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Table of Contents

1. Introduction & Purpose……………………………………………………………………..…………………..2

2. General Guidelines……………………………………………………………………………………………………..7

Atsa Mentorship, Requirements for the Atsa Exhibition

3. Extended Essay/ Research Paper……………………………………………………………….9-6

Extended Essay requirements, Objectives, Letter of Intent Guidelines, Checklist for Writing a Research Document, & Viva Voce

4. Atsa Exhibition Portfolio…………………………………………………………………………………...6-7

Guidelines for the Portfolio

5. The CAS Project/ Experience……………………………………………………………………..8-13

What is CAS & What is NOT CAS

6. Learning Outcomes………………………………………………………………………………………………..10

7. Steps to Success in CAS—Student Responsibilities…………………11-12

8. Steps to Success in CAS –School Responsibilities……………………………13

9. Exhibition Presentation………………………………………………………………………………..13-16

Preparing for the Presentation, Evaluation Team, Scoring Components, Atsa Advisory Board

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Appendix

CAS Timeline…………………………………………………………………………………...…………………………………17

IB CAS Initial Self-Review.……………………......………………….…………………………….…….18-20 o Prompt questions, Self-Evaluation and Experience Inventory, Service Self-

Evaluation

DRAFT IB CAS Plan Form………………………………………………………........................................21-22

Selecting, Planning & Implementing Experiences. …………………….. 23-27 o Guiding questions, Pre-Approved Experiences, Experience Proposal Form,

Letter to Supervisor

CAS Getting Started Checklist………………………………………………….……………………………28 o Initial as each item is completed, sign, detach and return to CAS

Coordinator

Sample Letter of Intent & Project Outline …………………….………..……….…30-31

Parental Concurrence Form …………………......................................................…………………...….. 32

Evaluation of Mentor ………………………………………………………………………………………….…….. 33

Self-Evaluation & Mentor Verification Form……….......…………..……..……… 34-37

Atsa Workday Request Form …………………………………………………………………..…….……. 38

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NAVAJO PREPARATORY SCHOOL SENIOR ATSA EXHIBITION The Navajo Preparatory School Senior Atsa Exhibition is yearlong study by the senior student on a topics of interest to include research methods and presentation skills. The project is a culmination of the students’ four year academic study and will serve as a foundation for their future collegiate or career endeavors. To graduate from Navajo Preparatory School, all students must complete requirements in four categories of the Senior Atsa Exhibition:

1. Extended Essay

2. CAS Experience

3. Portfolio

4. CAS Presentation

These requirements are in addition to the requirements of individual classes. The Senior Seminar and CAS Mentor will serve as points of advisement for fulfilling requirements.

The Purpose of the Senior Atsa Exhibition The Senior Asta Exhibition will give students the opportunity to explore a personal interest more deeply while demonstrating the ability to apply knowledge and skills they have acquired and developed while at Navajo Preparatory School. The Atsa Exhibition must include: 1. Extended Essay:

A concentration on a particular discipline for the Extended Essay involving several other

core disciplines: Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Foreign Language, Fitness

and Health, Fine Arts and Science.

2. CAS Experience:

A compulsory component of Navajo Preparatory School that has been designed to give

students the opportunity for experiential learning beyond the curriculum. The emphasis is

on learning by doing real tasks that have real consequences and then reflecting on these

experiences over time.

3. Portfolio:

A compilation of student work to demonstrate readiness to graduate from Navajo

Preparatory School.

4. CAS Presentation:

A presentation to a public audience, students and a panel of judges in the spring of the

senior year.

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General Guidelines All Senior Atsa Exhibitions must be original. Exhibition topics or projects may not be

replications of prior school projects: science fair projects, or any projects related to Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts etc.

Students must complete all (4) components of the Exhibition with a “Satisfactory” or “Exemplary”. If student does not meet the criteria they will not graduate nor receive their high school diploma.

The CAS Projects must be an experiential learning experience that challenges the student to enhance their knowledge or provide a service. The CAS project must demonstrate at least (3) three of the (8) eight learner outcomes have been met.

Each student must complete (1) long term CAS Project/Experience individually or in a team of two that the student(s) will formally present to the Atsa Judges. In addition, (2) short term CAS Projects will be completed and presented during a “CAS Fair”. Presentations will be held in April of 2015.

The Atsa Advisory Board will review all Exhibition topics and CAS projects. Project activities that are dangerous or have the potential to violate school rules will not be accepted.

Students using school facilities or equipment to conduct research must have written permission from the staff member responsible for such facilities or equipment. In addition, the student’s parents/guardians must sign the written permission. The student is responsible for loss or damage to such facilities or equipment if it should occur.

Students are encouraged to choose a project that is not a financial burden on themselves or their families. Students who discover they need financial assistance should discuss the issue with their Mentor who will then inform the IB Coordinator in writing. Based on the written information the IB Coordinator and the Atsa Advisory Board will make a recommendation to the Dean of Instruction.

A phone call, certified letter, or conference with parents/guardians will be initiated if students do not meet required deadlines or consult weekly with their Mentors. Additionally, a letter of explanation will be required from a student for any late/missed deadlines and not meeting with their Mentor. The IB Coordinator in concurrence with the Dean of Instruction will handle such issues.

Should a student need to work on their projects during the school week a “Atsa Work Day Request Form” will need to be filled out and approved (3) days prior to the absences (Request Form is on page 30 of this handbook).

School provided transportation for off-campus CAS experiences or Extended Essay research will require prior approval from the IB Coordinator and Dean of Instruction. A five day notice is necessary when requesting vehicles so plan accordingly.

Atsa Mentorship Senior students will work with a Mentor on their projects from September through March.

Students will be assigned an on-campus Mentor to monitor progress and completion of projects.

Senior students and their Mentors must regularly document that they are working on the projects and actively involved with research, service learning or other project experiences. These meetings must be documented using the Mentor Verification Form in this Handbook. Failure to meet with the Mentor will result in parent/guardian notification, conference, written Letter of Explanation and will keep a student from “Exemplary Status”.

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The Mentor will need to fill out a required form detailing how much time was spent working on the project and evaluating student work effort. This form is an essential document to be included in the Atsa Portfolio.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure regular communication with their Mentor up to the day of presentations in the spring. Each senior must complete a presentation of (1) long term CAS Project consisting of 15-20 minutes of speaking and 5-10 minutes of unrehearsed “Questions & Answers”. These presentations will take place on campus in front of judges, students and local stakeholders.

Requirements for the Atsa Exhibition (4 parts):

I. THE EXTENDED ESSAY/RESEARCH PAPER The extended essay is a substantial piece of writing of up to 3,500 words. It enables students to investigate a topic of special interest that they have chosen. It encourages students to develop the skills of independent research that will be expected at colleges and universities. The completion of the written essay is followed by a short, concluding interview, or viva voce, with the coordinator.

Extended Essay requirements:

A minimum of (7) sources are required. Print credible internet sources and

interviews are highly encouraged;

Graded by an outside entity;

Chosen from the list of core disciplines: Language Arts, Mathematics, Social

Studies, Foreign Language, Fitness and Health, Fine Arts;

Contains 3,000-3,500 words; and

Concluded with a short interview –“viva voce”.

The extended essay is the prime example of a piece of work where the student has the opportunity to show knowledge, understanding and enthusiasm about a topic of his or her choice.

NOTE: An off-campus, certified English Instructor will score research papers to ensure objectivity and consistency.

