social Ed.
ATL
Human Ingenuity
Community & Service
Environments
Health & Social Ed.
ATL
Human Ingenuity
Community & Service
Environments Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions them-
Health & Social Ed. selves.
ATL —Rainer Maria Rilke
20 149

21. _________________________________________________________ PERSONAL PROJECT TOPIC SELECTION FORM
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 1. Proposed Topic:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2. What Area(s) of Interaction is central to your topic?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Area of Interaction Explanation of how AOI is central to topic & how you
plan to explore the AOI
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ (optional):
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 3. What form of presentation do you have in mind (e.g. essay, CD,
_________________________________________________________ work of art, model, etc.)?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
148 21

22. PP TOPIC SELECTION FORM, continued
4. What is the goal of your personal project?
If your goal changes as you go through your PP, write your new goal here:
5. How do you aim to achieve this goal? Be specific.
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
—Mohatma Gandhi
22 147

23. _________________________________________________________ PP TOPIC SELECTION FORM, continued
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 6. What is your personal motivation for this topic? How will you be
able to reflect personally on this topic?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
7. Is this a project that will maintain your interest over eight
_________________________________________________________ months?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
8. Final Topic Selection Checklist:
_________________________________________________________ □ My Personal Project is personal.
_________________________________________________________ □ My Personal Project has a clear goal.
□ My Personal Project is central to at least one AOI.
_________________________________________________________ □ My Personal Project is not related to a specific subject area.
_________________________________________________________ □ My Personal Project is a realistic project.
_________________________________________________________ □ My Personal Project is something I can investigate and learn about.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ AoI LEADER SIGNATURE(s): ____________________________________
_________________________________________________________
STUDENT’S SIGNATURE: ______________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
SUPERVISOR’S SIGNATURE: ___________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ MRS KRAKE’S SIGNATURE: ____________________________________
146 23

24. COMMITMENT CONTRACT
Read the following commitment contract carefully and then sign below.
I,________________________________ , promise that I will take ad-
vantage of this opportunity to direct my own learning. I will respect the
deadlines, work independently, seek advice when I need it, meet with my
supervisor regularly, and do my best work.
If I am unable to meet these responsibilities, I understand that I will be
subject to appropriate academic discipline.
I also promise that the work I submit will not be plagiarized in any way
and that I will document all sources. I understand that plagiarism will re-
sult in a grade of "0" which would mean I am unable to receive my MYP
Certificate.
_______________________________
(student's signature)
_______________________________
(supervisor's signature) If I were to begin life again, I should want it as it were. I would only open my eyes a
little more.
—Jules Kenard
24 145

25. _________________________________________________________ PLANNING QUESTIONNAIRE
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 1. What material(s) do I need to do my project?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2. Where do I find the necessary material(s)?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ 3. Who has information about my topic?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
144 25

26. 4. Do I have to carry out my own experiments? If so, describe.
5. Do I need to prepare, circulate and analyse a questionnaire or survey?
If so, describe.
6. Do I need to go to libraries other than the school library? If so, which
ones?
7. Do I need to visit museums? If so, describe.
8. What other resources in the community might help me?
Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.
—Vincent Van Gogh
26 143

27. _________________________________________________________ THE DESIGN CYCLE
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
You are familiar with the design cycle from your DT and IT classes. Use it
_________________________________________________________ to help you plan your personal project.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ INVESTIGATION PLAN
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ EVALUATION CREATE A SOLUTION
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
142 27

28. WHAT IS THE PERSONAL PROJECT?
Have you ever wanted to build a musical instrument? Do you have a secret passion
to write your own play? Do you want to make a difference in your community? Now
is your chance! Your Personal Project is your project to do what you want to do, to
show the skills you have developed over the years in your subjects and through the
Areas of Interaction, and to apply them to an area or topic on which you decide.
The Personal Project holds a place of special importance in the Middle Years
Programme, and thus your project must be closely linked to at least one of the
Areas of Interaction.
Remember, you will be working on this project for an extended period of time, and
your grade for the Personal Project is as important as any subject grade, so it
needs to be something you really want to do.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PERSONAL PROJECTS?
There are a wide variety of forms your Personal Project could take, such as:
• an original work of art (e.g. visual, dramatic, performance)
• an essay: a written piece of work on a special topic (literary, social,
psychological, etc.)
• a piece of literary fiction (e.g. creative writing)
• an original science experiment
• an invention or specially-designed object or system
• the presentation of a developed business, management, or organizational plan
(i.e. for an entrepreneurial business or project, a special event, or the
development of a new student or community organisation).
WHAT DOES DOING A PERSONAL PROJECT INVOLVE?
Your Personal Project must include a process journal, a product, and a personal
statement in the form of a piece of structured writing. If your project is an essay,
the essay itself will contain the requirements of the personal statement.
HOW DO I START?
After you read the student guide (first part of book) and attend the information
sessions, go to page 16 for a specific outline of how to get going on your Personal The best job goes to the person who can get it done without passing the buck or com-
Project. ing back with excuses.
—Napoleon Hill
28 141

