Download a printable copy of the calendar here: tinyurl.com/2020-cal-v2.
Week One | 4/27–5/1
You will use this week to transition into the Final Project, which is explained in full in an instructional post and document that will be available on April 27.
After reading that post, wrap up any other ongoing projects. That does not necessarily mean abandoning them! You can use them as part of the Final Project, submit them as part of your project-based learning evidence for Q4, or continue them because they matter to you.
One of the goals for this week is to remind you that these last six week of your high school career are an opportunity to create something meaningful. It is the most important goal, in fact.
To do much of anything meaningful, you must have a solid understanding of what is required and the timeline for completing it. This calendar is an overview. The instructional post is also required.
Starting with Week Two, you’ll be focused on the final project.
Week Two | 5/4–5/8
Final Project: Step #1 | Choosing a Topic
Even if you already had a project underway, you will work on this. You’ll consider other options, get feedback, revise what you have, and so on.
Use this week to sort through the work you’ve done this semester with the end goals of the Final Project in mind. What do you have that will help you the most? What will contribute to the best process and product?
You will be given plenty of examples of atypical projects this week — everything from podcasts to video essays. You’ll be asked to read, watch, and analyze some of those examples in order to decide what you will create.
By the time you get to the start of Week Three, you should have a solid idea of where you’ll end up by June 5.
Week Three | 5/11–5/15
Final Project: Step #2 – Step #3 | Research & Purpose
You will be given a Google Form and Classroom assignment on May 11. You’ll need to submit your statement of purpose and evidence of your research. This will be due on May 15.
This week is also about potential design elements, potential final forms, and a potential audience for your project. You should be collaborating as often as possible with your peers and teachers to arrive at the crux of this project — its reason for being, in essence.
The statement of purpose will match the ones taught before March 12, and the research evidence will match the kind of evidence you usually submit to prove your reading and writing.
You’ll continue this work into Week Four.
Week Four | 5/18–5/22
Final Project: Step #4 – Step #5 | Research & Design
Your statement of purpose should lead immediately into the design stage. You’ll need lots of feedback and redirection to produce the script, blueprint, etc, required here.
You will be given a second Google Form and Classroom assignment on May 18. You’ll need to submit evidence of further research, as stipulated in the guide to this project, and then a final script, blueprint, etc. This will be due on May 22.
There will be a separate assignment posted to Turnitin.com on Monday, May 18. You’ll need to submit your written design(s) there to check your originality.
Week Five | 5/25–5/29
Final Project: Step #6 | The Final Project
You must complete your project this week or next. You’ll be responsible for an asynchronous submission, which means you will not be presenting live. Whatever you record, write, publish, etc, will be handed in when its ready.
You will also share the work in the way that makes the most sense. We’ll expand the list of options as we go, and it will help to think divergently about your audience. Should you publish what you write? Share out a video through social media? Post a link to a website or YouTube channel?
There are many, many more options. You might choose to do something live, using Zoom or another tool to host a discussion. You might use social media as the basis of the project itself — a gallery through Instagram, for instance. Perhaps you’ll share your work through Reddit and then document the results in an essay.
You will be given a third Google Form and Classroom assignment on May 25. You’ll be required to submit the final project through this form, solving any problems that arise with your teacher’s help.
Note that you have two weeks to submit a project. The deadline is June 5, so work on the projects can continue into Week Six.
Week Six | 6/1–6/5
Final Project: Step #6 | The Final Project (Cont.)
This will be the second week of sharing out what you’ve created, with a deadline of June 5 for most students. Any exceptions to that deadline will be determined this week. Remember that individualizing this process is down to you.
One of the goals of these two weeks is to shine a spotlight on your projects, so you should start thinking about the community around us, from Brewster to the wider world. Does your project lend itself to a larger stage? How can you connect your work with more people?
All of this will be done at your discretion, based on your wishes and needs. The academic requirement for English 12 will remain the formal assignment that was distributed on May 25. The deadline for submitting work will be June 5.
Once you’ve shared and celebrated your projects, you’ll move into the last step of the process.
Week Seven | 6/8–6/12
Final Project: Step #7 | Assessment & Reflection
Note that we’ll use this week to wrap up any remaining projects. The academic work is self-assessment and reflection, and it can be done as soon as you receive the assignment.
The formal assignment will be given in two parts: an online form and an essay prompt. The online form will ask you to self-assess the process and product created for your Final Project. The essay prompt will ask you to turn that analysis into a piece of writing.
You will be given the final Google Form and Classroom assignment on June 8. You’ll have until June 12 to finish both parts of this step.
The last day for most students is June 25, regardless of how long distance learning continues. For seniors, however, the last day is Monday, June 15.
The Last Day | 6/15
This will be our last day together, and we’ll use it to recognize the impact of some of the best projects created during the previous seven weeks.