Extended Essay Assessment Objectives

In working on the extended essay, students are expected to: 1. Plan and pursue a research project with intellectual initiative and insight;

2. Formulate a precise research question;

3. Gather and interpret material from sources appropriate to the research question;

4. Structure a reasoned argument in response to the research question on the basis

of the material gathered;

5. Present their extended essay in a format appropriate to the subject with skill and

understanding;

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6. Use the terminology and language appropriate to the subject with skill and

understanding; and

7. Apply analytical and evaluative skills appropriate to the subject, with an

understanding of the implications and the context of their research.

LETTER OF INTENT GUIDELINES

Using correct business letter format, write a Letter of Intent for the Senior Exhibition Portfolio. Students will need three copies: One addressed to the Exhibition Coordinator, one to the Mentor, and one for the Portfolio. Attention to good writing details and practices is required. This letter will be part of the Exhibition Portfolio, so it must be typed/word processed. The contents should include the following:

a) Paragraph 1: Describe the general area of interest of your Exhibition focus: ie, history, music, science, culture, etc. Explain why you chose this general topic and what (if anything) you already know or have done in this area that will help with your knowledge base. (The information you must learn or know in order to do the project).

b) Paragraph 2: Include the specific research your Exhibition will focus on and some of the

ideas you hope to include. Also, discuss some of the resources you hope to use.

c) Paragraph 3: Then describe your project specifically, what it is, who’s involved, potential cost, time factor, and possible resources.

d) Paragraph 4: Explain what plagiarism is and why it is important to avoid plagiarizing. State

the NPS policy on plagiarism as found in the Student Handbook and the consequences of plagiarism. Also in this paragraph explain what the repercussions of such an act would have on the outcome of your Senior Exhibition.

*See Sample Letter of Intent and Project Outline in Appendix pages 30-31

CHECKLIST FOR WRITING A RESEARCH DOCUMENT

Utilize the following checklist to assist in writing an overall comprehensive, well organized and grammatically correct document.

I. IDEAS □ Presents interesting and valuable information □ Has a clear message or purpose □ Holds the reader’s attention □ Relates own ideas to supporting details in a clear manner □ Uses personal interpretation, analysis, evaluation, or reflection on subject

II. ORGANIZATION □ Includes a clear beginning, middle, and ending □ Contains specific details to support main idea □ Sentences are in the best order □ Gives informative information □ Conclusion summarizes the main ideas of the research □ Ideas are presented in a logical order

III. LANGUAGE

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□ Is expressed in a pleasing and sincere way □ Shows that the writer really understands the subject □ Contains specific and colorful wording □ Presents an appropriate level of language for the subject covered

IV. SENTENCE FLUENCY □ Flows smoothly from sentence to sentence □ Displays varied sentence beginnings and lengths

V. MECHANICS □ Shows proofreading for organization □ Shows proper paragraphing □ Shows proper punctuation and spelling □ Shows proper citation form in paper and Works Cited

The Viva Voce

The viva voce is a short interview between student and the IB Coordinator and is at the conclusion of the extended essay. The viva voce will last 10-15 minutes. The viva voce serves the following purpose:

A check on plagiarism and malpractice

An opportunity to reflect on successes and difficulties in the research process

An opportunity to reflect on what has been learned

An aid to the IB Coordinator’s report

II. ATSA EXHIBITION PORTFOLIO All entries in the portfolio must be organized, clearly labeled, and listed in the following order:

1. Formal Letter of Intent/Proposal 2. Extended Essay Outline 3. CAS Project Plan 4. Personal Essay 5. Resume (Objective: College Entrance) 6. Self-Evaluation Form 7. Mentor Log Form 8. Mentor Evaluation of Student Form 9. Student Evaluation of Mentor Form 10. Copy of final Extended Essay/Research Paper with Rubric 11. (3) Samples of Navajo Writing or Cultural artifacts from Navajo Culture or Navajo History

course work 12. Honors/Awards/Achievements (High School ONLY) 13. (3) College Application 14. (3) College Scholarship Applications/ Military Acceptance Letters 15. *Evidence of completed CAS Project/Experience and Reflections (See Below).

*Evidence of your completed CAS Project/Experience must show the beginning, the middle stages, and ultimate completion with description of the experience. Evidence may include photos, diagrams, rough and final drafts, lyrics, sketches, & CDs. All evidence must be properly labeled and fit into the portfolio.

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GUIDELINES FOR THE PORTFOLIO

There are several ways to compile information into a portfolio. Portfolios can be assembled on disk, online, or in paper, picture, or multimedia formats. Have some interactive electronic material, such as a Web page with links to further information that was created, or have additional materials on disk. Be prepared to give the Judges a hard copy with pertinent information that they can view and evaluate. Having portfolio requirements presented in a professional way will show the judges that you are serious and ready for your next educational step.

The outside cover of the portfolio is a Title Page. It is to include a title for the project and the author’s name. Student address and telephone number as well as a graphic advertising the presentation will be required. Keep the cover simple and easy to read.

Be consistent with the use of borders and graphics throughout the entire portfolio. Do not allow the graphics to become the focus of your portfolio; they should only be used to enhance and support your portfolio. When using photographs, rather than including the originals, have color reproductions made.

Use a 3-ring binder and include a cover (listed above), an index, and tabs for each section.

Font type should be in a standard 10-12 point size and easy to read.

All photos, samples, certificates, newspaper articles, personal notes, and other supporting materials must have captions. Do not assume that the reader will link the artifact with the correct statement made in the portfolio. Scan and copy anything too large for a 3-ring binder.

Select documents or artifacts for your portfolio that can validate, justify, and support the Exhibition project. Be prepared to answer a Judges’ question(s) about an artifact included in the portfolio.

Ensure that the portfolio is proofed more than once. Have others view the portfolio to see if any improvements could be made before the deadline.

Best works should showcase HIGH SCHOOL WORKS ONLY. Do not include anything that may fall out of the portfolio. As mentioned above, scan medals, ribbons, trophies, buckles, and plaques.

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III. THE CAS PROJECT/ EXPERIENCE

Knowledgeable

Inquirers

Reflective

CAS project and experiences aim to develop

students who are:

reflective thinkers – they understand their own strengths and limitations, identify goals

and devise strategies for personal growth

Creativity Activity willing to accept new challenges and new

roles

Risk-takers

Caring

Principled

Balanced

Personal

Development

Service

Thinkers

Communicators

Open-minded

aware of themselves as members of

communities with responsibilities towards

each other and the environment

active participants in sustained,

collaborative projects

balanced – they enjoy and find significance

in a range of experiences involving

intellectual physical, creative and

emotional experiences

What Is CAS?

“...If you believe in something, you must not think or talk or write, but must act.” (Peterson,

2003)

Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) should involve:

real purposeful experiences, with significant outcomes

personal challenge – tasks must extend the student and be achievable in scope

thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress, reporting

reflection on outcomes and personal learning CAS is at the center of the IB Programme, being one of three essential elements within the IB

experience. In the design of the CAS projects/experiences, students are asked to demonstrate

quality, balance between the three areas, and commitment. Experiences help further define

the student as a confident and resilient person of integrity as well as a global citizen characterized by

an awareness of the ethical considerations of issues. The objective is on developing community

mindfulness and concern, and the skills needed to make an effective role to society. Therefore, it is

expected that, at the beginning of the process, the student review interests and strengths as well as

areas of growth to establish goals and a CAS plan.