29. _________________________________________________________ WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING A TOPIC?
_________________________________________________________
Whatever form you decide on, your Personal Project should:
_________________________________________________________ • have a clear and achievable goal
_________________________________________________________ • have at least one Area of Interaction which is central to your topic
• 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 - plagiarism will result in a grade of "0"
which will mean not receiving your MYP certificate
_________________________________________________________ Your Personal Project must not:
_________________________________________________________ • be part of any assessed course work (current or past)
• destroy your personal and social life, nor interfere with your studies,
_________________________________________________________ even though it will involve many hours of work
_________________________________________________________ • be too closely linked to any specific subject
_________________________________________________________ • be a topic you can copy from a book or a general topic (e.g. "Reggae
Music"), but should be a question or a challenge you can answer or
_________________________________________________________ meet.
_________________________________________________________ Additional points to consider:
• you must think of the idea first, and then rework it so that one AOI is
_________________________________________________________ central to it
_________________________________________________________ • your personal project can be written in any of the IB languages
_________________________________________________________ (English, French, Spanish, Chinese)
• it can be done in cooperation with other students as long as each
_________________________________________________________ student's work can be marked individually and separately and the
_________________________________________________________ success of the projects is not dependent on each other
• it must be completed with the guidance of your supervisor (a teacher
_________________________________________________________ at school who does not need to be an expert on your idea). You can
_________________________________________________________ get help from other people as long as you record this.
WHY DO A PERSONAL PROJECT?
_________________________________________________________
• you get to determine what you learn
_________________________________________________________ • you can choose something that interests you
_________________________________________________________ • you get an opportunity to show your understanding of the Areas of
Interaction
_________________________________________________________ • it is excellent preparation for the IB-diploma Extended Essay in Years
_________________________________________________________ 12 and 13
• you will get an MYP Graduation Certificate if your earn a "3" or more
_________________________________________________________
140 29

30. SAMPLE PERSONAL PROJECT TOPICS CENTRAL AOI
▫ designing an evening dress and investigating the history of clothing design Human Ingenuity
▫ designing and constructing a beach trolley/chair and exploring the history of such Human Ingenuity
▫ composing a musical score for part of a school play and looking at the history of musicals Human Ingenuity
▫ writing and illustrating a children's book and researching the ways you learn best Approaches to Learning
▫ manipulating digital photographs to heighten their impact and analyze the works of others Human Ingenuity
▫ creating a website for a Karate club Community Service
▫ creating a new sport for a specific age group Health & Social Education
▫ designing and creating a model of an environmentally friendly vehicle Environments
▫ creating a video of ISG and Geneva for new students Community & Service
▫ teaching women in slums to make stuffed dolls Community Service
▫ creating a mural about homelessness and study other such projects Human Ingenuity
▫ creating a documentary on dance and its health benefits Health & Social Education
30
▫ creating an interactive periodic table website and inquire into its possible influence on learning Human Ingenuity
▫ researching, designing, and constructing jigsaw puzzles for children with research on learning styles Approaches to Learning
▫ designing a healthy menu for the cafeteria Health & Social Education
▫ designing a magazine for teenagers Health & Social Education
▫ writing a collection of poetry concerning risks to the Environment Environments
▫ designing and drawing a mural in a specific location Environments
▫ designing a bicycle path and researching the history and development of other such paths Human Ingenuity
▫ designing and building a solar cooker Environments
▫ designing a lettering style to go with a range of products and investigating its advantages Human Ingenuity
▫ creating and printing new uniforms suitable for teenagers Health & Social Education
▫ writing an essay on computers and dehumanization Health & Social Education
▫ writing a business proposal on how to improve recycling at Nations Environments
139
If the power to do hard work is not a skill, it's the best possible substitute for it.
—James A. Garfield

31. _________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ THE PROCESS JOURNAL
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
&
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ THE PERSONAL STATEMENT
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
138 31

32. WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION OF YOUR PERSONAL PROJECT
In addition to working on your actual “product” you need to keep a process journal
throughout the duration of your project and write a personal statement after
completing your product (unless you choose to write an essay - in which case you
incorporate the essay with the personal statement).
A. The PROCESS JOURNAL
Your process journal (this book) should have all your rough ideas, rough drawings,
ideas you thought of with supervisors or other people, interviews you may have
conducted, notes and bibliographic information from sources you may have
consulted, reflections on the process itself (challenges, potential solutions), etc.
Your process journal is a practical workbook for your rough notes. It need not
be neat, but should be honest and filled in regularly to show you how your project is
developing. Your process journal will help you write your personal statement and
show your level of Personal Engagement with the Project
If you run out of pages in this process journal, use another plain notebook for your
second one.
At least once each week, you should write in your process journal.
What should you include in your process journal?
• all ideas you have, even if you don't end up using them
• a list of what you've done
• resources you've consulted (record complete bibliographical details) notes
from your research (including interviews)
• challenges and difficulties you have, including potential solutions and
diagrams, charts, samples, sketches, photos, etc.
• an evaluation of your progress (are you achieving your goals?)
• areas that you need to improve upon
• lists of things to do
• information about your focus Area of Interaction and how you believe it is
central to your topic
• research about the focus Area of Interaction to make the concepts clearer
B.The PERSONAL STATEMENT
What is a personal statement?
• It is the written reflection that you do on your project
• It is a thorough reflection on both the process and product
• It includes much of what you recorded in your process journal
• It is the part of your Personal Project that is assessed That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've understood all
• It is PERSONAL. your life, but in a new way.
—Doris Lessing
32 137

33. _________________________________________________________ How should a personal statement be organised?
_________________________________________________________ The whole of your Personal Project should be organised as follows:
• a title page that includes the title of your project and your name. You can use
_________________________________________________________ photos or graphics if you want
_________________________________________________________ • an acknowledgements page. This is optional, but it is a chance to acknowledge
(or thank) all those people who helped or inspired you in completing your
_________________________________________________________ Personal Project
_________________________________________________________ • a detailed table of contents (include all subheadings in the main body as well
as page numbers. Make your subheadings specific to your topic)
_________________________________________________________ • an introduction, defining the goal of the project and an explicit focus on the
chosen AOI(s), and providing a detailed outline of how you attend to achieve
_________________________________________________________ the goal
_________________________________________________________ • a description and reflection of the process, including production steps, the
characteristics, aspects, or components of the work and details of the
_________________________________________________________ problems/ difficulties encountered and how they were overcome
_________________________________________________________ • analysis of the inspiration, research and influences guiding the work, the
analysis of the research/findings and decisions made, the resulting product
_________________________________________________________ and the process in terms of the goal and its central AOI(s) chosen (if you have
chosen to write an essay, the essay itself forms the main part of this analysis)
_________________________________________________________ • a conclusion, where you reflect on the impact of your project and on new
_________________________________________________________ perspectives that could be considered
• the word count, put discreetly after your conclusion
_________________________________________________________ • page numbers
_________________________________________________________ • charts, diagrams, photos of the process/product (if you include these, you must
label them and refer to them in the body of your personal statement. They
_________________________________________________________ must also be relevant)
• bibliography, properly formatted (for more details on writing bibliographies, see
_________________________________________________________ pages 65-68)
_________________________________________________________ • an annex, if necessary. If you include one, you must label it and refer to it in
the body of your personal statement. (for more details, see page 69.)
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ What is a good personal statement?
A good personal statement:
_________________________________________________________ • gives thorough answers to all the questions that are in the sample outline (see
pages 34-35)
_________________________________________________________ • can be described by the highest achievement level of the assessment criteria
_________________________________________________________ (see pages 46-51)
• includes all the relevant information from your process journal (see pp 70-166)
_________________________________________________________ • is highly reflective and concise and is a genuine PERSONAL response.
_________________________________________________________
How long should the personal statement be?
_________________________________________________________ • If your product is creative, your personal statement must be no longer than
3000 words
_________________________________________________________ • If your product is an essay, your essay/personal statement (integrated
_________________________________________________________ together) must be no longer than 4000 words.
136 33

