Capstone & Career & Life Connection

You may already know exactly what Capstone you wish to pursue or perhaps you’ve even started on one. If you have not, consider the following approach for brainstorming and selecting a topic. Remember, it should be something that you are passionate and excited about so that you will learn from the experience and have a great time doing it. The following steps are guidelines for brainstorming and selecting an exciting and interesting Capstone.

STEP 1: Generalize

In this step, determine a general area(s) of personal interest and future career opportunities.

• Subject area should be relatively broad and something you are interested in.

STEP 2: Narrow down the subject area

In this step, explore your general subject area to determine a specific area of interest

• Why does this subject area interest you?
• Does this subject area have long term/career interest?
• Do you have particular skills and/or knowledge already in this area that you are looking to expand?
• Are there people around you or that you have access to that may be interested in getting involved or assisting you?

STEP 3: Choose a topic within your subject area

In this step, consider your access to resources. Do you have access to what you will need to complete your Capstone project? The Capstone should stretch your abilities and create new learning opportunities, but it should not stress you out because you can’t get access to the resources you need to complete it.

• Do you have some general skills and/or knowledge in the topic?
• Will the topic challenge you? Is this challenge surmountable?
• If you believe your topic may include community service activities or an internship, do you have organizations or companies within your area that you can approach to work with?
• Do you have access to other individuals that may have some expertise in the topic area?

STEP 4: Choose a project

In this step, determine the best method to showcase the topic of your Capstone by reviewing the project types and examples below:

Consider the following:

Example 1

Step 1: Healthcare
Step 2: Nursing
Step 3: Student has taken several science classes including Human Anatomy and Physiology 12 and enjoys helping and supporting others.
Step 4: Student spends time assisting an elderly family member with care (Service Learning).

Example 2

Step 1: Architecture
Step 2: Modern Design and Construction
Step 3: Student has always enjoyed or been drawn to this particular design of buildings. Perhaps the student is an artist, or may have even taken classes where they have been introduced to design and build software.
Step 4: Designing and building a model of a small private residence using modern architecture design techniques. (Create and Build)

Examples of Investigate and Report

• Do post-secondary graduates make more money than people who do not attend post-secondary school?
• Do our grocery stores allow us to truly eat a local diet?
• Can technology in the classroom lead to higher grades for struggling learners?
• Do outdoor recreation opportunities lead to more environmentally focused citizens?
• Does the length or shape of your skateboard affect your ability to do tricks?
• Does social media affect how we feel shame?
• Do geese populations negatively impact the water quality of Nicola Lake?
• Do SAD (seasonal affective disorder) lights have a positive impact on a person’s mood?
• Do pre-workout powders give one more energy when working out?
• Are there ghosts that haunt a local building?

Examples of Service Learning Capstone

• Entertainment Event
• Special Awareness Day/Week
• Educational Event
• Sport Event
• Fundraising Event
• Online Event

Examples of Create and Build/Create and Express/Connect and Collaborate

• Build a bike trail
• Write, act, direct, produce a play that you wrote
• Write a play to spread awareness of the LGBTQ+ challenges
• Produce a school magazine or newspaper
• Choreograph a routine
• Build a piece of furniture to donate
• Develop a computer program or video game
• Plan and create a five course meal
• Learn a new genre of music on your guitar
• Write a family history and present as an art piece
• Build a greenhouse for the use of your community food bank
• Apprentice with an elementary teacher and teach a lesson to the class

Examples of Entrepreneurial Capstone

• Develop and execute a tutoring program
• Establish a teen coffeehouse as a way to share poetry
• Have an ice cream cart during sporting events
• Create a free coupon app for smart phones
• Day camp for pets
• Personal shopping services for seniors
• Use recycled materials for clothing/shoes
• Labels that allow parents to find lost toys and clothing via online tracking

The final phase of the Capstone Project is the presentation. Your presentation will serve to further explain your project. In select circumstances, your presentation can be done via recorded video or live via virtual conference (Safety, necessary equipment cannot be brought to the school, student is at home due to enhanced COVID-19 risks). Please consider inviting your parents, mentor, or community individual to be part of your presentation if it can be done safely.

Time

You should plan to explain your project to the attendees in 5 to 10 minutes in length. You should also be prepared to answer questions afterwards.

Professionalism

Appearance: you should be dressed appropriately for your presentation. Your dress and personal appearance are an important part of the presentation. It will show preparedness to enter the working world and is a part of the scoring rubric.

Presentation

Whatever your method of presentation, you should begin by introducing yourself and your Capstone Project. Your goal is to provide the audience with a clear and concrete sense of what you did and what you gained from the experience.

• Have a recognizable introduction and conclusion
• Explain why you choose your particular Capstone
• Describe the content of your research, project, or event
• How was your project a challenge for you, and how did it stretch or enhance your skills and knowledge?
• Include audio/visual aids (poster, pictures, Power Point, Prezi, video, musical performance, demonstration, etc.) that will help your audience better understand what you learned from your Capstone Project.
• If your project resulted in an actual product, this product or pictures of the product need to be part of your presentation.
• Connect your Capstone to future plans including Career aspirations.

The last requirement of the Capstone Project is to reflect on the process by answering 10 questions. These questions can be answered through the presentation itself, asked of you at the end of the presentation, or written and submitted to your myBlueprint Portfolio.

Required Questions:

1. How is your project relevant to you?
2. What skills do you feel you have mastered? Which do you need to still work on?
3. What impact did your capstone project have?
4. Thinking about the whole process and your finished product, what are you most proud of?
5. What was a difficulty you encountered and how did you solve the problem?
6. What is one thing about your finished project you wish you could change? Why?
7. What advice would you give to a student who will be completing their Capstone Project next year?
8. What source (research/mentor/prior learning, etc) helped you the most?
9. How effectively did the presentation method you chose work for presenting your project in a clear and engaging manner? Why was it effective? Would you change your presentation method now if you could? Why?
10. What is one thing about your approach to your project that you wish you could change? Why?

• It’s not as overwhelming as it seems. Many times, the Capstone can be something that you are already doing and working on.
• For those interested, you can present your Capstone in junction with the District Dogwood Scholarship.
• Make sure you are connecting with Mr. Andersen frequently. I have lots of ideas to help you get started.
• Capstone is due by the end of May but don’t wait until May to get this completed!