Accomplishing a plan translates into consistent participation for the duration of the school year and

beyond. Experiences should not be isolated and sporadic, emphasizing quality not “laundry-list”

quantity. Students will need to document experiences and reflect on personal growth to provide

evidence that 3 of 8 key learning outcomes of CAS were achieved.

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What defines each of the three strands of CAS?

Creativity: experiences in the modern and traditional arts, and any other experiences that

involve creative thinking, such as planning activities or problem solving.

Activity: requires physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle to complement the

demands of the IB academic work, such as sports or dance classes.

Service: an unpaid and voluntary exchange that has learning benefit for the student. The

rights, dignity, and autonomy of all those involved are respected. Some examples include

helping with activities for the elderly, leading a music ensemble for the visually impaired,

coaching a sports team for disadvantaged children, environmental restoration and protection.

What Is NOT CAS?

CAS is not a points-scoring exercise. It should be an interesting variety of experiences that the

student finds intrinsically worthwhile and rewarding, and which is mutually beneficial to the student

and their community. Generally, CAS is not taking place when the student is in a passive rather than

an active role. There should be interaction. If the student is passive, nothing of real value, either

for the student or for other people, results from what the student is doing, and no real reflection is

possible. Examples of experiences, which at first sight might be inappropriate, are listed below.

any class, activity or project that is already part of the Diploma Program

any team or activity in which the student is participating, unless the student sets new growth

goals and achievements that can transform into an active, reflective participant an activity for personal reward, financial or benefit-in-kind

simple, tedious and repetitive work

a passive pursuit, such as museum, theater, exhibition, and concert visits

an activity where there is no responsible adult on site to evaluate performance

working with underserved populations, foundations, or organizations when the student:

o has no idea of how the organization operates

o has no idea of the issues involved

o has no contact at all with the underserved populations or those being served by the foundation or organization

Guidelines for Specific CAS Experiences involving Political or Religious Activity:

The IB expressly prohibits experiences that create divisions between people or

experiences that seek to proselytize others to one's way of thinking. Given the nature of

political or religious activity, it is important to evaluate these two areas when planning a CAS

experience or project that involves political or religious implications. Political activity that is informational or participatory, without causing division, is

acceptable. For example, being a poll-worker during an election or participating in a school

forum/mock debate on political issues is acceptable. Participating in a political protest might not

be, if the protest goes beyond the civil expression of free speech into the arena of hostile activities

that are divisive. Some of the same concerns apply to participation in religious activity, particularly when it comes to

proselytizing. Work done by a religious group in the wider community that has what would

otherwise be secular objectives, in which students are able to make choices and use their

initiative, is acceptable. For example, distributing food, building or repairing homes done as

part of a religious outreach program are all considered CAS; singing religious songs, participating

in prayer, or reading scriptures as part of a religious outreach program are clearly not CAS.

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Learning Outcomes To complete the CAS requirement, a student must provide evidence that at least (3) three of the

(8) eight learning outcomes described below have been met. Some may be demonstrated many

times, in a variety of experiences, but completion requires only that there is evidence for (3) three

outcomes. At least one significant, enduring “long-term” project that is self-directed and self-

initiated that involves collaboration and the integration of one strand of creativity,

activity, and service is required. As a result of the student’s CAS experience as a whole, including reflections, there should be

evidence of the following:

Increased awareness of own strengths and areas for growth:

Students are able to see themselves as an individual with various skills and abilities, some

more developed than others, and understand that they can make choices about how to

move forward.

Undertaken new challenges:

A new challenge may be an unfamiliar experience, or an extension to an existing one.

Planned and initiated experiences:

Planning and initiation will often be in collaboration with others. It can be shown in

experiences that are part of larger projects, for example, ongoing school activities in the

local community, as well as in small student-led activities.

Worked collaboratively with others:

Collaboration can be shown in many different experiences, such as team sports, playing

music in a band, or helping in a kindergarten.

Shown perseverance and commitment in their experiences:

At a minimum, this implies attending regularly and accepting a share of responsibility for

dealing with problems that arise in the course of experiences.

Engaged with issues of global importance:

Students may be involved in international projects but there are many global issues that

can be acted upon locally or nationally (for example, environmental concerns, caring for the

elderly).

Considered the ethical implications of their actions:

Ethical decisions arise in almost any CAS experience (for example, on the sports field,

in musical composition, in relationships with others involved in service activities). Evidence

of thinking about ethical issues can be shown in various ways, including journal entries

and conversations with CAS Mentors.

Developing new skills:

As with new challenges, new skills may be shown in experiences that the student has not

previously undertaken, or in increased expertise in an established area. To demonstrate these learning outcomes have successfully been met students will need to present

the evidence collected over the months. This evidence will be in a variety of forms. For example,

written reflections, activity logs and verification forms, photos, video, pod casts or any other suitable

medium. Students will be presenting this evidence through the Atsa Exhibition Portfolio as

documentation of your learning; presentation to peers and Atsa Judges; interviews with the Atsa

Advisory Board.

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Steps to Success in CAS - Student Responsibilities

1. Self-Evaluation and Pre-planning (Must be done BEFORE you begin

experiences)

You must self-review at the beginning of your CAS experiential learning and set personal goals for what you hope to achieve through your CAS experiences. This will involve identifying your interests, strengths, weaknesses, and resources. Forms and prompts to help you complete this process are in the Appendix of this handbook and appear on the IB school website. Time for initial reflection will be provided at the beginning of junior year.

2. Create your CAS Plan

You must take part in a range of experiences, including at least one significant, enduring project, some of which you initiated yourself. You are required to complete 1 long-term project and 2 short-term projects, with a reasonable balance between creativity, activity and service. If you find that you have not engaged in experiences relating to your CAS Plan for longer than three to four weeks, it is definitely time to get re-engaged.

You must meet with your CAS Mentor to discuss your CAS Plan. The Plan outline should include an outline of what your plan to do, a loose timeline for completion, and the learning outcomes you think each experience will address. Make sure the CAS Plan meets all four requirements in the “What is CAS?” section on pages 9-10 of this handbook.

Your plan should include specific ideas as to how you will reflect on your experiences—what questions will you be asking yourself, and how you will demonstrate reflection.

Forms for help in creating this plan can be found in the Appendix of this handbook and on the school IB website. Please note that this plan is fluid and will change as you begin to carry out your plan, grow, reflect and meet with your CAS Mentor.

All projects/experiences must be pre-approved by your CAS Mentor before you start an experience (this is part of the initial meeting with the CAS Mentor). Some experiences have pre-approval; please consult the Appendix page 24 of this handbook or the school IB website for the list. Complete the Experience Proposal Form and return it with a signed supervisor letter to the CAS Mentor for approval. An email from the supervisor will suffice. Approval within a week.

3. Carry out your CAS Plan

You must plan your experiences, carry them out, and reflect on what you have learned.

4. Recording and Reporting

You must keep records of your experiences and achievements, including a log of the principal experiences, mentor/supervisor verification forms where required, and photos, audio or video recordings whenever possible, as part of your Atsa Exhibition portfolio. You must provide evidence of your achievement of the three CAS learning outcomes. This evidence can be in a variety of forms: scrapbooks, diaries, forum/blog entries, photo essays, videos/DVDs, poetry, originally composed song lyrics, or essays.

