The Community Awareness Program: English IV

2013-2014

The community awareness program or C.A.P. is designed to encourage students to take an active role in bettering the local and global society in which they live. It is designed to give the individuals of Lancaster a chance to experience, first hand, the positive impact they can have on the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. Students who take this opportunity seriously will benefit: socially, morally and academically. We look forward to supporting, encouraging and assisting these individuals in the aforementioned endeavor.

Community Awareness Project

Hours/Writing Component

Throughout your TWENTY, required community service hours, you will be required to reflect on the time that was volunteered. The writing component is a mandatory part of the CAP assignment. It will be compiled into a portfolio at the end of the school year, and turned in as part of your fourth quarter grade and your entire exam grade, which equates to more than 20% of your cumulative average. This writing component will be a combination of personal reflection supported by academic research, utilizing either the MLA or APA guidelines for proper citation and formatting for the aforementioned research. Each quarter there will be hours and an accompanying paper due, which will be worth 100 points, for each of the first three quarters. By the beginning of the fourth quarter, each student will have submitted proof of all 20 hours of volunteer service, along with a completed portfolio.

Community Awareness Code Of Conduct

You are a representative of: the Lancaster Central School District, Lancaster High School and your family. ANY insubordination, disrespectful behavior, dishonesty or immaturity, on your part, will result in immediate removal from the program and the subsequent academic penalties associated with the aforementioned.

 All hours completed after September 4, 2013must be completed through: the attached list of volunteer organizations, Ugive.org, established service organizations in the community (i.e. Churches, food pantry’s etc.) or service based school functions, which take place after school or on the weekends and adhere to all of the organizations’ guidelines for volunteering. This is a service based project, not one where you volunteer for a place who will gain financially through your help, assistance or volunteerism.

PART I: Reflection Papers: One paper is Required Each Of The Three Quarters –

Post Volunteer Essays: Due: The 9th Week of each quarter; you will be made aware of the specific date by your English teacher. Your paper must accompany the assigned hours for each quarter; the minimum number of hours MUST BE four.

This paper will be written after you have completed AT LEAST FOUR hours of approved volunteer work. You will be required to write a reflection/research piece, upon completion of the four newservice hours; the due dates will be at the teacher’s discretion, but will always be the beginning of the ninth week of all three quarters.

All of your papers will follow ONE of the following formats. You must choose a different “set” of questions, for each quarter. Choose your “set”/”format” based on what that volunteer opportunity best matches which set of questions. This format helps those students who choose to complete all of their volunteer hours with the same organization because each of the three papers that you will write will reflect different information, based on the sets of questions that you answer.

Each of the three essaysMUST INCLUDE OR BE:

 Two pages, double spaced, 12 point Times New Roman Font and be properly formatted using either MLA or APA.

  • The name of the establishment where you volunteered.
  • Two or more, fewer than three line quotes, with proper in text citations which reflect information that is relevant to the “set” of questions you are answering.

Here are the THREE DIFFERENT “sets” of questions for you to choose from. Keep this in mind…you MUST choose a different “set”/group of questions to answer, each of the three quarters. Due to the nature of the questions being asked, you may use the word “I” in the essays. HOWEVER, in your final, thesis/research paper, you may NOT use the words: “I”, “Me”, “You”, “Your”, etc. Make sure that you keep your papers and keep track of which format you’ve used.

GROUP/SET A:

  • What is the historical impact of the establishment(s) where you volunteered? What does the establishment do? Why was this establishment started, and when? How did this establishment become so successful? Why is the agency necessary? What positive benefits have come from this establishment in people’s lives and in the community? What is the economic base for this establishment’s survival? How was this information valuable with respect to your actual volunteer hours? Were you aware of/familiar with this organization and their impact on the community, before you volunteered? If so, how and why?

GROUP/SET B:

  • Specifically, what did you do, during your volunteer hours? What were the specific tasks assigned to you? Give a description of the work that you completed at the establishment. What was the specific impact that your presence had on the people and establishment? What did you learn, from the volunteer work which you completed for the hours you were there? What did you learn, as a result of completing these specific hours of volunteer work? Do you believe that anyone learned anything or gained anything from having gotten to work with you, during these service hours?

GROUP/SET C:

In what specific ways did this project/this set of volunteer hours make an impact on you? What were some of the specific challenges or obstacles that you were faced with while volunteering? What were some of the successes that you faced while volunteering? What specific classes, experiences, both life, extra-curricular and school classes and content helped prepare you for this project/these service hours?

