The idea of a capstone experience — something that is the culminating experience of a student’s life at Science Leadership Academy — is central to how I’ve been thinking about the school. It’s not unlike what schools like Urban Academy and Beacon have done for years. It is a performance-based graduation assessment that allows students to show off both what they know and what they can do. And in the science classroom, we are very dependant on the work of Beacon science teacher Reid Schwebach and the work he has done developing this.
Here’s the first draft of the science capstone write-up:
Science Leadership Academy Science Capstone Course (DRAFT)
As the culminating experience of their science career at SLA, all students will take the Science Capstone course. The Science Capstone course is an inquiry-based, student-centered course that develops tightly structured independent original investigation of a topic/question, which is communicated in the form of public exhibition, publication of a scientific paper and student presentation. This course will allow students to take the skills and content they have learned in their other courses and create an original piece of scientific work from the initial question through the scientific process to conclusions and recommendation for further work.
The investigation includes:
- Selection of a question of importance to the student
- Review of literature
- Formulation of a hypothesis
- Plan of investigation (experimental, descriptive, etc.) which includes the use of scientific knowledge and data analysis
- Plan of presentation oral, digital and hard copy
- Sharing with teacher
- Sharing with mentor
- Peer review
- Demonstration of scientific knowledge
- Data analysis
- Teacher evaluation
- Independent assessor evaluation
- Application of future research/action
- Reflection of both process and product
The overarching skills necessary for completion of such a project are:
- Understanding of scientific inquiry
- Ability to write scientifically
- Ability to formulate of a scientific question
- Ability to participate in a scientific community
- Understanding of data analysis / presentation
- Understanding of scientific method and ability to work within it.
- Ability to communicate (oral, written) process / product
- Ability to think objectively divorced from preconceptions
- Ability to work collaboratively
- Analysis / Synthesis written info / experimental info
- Development of internal resources for sustaining interest in a long-term project
- Knowledge and use of a scientific vocabulary
- Application of research to real world
- Evaluation of and reflection upon information / research / process / product
These skills must be mapped onto all of the other science coursework and scaffolded so that students are prepared to undertake the science capstone project in their senior year.
The capstone experience is representative of the core values of the Science Leadership Academy made manifest in the senior year experience and the graduation requirements of the school. All coursework, therefore, both builds to and flows from the capstone ideal.
