Personal Project Process

Journal

Name:
 Journal Prompts
The following pages are to guide you through the initial steps of creating your Personal Project. Three criteria
(Planning, Applying Skills, and Reflecting) must be covered in your final project report, and these journal
prompts will ensure you’re evaluating areas that should be addressed.

Criterion A: Planning
Journal Prompt #1 Date:
From your list of interests, brainstorm a list of three things you want to learn more about. Why do you want to
learn more about them?

Things I want to learn more about Why I want to learn more about them

Journal Prompt #2 Date:

Identify one of the ideas from Journal Prompt #1 that you most want to develop into a personal project.

The topic I will investigate for my personal project is:

What makes this project personal to me? I have chosen this topic because:
 Journal Prompt #3 Date:
Identify a realistic format of what you want to create for your project. Here are some examples of possible
projects:
● an original work of art ● a blueprint or ● a fundraiser
architectural drawing
● a model ● a film or
● an essay some other
● a business plan
● a novel artistic work
● a campaign
● a sports clinic

For my final product, I want to create/develop/organize a .

Briefly describe your product/outcome. What is your vision? Why did you choose to express your learning
through your chosen product/outcome? Note: This may change along the way, and that is okay.

Journal Prompt #4: Choosing a Supervisor Date:

At this point, you will need to find a supervisor to guide you during this process. Any teacher, administrator,
counselor, or staff member can be your supervisor. The supervisor you choose does not need to have expertise
in the topic you’ve chosen, though they may. They just need to be willing to help you through the research and
action process. You can select your own supervisor, but if you have difficulty doing so, feel free to contact the IB
Office.

Make a list of three possible supervisors:

1.
2.
3.
After you have asked a supervisor and he/she has agreed to serve in this role, fill in their name on the bottom
of the Personal Project Proposal form and ask them to sign the form. If your supervisor is at Therrell, you may
attach a copy of an email stating that they said they will be your supervisor.

If you do not find one, a supervisor will be assigned to you.

You’ll be required to have five meetings with your supervisor.

 Journal Prompt #5 Date:
Define your learning goal for this project. What do you hope to learn regarding your project? How does the
product/outcome you’ve chosen align with your learning goal?

Journal Prompt #6 Date:

What makes your learning goal a highly challenging one for you?

Journal Prompt #7 Date:

How do your personal interests influence your goal?

Journal Prompt #8 Date:

What relevant prior knowledge do you have that relates to your project, if any? How might this subject-specific
learning and the transfer of this learning impact your project?
 Journal Prompt #9: Beginning Your Research Date:
As you begin your project, prior knowledge will influence your work. However, you must show evidence of new
learning throughout your project. Prior knowledge alone is not enough. Therefore, research will be necessary
for your project’s process.

What kind of research will you be doing in connection with your topic?

Journal Prompt #10 Date:

What are you hoping to learn as a result of your research?
 Journal Prompt #11: Reflecting on your future steps Date:
Evaluate the research that you did. Write a paragraph explaining your goal and action plan that you will
implement in the next phase of your project based on the information that you found. Identify the materials you
will need and the amount of time you anticipate it will take to reach your goal. Also, reflect on your performance
so far. What has made you proud? What do you need to work harder on?

I will need the following materials:

I believe it will take days/weeks/months to reach my goal.

I am most proud of the following:

I need to work on the following:

Journal Prompt #12: Steps to Completion Date:

Make a list of steps you would need to take to achieve this (note that this can change as you move forward, and
that is okay). In order to create this project, I will need to...
Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:
*Continue to add as many steps as you need to achieve your goal. You can add additional pages to your
Process Journal, if necessary.
 Journal Prompt #13: Develop Success Criteria Date:
Knowing what you want to accomplish is a crucial step to achieving your goal. You must define realistic criteria to
measure the quality of your project’s final outcome or product. Complete the following sentence starter at least
three times (more is fine), to develop your initial success criteria. For example, if you were holding a fundraising
event, one success criterion might be, “My fundraiser will be a success if I raise 5000 INR.”