The purpose of these response papers is to validate your ability to complete your responsibilities, to reflect on the value of your time and commitment to the organization and to convey your best thoughts, reflections and efforts in a succinct and academic forum. If you utilize proper academic resources and information from them, they may help to drive the content of your Final/Research Component of the Final Portfolio, which is your Final Exam in English IV.

PART II: Final Thesis: Due the Week of April 21, 2014

This essay will be contained within a professional looking portfolio.

The Final Essay will be a researched based thesis paper regarding a: principal, theme, or unit of study, learned throughout your volunteering. For example: In assisting those less fortunate, people gain a greater understanding of themselves, which is otherwise unavailable, if not for this volunteer opportunity. This “Final Thesis” must be three – four pages typed, Times New Roman, font size 12, follow the guidelines associated with writing a proper thesis paper, and include either new or previously obtained data to support your argument: NO exceptions! You MUST use FOUR pieces of research that support your above convictions. You may utilize your quarterly research, from the other essays that you have written for each quarter or new research.

Failure to complete this writing component will result in failure of the CAP assignment and as a result, English IV, due to the fact that if a student receives less than a 55% on an exam, they automatically fail the course. While writing your Final Reflection, you must include the following points:

 A thesis driven argument illustrating a: principal, theme, or unit of study learned

throughout your volunteering.

You may want to consider the following questions when writing your research paper; however, keep in mind that you MAY NOT use words such as: “You”, “I”, “Your”, “Me”, etc. so make sure that you don’t write it as a REFLECTION piece.

  • What was learned from this CAP experience?
  • What impact did you make on the people that you worked with, and also on the establishment? Explain.
  • In what way(s) did this experience make you a better person? Explain.
  • How will you apply what you have learned while working at this placement to future employment, and how will experience effect your future?

All portions of the project will be graded according to a rubric which will be given later in the year. All writing will be graded based on content, fluency, punctuation and grammar, and of course, the academic honesty policy stated below.

ACADEMIC HONESTY: (Plagiarism/Cheating)

Students at Lancaster High School are expected to take responsibility for their conduct in both their social and academic actions. Academic honesty requires that students turn in work that is their own and shows their best effort. Academic dishonesty would include cheating or plagiarism.

Part III: Cross Curricular Projects: Due the Week of April 21, 2014. This, too, will be contained within the same, professional looking portfolio.

Extension projects to connect service learning with multiple disciplines. All participants MUST submit one element from one of the following disciplines OR discuss with your individual English teacher a “proposed” Cross Curricular Project that you have interest in completing. This proposal MUST BE approved by the English IV team, before permission will be granted. Therefore, DO NOT procrastinate about developing an idea or posing it to your teacher, as the entire “team” must approve it.

ARTS:

A. Photo Gallery:

Compile a collection of mounted photographs that are reflective of your experience during your project. This should be a relatively extensive selection of photos. It should speak to a multi-layered view of the organization you worked with, and your reflections on how your time there impacted both the community and yourself.

B. Poster Board:

Create a collage, either paper or graphically, to represent your project experience. Include words and images that reflect the nature of the organization that you worked with, as well as your own unique involvement. This should include personal pictures and volunteer experiences, not merely items that you printed and then glued to a piece of paper. Thorough considerationshould be given to both the way that you were able to make an impact and how the experience impacted you. Planning should go into this so that you have original work/pictures to include.

SOCIAL STUDIES:

A. Democratic Term Reflection:

Consider how your experience relates to one of the following terms: justice, diversity, democracy or disadvantaged. Write a one-page reflection on how the term connects. Focus especially on how our American society is still a “work in progress,” and our role in bridging the gap between democratic ideals and the reality of life in our community and country.

B. Interview (primary source):

Arrange an interview with a director at one of your organizations. Create a list of questions that will allow you to get to know the program from the perspective of someone who is highly involved and knowledgeable about the cause. Consider the following in formulating your own questions:

When and why was the organization founded? How does it impact our community? Who does it serve? Is it privately or publicly funded? In what ways can members of the community be involved? Why did he or she choose to become involved?

Your interview may be submitted in written or recorded format (with permission).

MATHEMATICS/BUSINESS:

A. Fund Raising Development:

Develop a financial goal based on current needs of one of your organization s (speak with a director to determine what their current goals or initiatives are). Then, create a plan to raise a specific dollar amount, including a projection of when you should meet your goal. Include your target audience and your fund raising method. Present your plan in a formal proposal, including a graph or chart to show your projected short and long term progress toward that goal.

