Stage One: Expression
Reflection
Applying the information to real life.
Often learning is seen as practice with little opportunity for students to experience the momentous occasion of a “big game.” The opportunity to celebrate what students have learned about themselves and their Purpose is a great occasion to bring together families and community. For tips check our our Engaging The Community page. The following are three choices for students to express their learning. The options are tiered with option three requiring the most preparation. All choices should be focused on progress to goals and be presented to an authentic audience. If a live authentic audience is not possible a virtual platform can be used. CAYS offers a virtual platform and we are always eager to see your results. Please contact us for more information.
Option One
Students focus on two to three essential skills and express themselves through the medium of their choice.
Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Students present a narrative discussing their experiences and personal events that have led to their discovery of purpose.
Prompt for Paper
Reflection on present and what you are learning about yourself as a person. Find 2-3 concrete examples of your use of essential skills (at least one should be an academic example and one should be an example from outside of school). Use this Essential Skills Rubric to define the skills and progress towards proficiency. Support examples with reflection on progress toward goals.
reflection on how these traits shape you as an individual
reflection on how you see this functioning in your life beyond the classroom
reflection on what can be done to improve these skills
reflection on how your inventory results show up in these skills
Students should present findings and reflections to a public audience using the medium of their choice. Examples include: formal presentation with slide deck, skit in video form, TEDTalk style speech, song or poem, etc.
Option Two
Students create a 3-5 minute Youth Success Video on the topic of their choice.
Standards Aligned
Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
Students watch mentors share their purpose through addressing three reflection questions based on the ideas of History, Action, and Personal Connection/Advice. Students begin by choosing their reflection category and essential question:
Challenges and Choices: When faced with challenges, what options do we have to shape our futures?
Culture and Expectations: In a culture where we are bombarded with other people trying to define us, how do we make decisions for ourselves?
Education and Employment: How do you prepare for your dream career?
Freedom and Responsibility: What is the relationship between freedom and responsibility?
Skills, Skills, Skills!: What skills are important for success?
Turning Points and Pathways: What turning points determine our individual pathways to adulthood?
After watching examples, students answer the three reflection questions in the theme of their choice to create their own video. Videos can be submitted through the Youth Success website to be featured on our page.
Option Three
Students write a reflection paper on their past, present, and future. Students turn the reflection paper into a formal presentation.
Standards Aligned
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5
Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
Prompt for Paper
The paper will be comprised of three categories:
Reflection on the past and the history of your educational experiences
artifacts to include reflection on work samples with an emphasis on growth
Reflection on present and what you are learning about yourself as a person
concrete examples of your personality traits, interests, values, and strengths (at least one should be an academic example and one should be an example from outside of school)
reflection on how these traits shape you as an individual
reflection on how you see this functioning in your life beyond the classroom
concrete examples of your use of essential skills (at least one should be an academic example and one should be an example from outside of school)
reflection on how these traits shape you as an individual
reflection on how you see this functioning in your life beyond the classroom
Reflection your future plans and goals
educational requirements for a career and next steps to help you meet your goals
integrate evidence from your personal traits and skills
Paper should integrate three (3) outside sources demonstrating evidence from research. Personal sources such as the inventory results as well as scholarly articles from the curriculum are great examples.
The introductory paragraph of the paper should include a defensible claim that demonstrates understanding of purpose. Students may also choose to find a quote that illustrates their values and then integrate it into their opening paragraph.
Students should write as many body paragraphs as needed to convey ideas. Students should use this checklist to remind on task as they write.:
Since you are covering three aspects of yourself--the present, past, and future, you can decide how many paragraphs to devote to each aspect, most likely 3 per category.
Remember, each of the aspects should include research evidence and personal evidence to support why what you have done and are going to do are important. The evidence you include in your body paragraphs should include specific details from the Discover Your Purpose curriculum.
Your paragraphs should follow the analytical paragraph structure and include both outside and reflective evidence as support.
Your conclusion should reconnect to your defensible claim in the introductory paragraph and indicate a thoughtful connection to your next steps.
Checklist for Paper
The following criteria can be used as a checklist in final production:
Clear, defensible thesis
Body paragraphs with evidence and developed commentary that reflect on past
Body paragraphs with evidence and developed commentary that reflect on present
Body paragraphs with evidence and developed commentary that reflect on future
Conclusion that connects to how this information is relevant for your future
Strong researched and personal evidence in each body paragraph
Teacher may choose to use this rubric for grading.
Prompt for Presentation
Students will provide examples that demonstrate their progress in discovering their purpose and how they understand the value. As students discuss, they will demonstrate a focus on growth and the connections between how they have demonstrated their personality traits, interests, values, and strengths in academic and extracurricular experiences and how they see their purpose functioning in their life beyond the classroom.
The presentation should be about 15 minutes. It will be followed by 10 minutes of follow up questions. Students will include specific examples and supporting visual evidence for each of the following points and will have additional slides containing examples for use during the question and answer session.
Checklist for Presentation
The following list includes components that need to show up in the presentation. You decide when, where, and how.
For introduction:
Personal background and experiences
Significant example(s) of growth
Essential Skills, Habits of Mind, Growth Mindset, Standards for Career Ready Practice
For body:
Inventory results (personality traits, learning style, interests, strengths, values, etc.)
at least two concrete examples of these traits in action (at least one should be an academic example and one should be an example from outside of school)
reflection on how these traits shape you as an individual and how you see this functioning in your life beyond the classroom
Personal skills and attributes
concrete examples of these traits in action (at least one should be an academic example and one should be an example from outside of school)
reflection on how these traits shape you as an individual
For conclusion:
Connections between experiences and your future
Post high school education and career plans
How you will use your purpose in your future goals
Short and long term goals
Financial Literacy: Real-world application that includes examples such as budgeting and college and career planning.
Proof of steps taken to achieve goals (schools applied to, scholarships applied to, future class schedule…)
You may choose to use this rubric for grading presentation.