34. SAMPLE OUTLINES OF 3 DIFFERENT PPs
REQUIRED GENERAL OUTLINE OF SAMPLE 1: ESSAY
STRUCTURE PERSONAL STATEMENT (together with personal statement)
Title Page Give a clear title (not "Personal Statement") Poverty in my City: How Can it Be
that indicates your project Explained?
Table of List sections, sub-sections, and page Titles of sections and sub-sections specific
Contents numbers (make them specific to your topic) to the essay (and page numbers)
Introduction • What is your PP? Areas of Interaction: HSE, Env
• What is your goal? Goal: to understand the causes and effects
• What Area(s) of Interaction is/are central to of poverty in my city
your goal?(describe and justify) Outline: general review of poverty through
• How did you aim to achieve this goal? local statistics; main aspects of poverty and
(outline) its causes or consequences in terms of
health, education, and local environment
Description • What techniques did you choose to enable • research by reading various documents
of Process you to achieve your goal? and statistics
• Why did you choose these techniques and • interview social workers, sociologist,
not others: (justify your selection) psychologist, poor people in different
parts of the city
• analyse police data and information
• writing process: planning, drafting, editing
Analysis of • What information did you research and how • show contrast between what different
the was it relevant to the goal and AoI(s) of sources say about the main causes and
inspiration, Your PP? consequences of poverty in my city
research and • What evidence do you have to support • analyse how the consequences of poverty
influences what you learned? (refer to what you affect health & education of the poor in
guiding the learned from doing research; cite what you my city
work learned using footnotes, endnote, or • analyse how poverty affects the
parenthetical references) environment where people live (may be
• What is your personal response to what related to housing, pollution, other factors)
you've learned? • review the process in terms of difficulties
encountered and ways you attempted to
solve them
Conclusion • What were the strengths and weaknesses • identify the main causes and
of your PP at all the different stages of consequences of poverty in my city that
development? affect health, education, and environment,
• How could you have tackled the project according to my research
differently? • evaluate each step of your process
• How would you assess the achieved results strengths and weaknesses
(the product) in terms of your goal and the • evaluate the quality of your essay
focus on your AoI(s)? • what would you do differently next time?
• Can you summarize the overall perspecti- • formulate a new question: how do
ves/ideas/conclusions related to your PP? changes in the surrounding environment
• What new questions do you now have? improve the quality of life of poor people?
Bibliography All works you used should be properly cited Books, newspapers, magazines,
in the bibliography (and referred to in the interviews, websites
body)
Appendices, Include any extra but relevant information in Statistics, graphics, histograms, question- Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?
if an appendix. Label each appendix and refer naire used for interviews, other material if —Benjamin Franklin
appropriate to it in the body of your writing relevant
34 135

35. _________________________________________________________ ON POVERTY IN MY CITY
_________________________________________________________
SAMPLE 2: MURAL SAMPLE 3: FUND-RAISING
_________________________________________________________ (personal statement) (personal statement)
Creating a Mural about Poverty in My City Fighting Poverty in My City: A Fund-Raising Drive
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Titles of sections and sub-sections specific to the essay
(and page numbers)
Titles of sections and sub-sections specific to the essay
(and page numbers)
_________________________________________________________ Areas of Interaction: Env, C&S Areas of Interaction: C&S
Goal: to sensitize people in my school to the conditions of Goal: to find ways in which different groups of people
_________________________________________________________ poverty in my city can take action to fight poverty in my city
Outline: review poverty in my city; consider ways of con- Outline: review poverty in my city; find out about people
_________________________________________________________ veying a feeling & a message; consider how it will impact
on the visual environment; draw my way of perceiving it;
and organisations fighting poverty; evaluate ways of
contributing; consider impact on the community and
_________________________________________________________ seek feedback from others; consider the impact on the
community; complete the mural; reflect on your service to
your contributions; decide on processes, procedures,
and beneficiaries; organise the fund drive
community
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ • investigate different sources about art and poverty in my • investigate poverty in the city and organizations that
city and the possible impact on the visual environment already work with poor people
_________________________________________________________ • choose aspects of poverty and the local community to • interview and gather data about needs and possible
be reflected in the mural action
_________________________________________________________ • choose techniques • choose strategy to organize and publicize the fund
• Sketch drive
_________________________________________________________ • get feedback and adapt drawing • organize and complete the fund drive
• complete final product (and get feedback) • follow up with beneficiaries
_________________________________________________________
• show how symbols of poverty are used • briefly describe and analyse the different ways institu-
_________________________________________________________ • explain how to produce desired impact in the community tions raise money to fight poverty and how their ac-
• show contrast between own interpretation (of symbols, tions make a difference
_________________________________________________________ techniques, colours) with feedback of others • analyse the way fund-raising was carried out to make
• evaluate the changes introduced to mural it appealing and effective
_________________________________________________________ •
•
analyse the characteristics of the audience
analyse the choice of location for the mural to create
• review the process in terms of difficulties encountered
and how these were overcome
_________________________________________________________ social awareness and benefit to the visual environment • analyse the impact on the community of activities such
as this
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ • evaluate whether the mural has been able to reflect the
environmental problems linked to poverty in the city
• reflect on C&S through the impact this type of activity
may have on the ones who benefit from fund-raising
_________________________________________________________ • evaluate each step of your process, including its
strengths and weaknesses
• evaluate each step of your process strengths and
weaknesses
reflect on the impact mural has had on community assess the impact of the project on people who bene-
_________________________________________________________ •
• formulate new questions: (a) is a mural a good way to
•
fited from the fund-raising
sensitize people to a problem? (b) what other means • review the outcome (money raised vs. expectations),
_________________________________________________________ could have been used? involvement of others, responses
• evaluate the quality of your mural • indicate other ways to help fight poverty in terms of
_________________________________________________________ • what would you do differently next time?
•
C&S
give overall perspective on how the project changed
_________________________________________________________ •
me
evaluate the quality of your organisation
• what would you do differently next time?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ Books, newspapers, magazines, interviews, websites Books, newspapers, magazines, interviews, websites
_________________________________________________________ Pictures, photos, lists of artists, art movements that Questionnaire used for the interview and supporting sta-
inspired me tistics
134 35

36. PERSONAL STATEMENT CHECKLIST
Use this checklist after you've completed your personal statement.
My title page contains my name and a title that is specific to project
(graphics are optional).
I have a table of contents that lists page numbers and sub headings
that are specific to my topic.
I have an introduction.
I clearly described what my goal was.
I clearly described and justified the AoI(s) that are central to my
PP.
I gave a detailed outline of how I aimed to achieve my goal.
I selected and used a variety of appropriate resources in my
personal statement.
I analysed/evaluated this information critically.
I acknowledged the sources of information properly (i.e, used
footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical references in the body of my
statement and a properly cited bibliography after the conclusion).
I chose and described the applied techniques/steps relevant to my
PP's goal.
I explained why I chose a specific technique (or made a specific
decision) and not another one (e.g. why I chose a certain colour/
image/idea etc.).
Where appropriate, I included photos or diagrams or graphs that
are clearly labeled and integrated into the text.
I analysed the information I learned/used in terms of my goal(s).
I analysed the information I discovered in terms of my AOI focus.
I expressed personal thought/opinion.
I supported arguments with evidence.
A life spent in making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life
I responded thoughtfully to my ideas and inspiration for the Personal spent doing nothing.
Project. —George Bernard Shaw
36 133

37. _________________________________________________________ PERSONAL STATEMENT CHECKLIST, continued
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ I discussed to what extent my initial goal was achieved in relation to my end
product.
_________________________________________________________ I assessed the quality of my product and what I learned in terms of my AOI
_________________________________________________________ focus.
I identified the strengths and weaknesses of my project at different stages.
_________________________________________________________ I explained what I would do differently next time if I were to do this again.
I discussed what new questions or ideas I have about my product/topic now
_________________________________________________________ that I have finished it.
_________________________________________________________ I reflected on what I learned about myself from doing this project.
_________________________________________________________
I put the word count after my conclusion, before my bibliography.
_________________________________________________________ My bibliography is properly cited and ordered alphabetically.
_________________________________________________________ (Optional): I put extraneous information in an appendix.
⇒ If I used appendices, I labeled each one clearly with Appendix A (or
_________________________________________________________ B...) as well as a specific title.
_________________________________________________________ ⇒ If I used appendices, I referred to each one in the body of my personal
statement (e.g. In Appendix A....).
_________________________________________________________ ⇒ If I used appendices, I put them after the bibliography.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ I used sub-headings specific to my topic throughout the body of my personal
statement.
_________________________________________________________ I presented information clearly and neatly:
_________________________________________________________ I typed my project in an easy-to-read font.
I used standard margins.
_________________________________________________________ I put page numbers on each page.
I spell-checked my personal statement.
_________________________________________________________ I edited my personal statement carefully.
_________________________________________________________ I collated (stapled or put in folder or bound) my personal statement.
I expressed reflective thinking in a concise and precise manner (avoided
_________________________________________________________ repetition and needless words).
_________________________________________________________ I adhered to the word count (less than 3000 words for a creative project; less
than 4000 words for a combined essay/personal statement).
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ I reviewed the assessment criteria (pages 46-51) to make sure my personal
_________________________________________________________ statement is the best I can make it.
I completed the self-assessment form on pages 62-64 after I finished the final
_________________________________________________________ copy of my personal statement.
_________________________________________________________ I am proud of my personal statement.
132 37