B. Statistics:

Research local and national statistics on the social issue connected to one of the organizations that you’ve worked with. Create a presentation to display these statistics in a manner that will be revelatory to your audience and will garner support for your cause.

CAP AND “TRANSITION PROGRAM” PARTNERSHIP

The Transition Program staff will be available to assist and support 11th and 12th graders complete the requirements of the Community Awareness Program. This support can be accessed by student request or teacher referral. There are two teachers, on staff, who are able to and willing to assist students: Ms. Grant and Ms. Machnica. Students will be provided with individualized support, only using what they need. Supports include:

Securing the placement (linkage) with U-Give or other acceptable agencies

Assisting with transportation problems

Brainstorming alternatives when transportation isn’t available

Support for students struggling on site

Point Breakdown for the Project:

1st Quarter: 100pts towards your quarterly average, includes the paper and proof of hours.

2ndQuarter: 100pts towards your quarterly average, includes the paper and proof of hours

3rd Quarter: 100pts towards your quarterly average, includes the paper and proof of hours.

4th Quarter: 200pts = 100 pts toward your fourth quarter average and the remaining will represent your final exam grade; this includes the final, professional looking portfolio and all of the required contents.

Your completed project must be submitted in a three-ring binder/ portfolio, with each entry either laminated or encased in a transparent sleeve to ensure its professional appearance. The aforementioned will also prepare participants for the desired portfolios necessary to obtain jobs in the competitive workforce environment they will soon be entering. Finally, each participant must earn a collective score, based on the following rubric, of three or better to receive a passing grade for the English IV exam.

CAP “Alternative” Research Paper

In the event that you choose not to participate in the community awareness project, you will be responsible for completing a ten-page research paper at the end of the school year with the following requirements.

  1. You will forfeit 100 points a quarter as outlined in the course description guide and this project packet.
  2. Complete a thesis driven research paper to demonstrate their ability to write, research, and communicate their ideas in a manner, which will make them marketable in the current post high school climate.
  3. Individuals will choose one of the prompts from the attached list of possible arguments regarding the issues of: race and ethnicity, multiculturalism or diversity, or education that will be distributed the week of May 13th, four weeks prior to the last day of classes, to develop their thesis statement and paper.
  4. Students will then properly implement eight different academic resources to support their position on the aforementioned argument.
  5. Students will submit their completed paper to their assigned English IV instructor on June 10th, the last day of classes, electronically. Failure to meet the deadline will result in an automatic 0 for your final exam grade, thus making graduation in June impossible.
  6. All papers must argue one position of their chosen argument.
  7. Papers will follow the guidelines of proper thesis writing as modeled throughout the year which include but are not limited to: refraining from using the words “I” or “You”, utilize proper in text citation, no quotes longer than three lines, 12 point Times Roman Font and the entirety of your paper must adhere to current MLA/APA format as outlined on the Purdue Online Writing Lab at .

English IV Final Evaluation Contract

I (Student’s Name Printed) ______agree to complete the: Career/Transitions Project ______CAP project ______Research Paper____ (you may only pick one and will be held responsible for all of the requirements of your choice) and all of its components outlined in this packet and below for my English IV final evaluation. Further, I have discussed/reviewed the aforementioned with my parent/guardian and commit to the accolades and consequences associated with my effort/actions involved with my chosen evaluation method.

Brief Synopsis Of Evaluation Requirements (A Full Description Can Be Found Within The Attached Packet):

Career/Transitions Project Overview:

  1. Ten hours of shadowing/ mentoring a trained professional in your area of interest after school hours with proper documentation.
  2. A two page, double spaced, proposal of the research you wish to pursue. Due the ninth week of the first academic quarter.
  3. Verification of completed hours is due by the ninth week of the second quarter for 50 points. Students will also be required to submit a reading list that indicates the use of three primary and three secondary sourcesthey plan to read and study for their project with their hour verification sheet by the ninth week of the second quarter for 50 points.
  4. Participants will be required to submit three pages of their final paper for teacher’s suggestions. The rough draft must include the use of three pieces of research, and clearly illustrate the direction of the paper and the writers’ argument. This will be due the ninth week of the third quarter for 100 points.
  5. Completion of the 6-8 page research paper, with proper citations, due the week of April 23. All of the aforementioned will be submitted in a three ring binder the week of April 23, 2014

Cap Project Overview: