Introduction to the Personal Project

Baltimore City College

MYP Program

What is the Personal Project?

• Have you ever wanted to build a musical instrument?

• Do you have secret passion to write a play?

• NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!

What is the Personal Project

• The 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 Approaches to Learning.

What is the Personal Project?

• The personal project holds a place of special importance in the MYP, and so it should be clearly focused on an issue or theme closely related to the Areas of Interaction.

• Remember, YOU will be working on this project for an EXTENDED period of time, so it needs to be something you REALLY want to do.

Your Personal Project should:

• have a clear and achievable goal.• be focused on at least one Area of Interaction.• allow you to express a truly personal message.• be the result of your initiative, creativity and

ability to organize a plan.• reflect your special interest, hobbies, special

abilities, or concerns about a particular issue.• deal with a topic to which you are committed.• be entirely your own. You will be required to

sign a document stating that your work is original.

Your Personal Project should not

• take over your whole personal and social life, not interfere with you studies, even though it will involve many hours of work.

• be too closely linked to any specific subject.

Why do a Personal Project?

• The personal project is a culminating event in your time in the MYP program at City. During this time you will have developed in many ways and learned about the Areas of Interaction.

• If you choose the right Personal Project, it will give you the opportunity to share with others something that is of great interest to you as an individual but that also shows what you have learned in the MYP Program.

What type of Personal Project can I 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)

• an original science experiment

• an invention or specially designed object or system

What type of Personal Project can I do? (continued)

• The presentation of a developed business, management, or organizational plan, that is, for an entrepreneurial business or project, a special event, or the development of a new student or community organization

What does a Personal Project look like?

• Your Personal Project should include a PRODUCT and a REPORT.

What does a Personal Project PRODUCT look like?

• TITLE OF PROJECT• Through My Eyes

• Adoption

• Gas-Electric Hybrid Model

• PRODUCT• Photo album of

interesting views of ordinary things

• Video of personal adoption stories

• Display board with illustrations

What does a Personal Project REPORT look like?

• The length of the written work varies depending on the product. It should not exceed 4,000 words.

• ALL REPORTS MUST INCLUDE:• a title page• a table of contents• an introduction, defining the goal of you personal

project, and describing the focus on the chosen Area of Interaction, and providing an outline of how you intend to achieve the goal

What does a Personal Project REPROT look like? (continued)

• a description of the process, including production steps, the characteristics, aspects or components of the work

• an analysis of the inspiration, research and influences guiding the work, the findings and decisions made, the resulting product and the process in terms of the goal and its focus on the Area of Interaction

What does a Personal Project REPROT look like? (continued)

• a conclusion where you will reflect on the impact of your project, and on new perspective that could be considered

• a bibliography written according MLA guidelines

• appendices, if appropriate

What does a Personal Project look like?

• Your project may involve others (for example, if you are directing a play, organizing an exhibition, or starting a new student/community organization). Remember, however, that your own contribution must be central to the event, and clearly visible.

• It is YOUR work that will be assessed.

How do I start my Personal Project?

• You will be assigned a SUPERVISOR, who is a member of City’s faculty or staff, to advise you throughout the project.

• You are responsible for meeting with your supervisor on the assigned dates. Your first meeting is April 18th.

• You are required to start a process journal to assess the progress of your personal project.

What is a process journal?

• The journal is updated regularly throughout the project.

• It is used to record your progress honestly (thoughts, ideas, decisions, feelings, reactions, successes and failures.)

• It is used when you meet with your supervisor and is used to assess your progress.

What do I do first?

• Before you meet with your supervisor, you must choose your TOPIC.

• Your topic is due on the next theme day, April 11th.

How do I choose a topic?

• Discuss ideas with different people, both inside and outside the school to help you focus your ideas.

• Pick a topic that you feel passionate about and that interests you.

• Pick a specific topic that YOU really want to explore. YOU will be working on this until January 2009.