1. My project will be a success if

2. My project will be a success if

3. My project will be a success if

As you do more research on your topic, you may end up changing your Success Criteria. That is okay.

Journal Prompt #14 Date:

Why did you select these success criteria?

Journal Prompt #15 Date:

What makes your criteria challenging?
 Journal Prompt #16 Date:
What do you think your biggest challenge will be? What are some strategies you can use to overcome these
challenges?
AtL skill area = Self-management (resilience)

Journal Prompt #17 Date:

AtL skill area = Self-management (organization)
How are you going to organize your time to complete your project?
 Journal Prompt #18: Developing a Plan for Action Date:
ATL skill area = Self-management (organization)
Please note that this plan can change. The goal is to get an idea of the steps you need to accomplish your goal.
Your timeline may be different depending on when you start your project.

Month Week Focus/Steps Activities

1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4

Journal Prompt #19 Date:

ATL skill area = Self-management (organization)
What is your plan for meeting your deadlines?
 Journal Prompt #20 Date:
ATL skill area = Self-management (organization)
What is your plan for carving out time to work on the project? Consider using Lunch & Learn.

Journal Prompt #21 Date:

Blend all the notes you wrote above into several paragraphs which will ultimately become the rough draft for the
Planning section (criterion A) of your project report. As this will become part of your final report, you may want
to complete this prompt in your Google Drive.

Your completed paragraphs:

Criterion B: Applying Skills- Throughout your project, you need to collect evidence of how you
have applied the Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills to your project.

Journal Prompt #22: Planning for Research Date:

The number and type of resources will vary depending upon the nature of your project; however, to reach
the highest achievement level, you must select a range of sources and a variety of source types. Your ability
to evaluate the reliability of sources should be developed through the ATL skills of Information and Media
Literacy Skills.

Identify at least 5 different sources you will use to find information. These may include books, works of art,
databases, magazine articles, audio, people, etc. Visit your local public library. The reference librarians there can
help you. The Media Specialist can also support you.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Journal Prompt #23 Date:

At a minimum, you must find 5 RELIABLE sources of information during the research process. Identify each source
in your Process Journal and write a few sentences explaining why this is a reliable source. You may use the table
below as a template. The sources can be from a variety of places (websites, books, interviews, magazines, etc.).
The Media Specialist can help you. So can the reference librarians at your local public library.

Questions to guide your research:

● Is the information from this source reliable? Is the information accurate?
● Is the information current or still valuable if it is older?
● Does the information connect clearly with the global context I chose?
● Does the information link to my goal?
● Will the information help me to develop my action plan?
Source #1

Title: Author: Date Published: Publisher Location:

Type of source: book website interview video other (list)

Information learned from this source:

Why is this source particularly useful?

Why is this source reliable?

Source #2

Title: Author: Date Published: Publisher Location:

Type of source: book website interview video other (list)

Information learned from this source:

Why is this source particularly useful?

Why is this source reliable?

Source #3
 Title: Author: Date Published: Publisher Location:

Type of source: book website interview video other (list)

Information learned from this source:

Why is this source particularly useful?

Why is this source reliable?

Source #4

Title: Author: Date Published: Publisher Location:

Type of source: book website interview video other (list)

Information learned from this source:

Why is this source particularly useful?

Why is this source reliable?

 Source #5

Title: Author: Date Published: Publisher Location:

Type of source: book website interview video other (list)

Information learned from this source:

Why is this source particularly useful?

Why is this source reliable?

Journal Prompt #24: Information and Media Literacy Date:

One of the areas you’re evaluated on in Criteria B is Research Skills (Information and Media Literacy). Write a
paragraph about how you’ve collected information, and used the information to further your project or increase
your understanding of your topic. Each project is different, so don’t be concerned if all skills don’t pertain to your
project. You might want to review the individual ATL research skills on pages 29.
 Journal Prompt #25: Developing a Plan for Action Date:
What organizational skills will help you implement your action plan? (Examples might include time
management, workload management, prioritizing, etc.). Consider using page 28 to help you.

Journal Prompt #26: Self-management skills Date:

One of the areas you’re evaluated on for Criterion B is Self-Management (Organizational skills, Affective skills
[perseverance, self-motivation, resilience] and Reflection skills). Write a paragraph for each about how you’ve
demonstrated these attributes. Each project is different, so don’t be concerned if all skills don’t pertain to
your project. Also, you’ll need to provide evidence of this ATL area. Select and list at least three pieces of
evidence for the ATL area “Self-management” from your process journal.
 Journal Prompt #27 Communication skills Date:
One of the areas you’re evaluated on for Criterion B is Communication (through interaction and through
language). Write a paragraph for each about how you’ve demonstrated these skill areas. Each project is
different, so don’t be concerned if all skills don’t pertain to your project.

Journal Prompt #28 Social skills Date:

One of the areas you’re evaluated on for Criterion B is Social Skills (i.e. collaboration). Write a paragraph for each
about how you’ve demonstrated these skill areas. Each project is different, so don’t be concerned if all skills
don’t pertain to your project. Also, you’ll need to provide evidence of this ATL area. Select and list at least three
pieces of evidence for the ATL area “Social Skills” from your process journal.
 Journal Prompt #29 Research skills Date:
One of the areas you’re evaluated on for Criterion B is Research(information and media literacy skills). Write a
paragraph for each about how you’ve demonstrated these skill areas. Each project is different, so don’t be
concerned if all skills don’t pertain to your project. Also, you’ll need to provide evidence of this ATL area. Select
and list at least three pieces of evidence for the ATL area “Research Skills” from your process journal.

Journal Prompt #30 Communication skills Date:

One of the areas you’re evaluated on for Criterion B is Thinking (critical, creative and transfer). Write a paragraph
for each about how you’ve demonstrated these skill areas. Each project is different, so don’t be concerned if all
skills don’t pertain to your project. Also, you’ll need to provide evidence of this ATL area. Select and list at least
three pieces of evidence for the ATL area “Communication Skills” from your process journal.

Journal Prompt #31: Process Reflection Date:

How did you use your communication skills when meeting with your supervisor?

Jo
Journal Prompt #32 Date:
Blend all the notes you wrote above into several paragraphs which will ultimately become the Applying Skill
section of your project report. As this will become part of your final report, you may want to complete this
prompt in your Google Drive.

Your completed paragraphs:

Criterion C: Reflecting
Now that you have completed your product/outcome, it is time to reflect on the impact of your
project on you and on your learning and to evaluate your project and your journey.

Journal Prompt #33 New learnings/ideas Date:

How does your product/outcome reflect new ideas or different perspectives?

Journal Prompt #34 Date:

What new understandings did you gain from your research?

Journal Prompt #35: Process Reflection Date:

Do you have to make any changes to your goal? If so, what changes will you make? Why?
 Journal Prompt #36 Date:
How have you met your goals? Use the success criteria you created (see prompt #13 on page 6) and write about
whether or not you meet the criteria you chose for your project.

Journal Prompt #37 Date:

What was your biggest challenge?

Journal Prompt #38 Date:

What happened that you did not anticipate?

Journal Prompt #39 Date:

Compare what your original action plan (check back on what you wrote under criterion A - prompt # on
page?) was to what really happened as you progressed in your Personal Project journey.

My plan was (what you planned to do, not what actually

happened) Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
*include as many steps as you needed.
 Description of the Process
This is what really happened, not necessarily what you planned to do.
Step 1 What I did: Date:

My reason for doing this:

Step 2 What I did: Date:

My reason for doing this:

Step 3 What I did: Date:

My reason for doing this:

Step 4 What I did: Date:

My reason for doing this:

Step 5 What I did: Date:

My reason for doing this:

This was the best way to achieve my goal because

 Journal Prompt #40 Date:
Who influenced the ways in which you researched and created the final action plan? How did they help you?

Journal Prompt #41 Date:

How successful was your action plan? How do you know? What are you proud of?

Journal Prompt #42 Date:

What decisions did you make throughout your Personal Project journey? Were your decisions appropriate for
your chosen project? Why or why not?
 Journal Prompt #43 Date:
How successful was your action plan? How do you know? What are you proud of?

Journal Prompt #44 Date:

What did you do to ensure you would achieve your goals?
 Journal Prompt #45 Date:
Choose your three best sources of information and identify what you learned as you researched your project.

What did you learn from source #1? How did this help you create your final product?

What did you learn from source #2? How did this help you create your final product?

What did you learn from source #3? How did this help you create your final product?

Journal Prompt #46 Date:

What did you learn about yourself during the personal project journey?

Journal Prompt #47 Date:

One of the areas you’re evaluated on for Criterion D is your reflections on your development as an IB learner.
How did your IB Learner Profile attributes (see page 32 for a list) develop as a result of this project? You
probably won’t talk about all ten attributes. Just select those that apply.
 Journal Prompt #48 Date:
How did what you have learned in school inspire you to create this particular project?

Journal Prompt #49 Date:

Blend all the notes you wrote above into several paragraphs which will ultimately become the Reflecting
section of your project report.

As this will become part of your final report, you may want to complete this prompt in your Google Drive.

Your completed paragraphs:

 Personal Project Assessment Criteria
Please see Command Term Definitions for clarification of required work
7-8 5-6 3-4 0-2

You are able to: You are able to: You are able to: You are able to:
i. states a learning goal and i. states a learning i. states a learning goal i. states a learning goal
explains the connection goal and and outlines the ii. states their
between personal describes the connection between intended product
interest(s) and that goal connection personal interest(s) iii. presents a plan that
ii. states their between personal and that goal is superficial or that
intended product and interest(s) and that ii. states their intended is not focused on a
Criterion presents multiple goal product and presents product.
A: appropriate, detailed basic success criteria
ii. states their intended
Plannin success criteria for the for the product
product and
g product presents multiple iii. presents a plan for
iii. presents a appropriate achieving the product
detailed plan for success criteria for and some of its
achieving the product the product associated success
and all of its associated iii. presents a detailed criteria.
success criteria. plan for achieving the
product and most of
its associated
success
criteria.
You are able to: You are able to: You are able to: You are able to:
i. explains how the ATL i. describes how the i. outlines which ATL i. states which
skill(s) was/were applied ATL skill(s) was/were skill(s) was/were ATL skill were
to help achieve their applied to help applied to help applied to help
Criterio learning goal, supported achieve their learning achieve their learning achieve their
with detailed examples goal, with reference to goal, with superficial learning goal
n B:
or evidence examples or evidence examples or evidence ii. states which ATL
Applyin
ii. explains how the ATL ii. describes how the ii. outlines which ATL skill(s) was/were
g Skills applied to help
skill(s) was/were applied ATL skill(s) was/were skill(s) was/were
to help achieve their applied to help applied to help achieve their product.
product, supported with achieve their product, achieve their product,
detailed examples or with reference to with superficial
evidence. examples or evidence. examples or
evidence.

You are able to: You are able to: You are able to: You are able to:
i. explains the impact of i. describes the impact i. outlines the impact of i. states the impact of
the project on of the project on the project on the project on
themselves or their themselves or their themselves or their themselves or their
Criterion learning learning learning learning
C: ii. evaluates the product ii. states whether the
ii. evaluates the ii. states whether the
Reflectin based on the success product based on product was product was
g criteria, fully supported the success criteria, achieved, partially
achieved.
with specific evidence or partially supported supported with
detailed examples. with evidence or
evidence or examples. examples.
.

Command Term Definitions

Command terms MYP definitions
Describe Give a detailed account or picture of a situation, event, pattern or process.
Explain Give a detailed account including reasons or causes.
Evaluate Make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations.
Outline Give a brief account or summary.
Present(s) To offer for display, observation, examination or consideration.
State Give a specific name, value or other brief answer without explanation or calculation.

APPROACHES TO LEARNING SKILLS

The utilization of these skills is part of your final rubric scores.

All of the individual skills may not relate to your project. You’re only going to reflect on those that do.

Category Key Question Individual Skills

Exchanging thoughts, messages and information effectively through
interaction .
● Give and receive meaningful feedback
● Use intercultural understanding to interpret communication
How did you ● Use a variety of speaking techniques to communicate with a variety
communicate of audiences
through ● Use appropriate forms of writing for different purposes and audiences
● Use a variety of media to communicate with a range of audiences
interaction? ● Interpret and use effectively modes of non-verbal communication
● Participate in, and contribute to, digital social media networks
● Collaborate with peers and share ideas with multiple audiences
Communicatio using a variety of digital environments and media
n Reading, writing and using language to gather and communicate information
● Read critically and for comprehension
● Read a variety of sources for information and for pleasure
● Make inferences and draw conclusions
● Use and interpret a range of discipline-specific terms and symbols
How did you ● Write for different purposes
demonstrate ● Understand and use mathematical notation
communication ● Paraphrase accurately and concisely
through ● Preview and skim texts to build understanding
● Take effective notes in class
language? ● Make effective summary notes for studying
● Use a variety of organizers for academic writing tasks
● Organize and depict information logically
● Structure information in essays and reports

Working effectively with others

● Use social media networks appropriately to build and
develop relationships
● Practice empathy
● Delegate and share responsibility for decision-making
● Help others to succeed
● Take responsibility for one’s own actions
Social Skills How did you ● Advocate for one’s own rights and needs
collaborate? ● Manage and resolve conflict and work collaboratively in teams
● Build consensus
● Make fair and equitable decisions
● Listen actively to other perspectives and ideas / Give
and receive meaningful feedback
● Negotiate effectively
● Encourage others to contribute
● Exercise leadership and take on a variety of roles within groups
 Category Key Question Individual Skills
Managing time and tasks effectively
▪ Plan short- and long-term assignments; meet deadlines
▪ Keep and use a weekly planner
▪ Create plans to prepare for summative assessments (examinations
Organization and performances)
▪ Set goals that are challenging and realistic
How did ▪ Plan strategies and take action to achieve personal and academic goals
you ▪ Bring necessary equipment and supplies to class
demonstrat ▪ Keep an organized and logical system of information files/notebooks
▪ Use appropriate strategies for organizing complex information
e
▪ Select and use technology effectively and productively
organizatio
nal
skills?

Managing state of mind

▪ Mindfulness:
Practice focus and concentration, strategies to develop mental focus and
to overcome distractions, being aware of body–mind connections
▪ Perseverance
Demonstrate persistence and perseverance and delaying gratification
▪ Emotional management
Affective Practice strategies to overcome impulsiveness and anger, prevent and
eliminate bullying, and reduce stress and anxiety
How did you ▪ Self-motivation
manage your Practice analyzing and attributing causes for failure, managing self-talk,
and positive thinking.
Self- own state of ▪ Resilience
Manageme mind? Practice: “bouncing back” after adversity, mistakes, and failures; “failing
nt well”; dealing with disappointment and unmet expectations; dealing with
change

(Re)considering the process of learning; choosing and using ATL skills

▪ Develop new skills, techniques and strategies for effective learning
▪ Identify strengths and weaknesses of personal learning
strategies (self-assessment)
▪ Demonstrate flexibility in the selection and use of learning strategies
▪ Try new ATL skills and evaluate their effectiveness
▪ Consider content: What did I learn about today? What don’t I
yet understand? What questions do I have now?
Reflection ▪ Consider ATL skills development: What can I already do? How can I share
my skills to help peers who need more practice? What will I work on
next?
How did you
▪ Consider personal learning strategies: What can I do to become a
demonstrate more efficient and effective learner? How can I become more flexible
being reflective? in my choice of learning strategies? What factors are important for
helping me learn well?
▪ Focus on the process of creating by imitating the work of others
▪ Consider ethical, cultural and environmental implications
▪ Keep a journal to record reflections
Category Key Question Individual Skills
Finding, interpreting, judging and creating information
▪ Collect, record and verify data
▪ Access information to be informed and inform others
▪ Make connections between various sources of information
▪ Understand the benefits and limitations of personal sensory
learning preferences when accessing, processing and recalling
Information
information
Literacy ▪ Use memory techniques to develop long-term memory
▪ Present information in a variety of formats and platforms
How did you ▪ Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and make informed decisions
demonstrate ▪ Process data and report results
▪ Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on
information their appropriateness to specific tasks
literacy? ▪ Understand and use technology systems
▪ Use critical literacy skills to analyze and interpret media communications
Research ▪ Understand and implement intellectual property rights
▪ Create references and citations, use footnotes/endnotes and
construct a bibliography according to recognized conventions
▪ Identify primary and secondary sources
Interacting with media to use and create ideas and information
▪ Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize and ethically use
information
from a variety of sources and media (including digital social media and
online networks)
Media Literacy ▪ Demonstrate awareness of media interpretations of events and
Skills ideas (including digital social media)
▪ Make informed choices about personal viewing experiences
How did you ▪ Understand the impact of media representations and modes of
demonstrate presentation
▪ Seek a range of perspectives from multiple and varied sources
media ▪ Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences
literacy? using
a variety of media and formats
▪ Compare, contrast and draw connections among (multi)media resources
Category Key Question Individual Skills
Analyzing and evaluating issues and ideas
▪ Practice observing carefully in order to recognize problems
▪ Gather and organize relevant information to formulate an argument
▪ Recognize unstated assumptions and bias
▪ Interpret data
▪ Evaluate evidence, arguments and propositions
▪ Draw reasonable conclusions and generalizations; Test generalizations
and conclusions
Critical Thinking ▪ Revise understanding based on new information and evidence
▪ Evaluate and manage risk
▪ Formulate factual, topical, conceptual and debatable questions
How did you
▪ Consider ideas from multiple perspectives
think critically? ▪ Develop contrary or opposing arguments
▪ Analyze complex concepts and projects into their constituent parts
and synthesize them to create new understanding
▪ Propose and evaluate a variety of solutions
▪ Identify obstacles and challenges
▪ Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
▪ Identify trends and forecast possibilities
▪ Troubleshoot systems and applications

Generating novel ideas and considering new perspectives

Thinking ▪ Use brainstorming and visual diagrams to generate new ideas and inquiries
▪ Consider multiple alternatives, including those that might be unlikely
or impossible
▪ Create novel solutions to authentic problems
Creative Thinking ▪ Make unexpected or unusual connections between objects and/or ideas
▪ Design new machines or improvements to existing machines, media
How did and technologies
you ▪ Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products or processes
demonstra ▪ Make guesses, ask “what if” questions and generate testable hypotheses
▪ Create original works and ideas; use existing works and ideas in new ways
te
▪ Practice flexible thinking—develop multiple opposing, contradictory
creativity? and complementary arguments
▪ Practice visible thinking strategies and techniques
▪ Generate metaphors and analogies
Using skills and knowledge in multiple contexts
• Use effective learning strategies in subject groups and disciplines
Transfer • Apply skills and knowledge in unfamiliar situations
How did you • Inquire in different contexts to gain a different perspective
transfer skills • Compare conceptual understanding (make connections) across
multiple subject groups and disciplines
and knowledge • Combine knowledge, understanding and skills to create products or solutions
across disciplines • Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies
and • Change the context of an inquiry to gain different perspectives
subject groups?