5. Meet with the CAS Coordinator Periodically

You will be meeting with your CAS Coordinator for at least two interim reviews of your progress one at the beginning of the junior year, and again at the beginning of senior year, and for a final review; these meetings will include a review of your plan and your documentation.

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6. Meet with your CAS Mentor Regularly

You will regularly meet with your CAS Mentor during College Prep period to plan, approve, and reflect progress. Continue to review your progress during your junior and senior year.

7. Reflections

Experiential learning is at the heart of CAS. Experiential learning involves much more than just planning and carrying out the experience itself. It also involves personal observation and reflection of your feelings and interactions--analysis of your perceptions, identifying your achievements, outstanding issues, personal strengths and challenges, evaluating your actions and thinking about your new understandings. During the experience, you should note down feelings, thoughts, and observations you have made, applying this learning to the next experience or situation. This is the spiral of self-evaluative feedback, change, and growth that drives experiential learning and CAS.

What can you accomplish through the process of reflection? Taking charge: Being able to learn from experience gives us the power to influence the meaning and impact of things that we do or that happen to us. Increasing your problem solving ability: Being able to analyze problems, generate alternatives, and anticipate consequences are critical skills. Power to assess your personal impact: Ongoing reflection helps reveal and even determine what personal changes are occurring in self-image, new skills, and ideas about a career. It can give you the self-confidence to take on a bigger project or to use more of your skills.

Reflections may not come naturally to you. To help you get started you should consider the following key questions:

What did I plan to do and why did I plan to do it? What did I do? What were the outcomes, for me, the team I was working with, and others?

Other questions to ask would be:

How successful was I in achieving my goals? What difficulties did I encounter and how did I overcome them? What did I learn about myself and others through this experience/project? What abilities, attitudes and values

have I developed? Did anyone help me to think about my learning during this experience/project? If so, who helped and how did they

help? How did this experience/project benefit others? How would I summarize my effort and commitment? What might I do differently next time to improve? How can I apply what I have learned in other life situations? What have I learned about ethical and global issues that are evident in our local, national, and world community?

How do I feel about this? What are my views on these issues?

Reflect at the end of each experience, or after every 10-15 hours for longer-running experiences. This

does not mean an essay each time; remember that reflection can take different forms and media expressions. Reflections are a huge part of CAS and you will learn how to do it and how to improve. Reflection involves observation, asking questions, putting facts, ideas and experiences together to come up with new meaning.

8. Present your Final Presentation

Using the CAS requirements and learning outcomes, as well as your CAS self-evaluation and plan, devise a presentation that documents satisfactory completion of the expectations of the long-term CAS project. Multi-media elements, such as photos and scrapbooks, are welcome. You must provide 10 sample pages from your ongoing documentation.

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Steps to Success in CAS - School Responsibilities 1. Help the student identify personal and social goals for CAS

The Atsa Advisory Board, most critically the CAS Coordinator, will discuss the self-evaluation with the student, help to guide inquiries or questions, and assist the student through the CAS process.

2. Monitor the range and balance of experiences that students are undertaking

Being familiar with the Atsa expectations for a successful CAS experience, the CAS Mentor, will help students define and achieve a balance of experiences that meets the Atsa expectations.

3. Develop the student’s power of reflection

The CAS Mentor will provide feedback on student reflections, in writing, in discussion, through emails, asking guiding questions and helping the student develop as a reflective CAS practitioner. This includes feedback and response to portfolio entries.

4. Support the student in consideration of ethical and global concerns

The school, Atsa Advisory Board and CAS Coordinator will help students make connections between CAS experiences and the ethical or global considerations. They will provide postings of events that might enhance the student’s ethical and global world view, as they occur in the school, local, national, and international community. A student can choose to participate or not, as the student’s schedule and interests dictate.

5. Role of the CAS Coordinator and Mentor

Students are not alone in doing their experiences. Each student will be assigned an academic advisor (called the CAS Mentor) who will be available to offer advice and guidance. The CAS Mentor can do a number of things to help students and their project partners in the process, including:

Leading the student through the steps of inquiry, experience planning, and documentation of

experiences. Advising the student on whether or not they are undertaking an achievable experience Discussing the student’s experience focus and goals to ensure they complement each other Helping the student to create a schedule for completing their experiences Helping the student comply with timelines and deadlines of the program Meeting to discuss and review the progress of experiences Advising the student in any part of your experience that start to present difficulties

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IV. EXHIBITION PRESENTATION Begin with an oral introduction in Navajo;

Multimedia presentation about the project, PowerPoint, scrapbook, related posters, presentation series, video, photo-essay, audio recording, website, Hyper Studio Stack, model, or various other presentation techniques can be used;

Projectors and connection cords will be provided by the IB Coordinator. Senior students are to make arrangements for a laptop and all necessary conversion cords; and

Professional attire is required.

Provide evidence of the principal experience that was undertaken as well as evidence of planning and significant reflection, as follows:

Prove that 3 learning outcomes have been met Prove that at least one self-directed, self-initiated project that involved collaboration and

integrated one strand of creativity, action, and service was completed Demonstrate sustained commitment throughout the Atsa Exhibition experience For the long-term project/experience, it must be possible for the audience to experience the

entire cycle--from ( 1 ) selection, (2) motivation for selection, (3) what happened, (4) how it happened, and (5) what its value was both to the community and to the students’ personal growth in meeting three learner outcomes.

PREPARING FOR THE PRESENTATION

Once the portfolio is completed and submitted, it is time to prepare for the oral presentation. The following are some things to consider before presenting:

1. What evaluation criteria will be used? Look over the Presentation Rubric that will be used. Be meticulous about including all the required items, meeting or exceeding the acceptable level.

2. What is the time frame of the presentation? Never exceed the allotted time. Practice. Rehearse. Know the material, and prove to the audience knowledge and skill.

3. Be ready for questions. Try to anticipate what questions will be asked, subsequent responses, and how the

portfolio artifacts demonstrate learned skill(s).

4. Is an outline prepared? Having the basic points on a note card demonstrates the ability to plan and organize. In addition, note cards provide a safety net for nervousness, forgetfulness, and side-tracking.

5. Is the presentation free of slang and grammatical errors? Be aware of the fact that judges are keenly aware of

how words are stated. A poor Oral Presentation will sabotage an Exceptional Portfolio. Formal occasions require formal speech.

6. Practice the physical logistics of the oral presentation by using a microphone and rehearse everything

beforehand. Check to ensure all equipment is properly working.

7. DRESS PROFESSIONAL! Wear something that: (a) makes you feel good, (b) has garnered compliments, (c) looks as good seated as it looks standing, (d) is appropriate for the particular setting, and (e) has a polished “air” about it. NOTE: Appearance and grooming faux pas: tight clothing; too much jewelry; long, brightly colored nails; unpolished shoes (people do notice); outrageous hairstyles or colors; low cut blouses or shirts; jeans or shorts (too casual); and generally, anything that would detract from you and what you have to say.

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8. Practice will benefit in the area of nervousness and may assist in eliminating panic as the presentation is given.

9. Time the presentation to warrant that it is not too long or too short.

10. Practice by saying the words aloud so the pronunciation, the speed, and the words or phrases are correctly

stressed.

11. Practice, practice, practice!

Exhibition Evaluation Team On the day of presentations the IB Coordinator and Atsa Advisory Board will have convened a panel of judges who will consist of the following:

1. Academic Faculty Member (other than project mentor faculty) 2. NPS Staff Member 3. Community Member or Alumni

Scoring of the Senior Atsa Exhibition Components Seniors must receive an “Exemplary” in all four areas to receive “Exemplary Status”: Research Paper,

Project, Portfolio, and Presentation. Seniors must score “Satisfactory” or above in all four areas to receive “Satisfactory Status” to graduate

and receive their diploma. Seniors who receive a “Needs Improvement” in one or more of the four areas will receive a “Needs

Improvement Status” and will have one more chance to improve their scores to “Satisfactory”.

Atsa Advisory Board The Atsa Advisory Board approves or denies all Senior Exhibition projects/experiences and research/extended essays. This board is made up of Academic Faculty, Administrative Staff and is chaired by the IB Coordinator. The Atsa Advisory Board meets regularly throughout the year to review project submissions, create rubrics for evaluation, and update the Atsa Exhibition Handbook. In addition, the Atsa Advisory Board meets regularly to monitor progress of students, handle changes, and arbitrate disputes.

In the event that a student is asked to appear before the Atsa Advisory Board regarding the choice of project/topic, the student will need to do the following: 1. Prepare a short three to five minute explanation about why the project should be allowed. 2. Write a position statement of 200 words explaining details of the exhibition and why student should be

allowed to proceed. 3. Professional attire is required and be on time. In the event that a student requests to appeal a decision made by the Atsa Advisory Board please note the following: 1. Arrange an Appeal Hearing and submit a written request to the IB Coordinator immediately. 2. The written request must include a descriptive “step by step” approach to the Exhibition project in

question. Justify any changes made to the Exhibition that will result in consensus by the Board. 3. Written support from either the on-campus Mentor will need to support and accompany the student’s

17

appeal letter. 4. At the Appeal Hearing, prepare to answer questions by the Atsa Advisory Board regarding choice of

exhibition topic and the purpose of the appeal. 5. The appeal will be heard and decided by the Atsa Advisory Board in a timely manner with any final

arbitration by the IB Coordinator. 6. Once again professional attire is required and timeliness is of essence. In the event that a student changes the Exhibition Topic after the initial approval by the Atsa Advisory Board please follow the steps below:

1. Student must submit an updated Letter of Intent, Project Outline, and Parent Consent Form to the IB Coordinator.

2. The Atsa Advisory Board will meet to approve Exhibition projects. Check with the IB Coordinator after the Board meets for the results.

3. Under no circumstances may the student change the topic of the project or research paper after October 01, 2014.

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NAVAJO PREPARATORY SCHOOL SENIOR ATSA EXHIBITION

APPENDIX

ATSA TIMELINE

Month Date Action Item August (12th grade)

8/19/2014 Atsa Handbook distribution during Senior Seminar

8/27/2014 Schedule 1st CAS Plan meeting with CAS Coordinator and turn in Initial CAS Materials to CAS Coordinator

1. IB CAS Initial Self-Review 2. IB CAS Self-Evaluation and Project Inventory 3. Preparing for IB CAS SERVICE Self-Evaluation

September 9/3/2014 Letter of Intent and CAS Experience/Project Outline Deadline

Parental Concurrence Form Deadline 9/24/2014 Extended Essay topic statement due to mentor October 10/1/2014 Extended Essay outline due to mentor 10/22/2014 Extended Essay rough draft due to mentor November 11/5/2014 CAS Experience/Project (long term) change deadline 11/12/2014 Extended Essay second draft due to mentor December 12/10/2014 Final draft of Extended Essay and Mentor evaluation due to IB

Coordinator (send via electronic and/or hard copy) January 1/7-29/2015 Schedule Viva Voce appointment with IB Coordinator February 2/4/2015 Revision of Extended Essay due to IB Coordinator (if needed) 2/13/2015 Portfolio rough draft due to mentor 2/25/2015 Portfolio final draft due to IB Coordinator March 3/2-6/2015 Required dress rehearsal with mentor April 4/6-10/2015 Required dress rehearsal with IB Coordinator 4/15/2015 Revised Portfolio and Extended Essay deadline to IB Coordinator (if

required) 4/20/2015 Atsa Exhibition – evening presentation (30 students) TENTATIVE 4/21/2015 Atsa Exhibition – morning presentation (30 students) TENTATIVE 4/22/2015 Atsa Exhibition – afternoon presentation TENTATIVE 4/24/2015 CAS Fair – school-wide display and discussion of CAS experiences 4/29/2015 Revised Atsa Exhibition presentation (if required)

Remember, if 3-4 weeks have passed and you have not been engaged in a CAS

experience or project, it's time to get going! Reflect after each experience, or after 10-15 hours for ongoing, longer experiences or projects.

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IB CAS Initial Self-Review

Name:

Date: As part of your CAS requirement you will be asked to write an Initial Self-Review. The questions in this worksheet are designed to give you some “jumping off points” for this written reflection. To be most helpful your answers should focus on basic CAS areas for growth such as physical activity, artistic pursuits, social situations, personal growth, service work, as these will give a better idea on where to focus your future CAS experiences.

1. What is your greatest accomplishment so far? How has this affected your life? What did you learn from it?

2. What are you really good at?

3. Name one skill you have always wanted to develop in your life but that you haven’t yet.

4. Name one activity that you would like to try but that you haven’t yet. Why would you like to try this?

5. Name a person you admire right now. What qualities does this person have that you don’t?

6. What’s different about you now compared to what you were like when you were 10 years old?

7. Describe the kind of person you think you will be post IB.

COMPLETE THIS PAGE BEFORE BEGINNING ANY CAS PROJECT or CREATIVITY

EXPERIENCES, but no event later than August 29th of your Senior Year.

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IB CAS Self-Evaluation and Experience Inventory Name:

Date: Type in answers with as much detail as possible. A multi-page answer is OK.

ACTIVITY: 1. List any clubs, organizations, sports, or other teams in which you are currently involved: (MESA, Student

Senate, Adventure Club, varsity or club sports, dance team, etc.)

2. How are you involved—as a participant, as an officer, do you have a leadership role? What gifts or talents do you contribute? Explain your answers for each organization or activity.

3. How committed are you to the activity? Is it a substantial commitment? Does the organization, club, or team

involve themselves in substantial, significant endeavors of which you are an active participant? Explain your answers for each organization or activity.

4. What goals have you or will you set for yourself in terms of your performance and endeavors in each of these

activities? Are these goals realistic and achievable? For each of the goals, what challenges do you think you

might face? What new skills or new skill levels will you develop? Will these goals “stretch” you?

5. How will achieving the goals for any of the above referenced activities result in your growth? How will it make you more aware of yourself as a global citizen? How will it make you more aware of the ethical considerations of your actions?

CREATIVITY:

1. Are you involved in any creative or artistic endeavors (band, yearbook, Debate, G&T’s, choir, traditional artwork, etc.)? Do you use your creativity in helping to plan events/activities? Explain your answers for each organization or activity.

2. How are you involved—as a participant or do you have a leadership role? What gifts or talents do you contribute? Explain your answers for each organization or activity.

3. How committed are you to the activity? Is it a substantial, significant commitment? Do you take an active role

in participation? Explain your answers for each organization or activity.

4. What goals have you or will you set for yourself in terms of your performances or creative endeavors in each of these experiences? Are these goals realistic and achievable? For each of the goals, what challenges do you

think you might face? What new skills or new skill levels will you develop? Will these goals “stretch” you?

5. How will achieving the goals for any of the above referenced experiences result in your growth? How will it make you more aware of yourself as a global citizen? How will it make you more aware of the ethical considerations of your actions?

COMPLETE THIS PAGE BEFORE BEGINNING ANY CAS PROJECT or CREATIVITY

EXPERIENCES, but no event later than August 29th of your Senior Year.

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Preparing for IB CAS SERVICE- Self-Evaluation

Name: Date:

1. List community/national/global issues that concern you the most.

2. How have you currently involved yourself in these issues?

3. What issues would you like to learn more about?

4. Consider all your current responsibilities. How much time can you realistically commit to service on these

issues?

5. What skill(s) would you like to develop or learn in your service endeavor?

6. How do you anticipate “stretching” yourself in your service endeavor?

7. What challenges do you think you might encounter?

8. Do you want to work directly with people? If yes, would you prefer to work with children, adults, or the

elderly?

9. How long do you plan on carrying out your commitment - three months, six months, one year?

COMPLETE THIS PAGE BEFORE BEGINNING ANY CAS SERVICE EXPERIENCES, but no

later than August 29th of your Senior year.

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IB CAS PLAN DRAFT Name:

Date:

Which experiences will you get involved in? (you can place an experience in more than one box and

name experiences in which you are currently involved in which you plan to set challenges and goals)

Experience Description

Learner

Outcomes

Projected date and duration

An experience where you will collaborate with others

An experience that combines two of creativity, activity or service

An experience that will be a new challenge to you

An experience that will be an extension of an existing one

An experience where you will learn a new skill

Involvement with international projects (either locally, nationally, or internationally)

A significant, enduring project that you will initiate and plan that integrates at least two of creativity, activity, or service

An experience that you will initiate

How will you make yourself aware of the international global and ethical implications of

what you will be involved in?

How will I record what I do and provide proof that I actually did it?

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List all your planned experiences mentioned above, in the appropriate column(s):

Creativity Activity Service

Ideas for enduring, significant, self-directed/self-initiated project:

How will I reflect on my growth, my challenges, and the learning outcomes of the

experience?

Reflect on your plan. (Any questions, comments, or concerns. Where do you see problems

arising? What will you need to do to make your experiences happen?) Student’s Signature

Date:

Parent’s Signature

Date:

CAS Coordinator’s Signature

Date:

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Selecting, Planning, and Implementing Experiences “As your IB CAS Plan Evolves”

Guiding questions for the proposed experience

Answering these questions, in light of your original self-evaluation and CAS Plan will help you decide whether an experience qualifies as CAS and/or is a desirable CAS activity for you. They will also help you clarify your goals and expectations for the experience. Blog your thoughts regarding these questions on the “Selecting New Experiences” Forum on the Managebac CAS Manager and you will be able to receive feedback from your CAS Mentor and the CAS team as well as any of your classmates that may join the discussion.

Is it a real task that I am going to undertake? What is this task? What are my personal goals for this experience? Does it have real consequences for other people and for me? What are these? How will the task extend me as a person? Will be task be achievable? How will I plan the experience? How will I review my progress in the experience? How will I reflect on the outcome and on my personal learning?

LIST of PRE-APPROVED EXPERIENCES

Listed below are experiences which have been pre-approved as qualified CAS experiences; you still need to undertake the goal-setting and thinking process before beginning the experience if they are to be of value to you as a CAS experience that helps you meet the learning outcomes. This process is particularly important in setting new challenges and goals for yourself that “stretch” you when engaging in experiences which are already part of your daily life. If an academic class is involved, the experience must be over and above that required to meet the academic requirements of the class.

Student Senate Rock Your Mocs Debate Team Unity Day

NPS Yearbook Class Officer/Committees Mock Trial Food Drive

Domestic Violence Shelter School Newspaper Adventure Club School Athletic Teams

G & T Programs MESA Native Vision Summer Program Multi-Culture Week

School/Honor Band School Newspaper Shiprock Fair & Parade New Student Orientation

Navajo Nation Science Fair Atsa Club Habitat for Humanity New Moon Run

Peer Tutoring National Honor Society Hospital Volunteering Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Miss Hozho Naasha & Mr. Atsa Hastiin

Individual music lessons that involve achieving state levels of

achievement

School Clubs with Substantial Endeavors

African/ Native American History Month(s)

Dorm Officer Natural Helpers 4-H Club Special Olympics

Red Ribbon Week Big Brother, Big Sister Adopt-A-Highway Navajo Bowl Competitions

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CAS EXPERIENCE EXAMPLES

CAS is a framework for experiential learning, designed to involve students in new roles. The emphasis is on learning by doing real tasks that have real consequences and then reflecting on these experiences over time. These experiences are not pre-approved but can be used with proper planning and reflection.

CREATIVITY (C) ACTIVITY (A) SERVICE (S)

preparing for art show display participation in political campaign hospital, library, museum volunteer

literary magazine recreation leader Plant-A-Tree foundation

theatre involvement clearing trails for parks Sierra Service Project

speech tournaments run for the hungry community rebuild projects

Academic Decathlon organize dance day care volunteer

newspaper or yearbook Discovery Center HeadStart

Mock Trial tree planting Salvation Army

creative writing (short stories, etc.) Rock climbing teacher's aide (outside of school)

marching band hiking translator

Youth Symphony gardener at a local park peer tutoring (unpaid)

rally planning involvement aerobics Girl Scouts; Eagle Scout project

landscape planning coaching groceries volunteer / co-ops

reading books physical fitness clean up creek beds/rivers

pre-school helper walkathons mission projects

teaching activities personal exercise program International Amnesty

band and choir participation lab assistant home shelters

outside music program student trainer teen hotlines / crisis center

personal drawing, painting, etc. stage crew Habitat for Humanity

pursuit of some hobbies Key Club

drama or dance productions recycling programs

designing lessons for tutoring coaching w/ recognized youth org.

Here are some examples of CAS projects incorporating two or three of the CAS elements:

teaching physically disadvantaged children to swim (A,S)

coaching Little League softball team (A,S)

teaching guitar to a junior class (C,S)

working with abandoned children to paint (C,S)

designing and constructing bulletin boards with important messages (C,S)

teaching a language to recently arrived immigrant children (C,S)

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exchanging artistic or musical skills with other students in a local school (C,S)

working as a volunteer at a children's camp (A,S)

constructing a building, such as for Habitat for Humanity (A,S)

clearing a beach of oil pollution and/or litter (A,S)

organizing or being part of the implementation of a walkathon (C,A,S)

raising funds for Amnesty International (C,S)

creating and managing an IB website (C,S)

organizing and collecting food, clothing for charity organizations (C,A,S)

Here are some examples of CAS projects that do NOT meet the DP requirements:

paid activities

projects during class time

activities related to family obligations

activities connected to religious devotion

an activity without a responsible adult in charge

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IB CAS Activity Proposal Form (Please use this form to propose an activity that is not on the pre-approved list)

Student Name: Date:

Activity Title and Associated Organization:

Address / location where activity will take place:

Activity area: □ Creativity □ Action □ Service

Anticipated Learning Outcomes, at least (3):

Short Statement of why the activity is significant, of benefit to yourself and others, and its global and/or ethical implications:

Supervisor Name (non-family member):

Position of the supervisor:

E-mail: Telephone: Cell phone: I have read the letter to the supervisor and agreed to supervise the above student.

Signature of Supervisor Date Parental Approval (for students aged less than 18):

I agree to my child or ward being supervised by the above signatory for the designated

activity.

Signature of Parent/Guardian Date

CAS Coordinator Approval: ________________ ____Date:_________________

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Letter to the IB CAS Activity Supervisor

Dear Activity Supervisor,

The International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma is a program of education held at upper-

secondary schools throughout the world. As a part of the IB diploma, students must complete a programme called CAS, which stands for Creativity, Action, Service.

The CAS program aims to provide the student with challenges in three areas:

Creativity. This covers a wide range of creative activities, including the arts, and creative-

thinking in planning and carrying out projects or in problem-solving. Action. This includes sports and other physical activities outside the normal curriculum in which the student experiences physical exertion.

Service. This entails doing things for others and with others, in a relationship of mutual respect and with no compensation.

The students should undertake each task with clear goals and with a responsible adult

supervisor. The students should not receive payment for these activities and they should not be assisting family members or relatives. If the student is already regularly involved in a sport, team, or artistic endeavor such as orchestra, then the student should be doing

activities extending beyond the normal routine, such as developing additional skills or skill levels as well as competing in a local, regional or national championship. At all times,

students should be looking to extend and “stretch” themselves, and, if you are their coach or art/music teacher, please have them communicate their goals with you.

Your cooperation as an activity supervisor would be greatly appreciated. Your understanding, support and guidance are important for the overall success of the young person in the

activity. As a supervisor, you will be asked to evaluate the student’s performance. In particular, you

will be asked to monitor the student’s attendance, provide guidance and support relating to the activity, alert the CAS coordinator of any problems, and report on the student’s performance.

Should you have any questions regarding the CAS Project, please contact the CAS Coordinator listed below, through their respective emails.

Thank you for your support.

With regards,

Donna Fernandez,dfernandez@navajoprep.com Navajo Prep CAS Coordinator

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IB CAS GETTING STARTED – CHECKLIST This following checklist should help you to get started your CAS journey at NPS. Sign your name in each box when you are sure that you fully understand the CAS Project.

I acknowledge the following: Sign once, initial

the rest! Date

I have carefully read through the information contained in this CAS handbook and I have fully understood the CAS requirements.

I know who my CAS Mentor is, the location of the CAS Mentors' office, and that I can always discuss CAS issues with my Mentor or a member of the Atsa Advisory Board.

I know that I am expected to self-initiate and self-direct a significant, enduring project that incorporates collaboration and at least two strands of creativity, activity, and service.

I am aware of the Atsa Timeline and I will follow it.

I need to complete a self-evaluation and activities / service inventory BEFORE beginning any CAS activities.

I need to develop my own CAS Plan that covers activities and projects for the year.

I know that I must try and maintain a balance between Creativity, Activity and Service.

My parents/guardians are informed of the CAS project and its requirements.

I will set goals for each activity and I will reflect carefully on the activities I undertake.

I must submit an Activity Proposal Form for pre-approval BEFORE undertaking any CAS activity that is not on the pre-approved list.

I have a responsible adult supervisor (not from my family) for each activity I undertake.

Supervisors known at this time have read A Letter to the Supervisor and agreed to perform any responsibility required.

I will maintain the provided log of my activities.

I will keep all the written records, photos, rosters, programs, videos, and newspaper or magazine clippings when possible.

I have copies, or know where to get copies, of all the necessary forms, including the mentor evaluation form.

I know that I must submit an official evaluation form at the completion of each activity I undertake.

I am aware that I must present my long-term CAS project and the ( 3 ) learner outcomes in my portfolio and final presentation.

I clearly understand without the satisfactory and timely completion of the CAS project, the NPS Diploma will not be awarded.

CAS MENTOR Signature to verify receipt Date: ______________

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STUDENT SAMPLE LETTER OF INTENT

P.O. Box 7705

Farmington, NM 87401 Your Address

September 25, 2014 Current Date

(Four to Seven Spaces)

Ms. Coordinator’s First & Last Name

Navajo Preparatory School

1220 West Apache Street

Farmington, NM 87401

(Double Space)

Dear IB Coordinator:

(Double space)

I have selected the subject of cartooning for my Senior Atsa’ Exhibition. I chose cartooning because I

have been interested in art since I first picked up a crayon in pre-school. My own drawings cover the

pages of my notebooks and my Spiderman looks as good as any printed in a comic book. Although I have

taken art in school, cartooning is only one area that we study and I would like to go further into studying

in this area. Eventually I would like to work for a studio such as Disney animation or have my own comic

strip featured in a newspaper.

(Double space between paragraphs—do not indent).

For my research I will investigate computer animation. I have heard that the artwork for new cartoon

movies such as Dinosaur is done by computer, and that many special effects in non-cartoon movies are

only illusions created by computer animation. I want to research how this is done. I will locate my

resources on the Internet and in the NPS library and possibly from interlibrary loans from other libraries

if necessary. I hope to go on line and interview someone at DreamWorks or Disney Studios. I also plan

to visit an art school at NAU in Flagstaff or at UNM to see how computer animated drawing is taught

there.

I do not have access to a computer animation software program at this time; however, my other cartoon

interest is newspaper cartoons. For my project I plan to develop my own cartoon strip and have it printed

in the NPS newspaper and possibly submit other cartoons to local papers such as the Daily Times and

Navajo Times. I will develop my own unique cartoon character and will have to invent interesting things

for the character to do and say that will interest all readers. I believe this will lead thinking more about

what readers want and like about comics. I am not sure of the cost yet, but they will include some special

pens and drawing papers. Also I have heard that there is a special paste-on material that cartoonists use

for shading because regular ink does not copy well onto newspaper pages. I do not know the cost or where

to buy it, but I like to try it.

I understand that plagiarism is copying someone else’s work and using it as my own. I also understand

that if I plagiarize any part of my research or project I will not pass the Exhibition requirement. I would

never risk my reputation or my graduation by doing that. I want to show my family, clan, and community

what I am capable of doing. In my research I will accurately cite and give credit to all my sources, and

work hard to make sure the work I present is all my own.

(Double Space)

Sincerely,

SIGNATURE

(Four Spaces)

(Printed name) Joe Yazzie

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OUTLINE OF PROJECT INFORMATION

I. Introduction, rationale for doing the project and background of previous experience.

Rationale- “Reasons: why, who, or what will help?”

Problem Statement- “What is being proven? Or

learned?”

Previous work in this area, describe background or

experience.

II. Project Description

Describe all the details and project plans. Describe EXACTLY what will be completed.

III. Project Goal(s)

The goal is a one sentence statement of what will be accomplished.

IV. Research and Project Relationship Description

Describe the research. How is the research and project related?

V. Time Line Monthly account of actions, phases from the beginning

of project to the end. VI. Resources

List people, money, equipment, and supplies required.

VII. Budget Necessary expenditures? How and where will expenses

be budgeted?

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Atsa Exhibition Parental Concurrence Form

As a parent/guardian of ____________________________________, a senior at Navajo

Preparatory School Inc., I am aware that my son/daughter must complete and

pass the Senior Atsa Exhibition during the school year 2014-2015 as a

graduation requirement of this school.

My child’s Atsa Exhibition Extended Essay/Research Topic is:

________________________________________________________________

Long Term Project: _______________________________________________

Short Term Project: _______________________________________________

Short Term Project: _______________________________________________

My student has my permission to complete this project, and I agree to release the school and its employees from all claims arriving from financial obligation, or damage, injury, or accident that might occur while my son/daughter participates in the project that he/she has chosen.

Parent/Guardian Print Name: ______________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________ Date: _________________________

Contact: ___________________________ Email: ______________________________

Student Signature: __________________________ Date: ________________________

Navajo Prep urges seniors to consider safety factor when selecting their project. The

Atsa Advisory Board must approve all exhibition projects and will not approve

activities that is determined dangerous or has the potential to violate school rules.

33

Student Evaluation of Mentor

This form is to be filled out by the senior student and this evaluation is to be handed in to the IB Coordinator.

Only the IB Coordinator & Dean of Instruction will read the answers so be as truthful as possible. In the

absence of a signature and date the evaluation will not be accepted. Additionally, one copy is to be filled out

on completion of the Atsa Exhibition Project. This copy becomes part of the Portfolio.

To the Student: An evaluation of the Mentor’s performance on the Senior Exhibition Portfolio is required.

Please answer the following questions based on your work with your Mentor.

Mentor’s Name: _______________________________________________________________________

1. Up to this point have you discussed both the long term and short term projects with your mentor on

a weekly basis? Yes___ No___

a. How many hours can you prove? ___________________

b. If you answered no, explain why you haven’t met weekly?

(Busy schedules or any answer involving sports is not acceptable)

2. What parts of the Atsa Exhibition has your Mentor assisted you in completing? Please Explain.

3. Were there any problems you and your Mentor encountered that may have hindered your Atsa

Exhibition? Please explain. (Busy schedules and being involved in sports are not acceptable

answers)

4. What is a highlight of your work thus far?

5. Did you and your Mentor spend a sufficient amount of time on your research paper? Who else

helped with your research paper completion?

6. Can your Mentor clearly tell others what your topic is and what your project is?

7. Have you shown your Mentor your finished project? Why or why not?

Student’s Printed Name: _____________________________________

Student’s Signature: ________________________________________ Date: ______________________

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Student Self-Evaluation Form

This document MUST BE TYPED IN A WORD DOCUMENT. Write the question, and then add

your answers. Handwritten answers will not be accepted.

Be sure that your work answers the questions completely. Remember the goal is to prove that you

completed your project on time. Give specific examples from your project experience. These self-

evaluation questions are based on the project grading rubric, and your answers will help those who are

grading your portfolio and project.

1. Date Long-Term Project started: ____________________

2. Date Long-Term Project completed: _________________

3. Estimated total hours spent on your Long-term Project activities and on the Research Paper.

4. Give specific examples of the activities you did to plan your project, carry out your project, and

reach its completion.

Planning stage activities:

Carrying out your project activities:

Final stages & completion activities:

5. Describe how your Long-Term project is unique (“Because no one else has done my topic” is not

an acceptable answer).

6. How did you decide on your topic?

7. List what resources you used (include people, mentor, places, and things). If you used an off

campus mentor/supervisor.

8. Discuss at least three problems you encountered in implementing your long-term project, and tell

how you overcame or solved these problems.

9. Using examples, specifically describe how your project was a learning stretch or personal risk.

10. Who has seen your complete project? (Your parents is not a sufficient answer)

11. Is your final project what you had originally envisioned in your Letter of Intent and Project

Outline? Why or why not?

12. Explain the evidence you have included in your portfolio.

13. Give yourself a letter grade and percentage. Then justify why you think you should receive this

grade.

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Mentor Verification Form of Senior Student

This form is to be filled out by the Mentor and will become part of the Exhibition Portfolio. If there is no

name, address, phone, or verification, the portfolio will not be considered complete.

To the Mentor: We need your professional input in order to fairly evaluate the student’s performance on the

Senior Exhibition Portfolio. Please answer the following questions based on your work with the senior you

mentored. A name, address, and email address are required.

Student’s Name: _______________________________________________________________________

*ATTACH THE MENTOR VERIFICATION FORM WITH THIS FORM UPON COMPLETION*

1. Can you verify that he/she spent adequate time on the projects? Yes __No ___

a. How many hours can you verify? ___________________

b. Please explain:

2. What was the long-term project the student completed? Is it what was originally planned?

3. Have you seen this long-term project at different stages of completion? Yes___ No___

a. Please Explain:

4. Have you seen the long-term project? Or evidence of their completion? Yes____ No____

a. If no, please explain.

5. What problems did the student have in completing the portfolio, and what methods or evidence of

problem solving did you observe?

6. What successes did you see the student achieve? What do you think are the highlights of the

student’s work?

7. What comments do you have about the student’s research paper or their writing process? Did they

spend a sufficient amount of time on the paper?

8. What if any difficulties did you face mentoring this student and their projects?

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CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE

Mentor Verification Form of Senior Student continued…

9. Based on what you observed in working with this student, please rate the student using the numbers 5 through 1 (5=highest,

1=lowest) on each of the items listed below. Write N/A if you did not observe the item or it is not applicable to the project.

____ Student took a learning risk. (Went beyond what was already known)

____ Students’ project is unique and well planned.

____ Student applied at least (3) Learner Outcomes

____ Student used a variety of resources.

____ Student maintained balance and perspective.

____ Student developed and stayed with a project plan and timeline.

____ Student worked to his/her best.

____ Student showed initiative and responsibility.

____ Student acted in a courteous and mature manner.

Total Score: __________

Average Score: _________ (Total divided by nine)

10. Please comment about anything else pertinent to this student’s project:

Mentor Name (Print): __________________________________________________

Mentor Signature: _____________________________________________________

Phone: ______________________________________

Email: _____________________________________

Date: _____________________________________

37

Mentor Verification Form (Please hand-in with Mentor Evaluation)

Please document all meetings including College Prep Hour in the grid below. Modify grid as needed.

Date Duration of Meeting Topic of Meeting, Comments &

Observations Mentor Signature

Date and

Time of

Dress

Rehearsal

with

Mentor

38

Atsa Work Day Request Form It is understood that seniors may need to work on their Atsa Experiences during the school week. This form must be filled out, handed in, AND APPROVED (3) days prior to any absences. Approved absences will be excused. If this form is handed in AFTER absences occur, even with a parent note, the absences will be unexcused. Absences will only be approved if there are no exams or project due dates in any of the student’s classes. Seniors may only miss up to (3) days OR (24) hours of school to work on their Atsa project during the entire school year.

I, ________________________ am requesting to be absent from campus to work on my Atsa project

on the following day(s) and time(s): ____________________________ at the following location(s):

_______________________________________________. I understand that any and all work for my

classes needs to be handed in before I leave.

Signatures must be gathered in the order listed and verified by date

Student Signature: ______________________________

Date:_________________________

Parent/Guardan Signature: ______________________________

PH #:_________________________

Date:_________________________

Teacher Verification: Only missed classes will need to sign this portion!

1st Period__________________________Date______________________

2nd Period__________________________Date______________________

3rd Period__________________________Date______________________

4th Period__________________________Date______________________

5th Period__________________________Date______________________

6th Period__________________________Date______________________

7th Period__________________________Date______________________

8th Period__________________________Date______________________

IB Coordinator Signature: _____________________________

Date: ________________________

Dean of Instruction Signature: ____________________________

Date: ________________________

CC: IB Coordinator, Registrar, Dean of Instruction