Mentor Task: Reply by asking questions about the student’s area of interest and offering his/her own insight. Through this questioning, the mentor will try to help the student narrow their primary interest and discuss how this specific focus fits into the bigger picture of the project in the sense of how many parts make a whole.

Mentors may suggest reading, text or sites where students can create background knowledge around their area of interest.

Student Task 2: Students will respond in a reflective journal to the following questions and submit their paragraph to their teacher mentor and Capstone Coordinator via Google Classroom.

A. Why is this an area you are willing and excited to invest your time in?

B. Who are the stakeholders i.e. leaders in the industry, frontrunners in the field, leading the pack…

C. What do you think is a need in this area?

Mentor Task: Mentors will support students in answering the second and third question by connecting them to resources, articles and readings or with their own personal and professional knowledge.

1. Complete the ITP application and gain approval for participation in ITM Program

2. All Capstone Paperwork and required forms completed and submitted to Mrs. Walz via Google Classroom.

3. Complete Capstone Reflective Journal twice monthly via Google Classroom

4. Compose introductory letter to Mentor.

5. Compose reflective paragraph (Task 2) and submit to Teacher and Mentor.

6. Communicate with their mentor twice weekly using the mentor’s advice and help of their mentor to complete each task.

Nov 2-27

Student Task 1: Students will research and identify 3-5 examples of excellence specific to their project. After identifying these examples, they will determine what specific attributes reveal excellence: what qualities, features, format, design etc.  Students should 'dig in' to what makes these selected examples inherently excellent: is it the form, function, use?  What is it about the form, function and use? Why?  What is appealing? From there, students as a group will determine ten attributes/qualities that will guide their work for the project. These attributes will set the bar for their final product.

Student Task 2: Research and answer the following questions, and submit answers to their Teacher and Mentor.

-Who are the current leaders in this field/industry? Why?

-What is their current focus? What challenges keep them up at night?

What are problems they currently cannot solve, questions they can’t answer, in what areas are they focusing?

-Who is doing this work in your area? In the state? Nationally? Globally?

*All research must be documented in a cumulative AG Greenhouse Project Source

Citation Sheet, submitted via Google Classroom and updated as needed.

Mentor Task: help students in understanding why the attributes identified are in fact, excellent, and worthy of setting the bar for their project.

Mentors may suggest research, keywords, videos, sites or text documents students can use to find examples to work with. In addition, Mentors should challenge student thinking with questions that are related to exploring the current trends in industry, Ag Programs and Greenhouses for education. In their communication and dialogue with students weekly, Mentors will send students specific questions related to the tasks and help to provoke thought and further inquiry.

1. Submit a written paper detailing their findings for Task 1 to their mentor for review, and then to their Teacher Mentor.

2. Communicate with their mentor twice weekly using the mentor’s advice and help of their mentor to complete each task.

3. Complete Capstone Reflective Journal twice monthly via Google Classroom

December 1 – January 11, 2016

Student Task: Create a Project Plan in writing that will help them clarify details and process. This plan will guide student work and project completion.

Mentors Task: review student plan for clarity and accuracy. Identify areas of potential mistake, areas of importance that may be overlooked.

Mentors will support students in any research that needs to be completed to finalize the plan understanding that there is flexibility in the final plan depending on the research outcomes.

1. Outline the project in written format with their Teacher and Mentor and submit final Project Plan to Capstone Coordinator.

The Project Plan will include the following:

An overview of the reasons for your project

A detailed description of intended results

A list of all constraints the project must address

A list of all assumptions related to the project

A list of all required work

A breakdown of the roles you and your team members will play

A detailed project schedule

Needs for personnel, funds, and non- personnel resources (such as equipment, facilities, and information)

A description of how you plan to manage any significant risks and uncertainties

Plans for project communications

Plans for ensuring project quality

2. Communicate with their mentor twice weekly using the mentor’s advice and help of their mentor to complete each task.

3. Complete Capstone Reflective Journal twice monthly via Google

January 18 – April 29th

Student Task: Using the research and knowledge gained in Step Three of the project, students will individually determine:

1. Create Action Plan and Project Timeline: what needs to happen weekly in order to get the greenhouse built?

2. Form committees: Students will determine what committees need to form in order for project completion. Students will select committee work dependent on their specific area of interest, networking and research gained from Step 3.

3. Committees will meet to determine:-Goals: how do you know when your work is done

-Responsibilities: what, specifically does this committee need to accomplish in order for the overall goal of building the greenhouse can and does happen?

4. Committees will report weekly during project meeting times the following information:

-What did you do last week?

-What work still needs to be done?

Mentor Task: provide feedback on the project timeline and committee work.

1. In committees and as a group students will meet weekly to be sure milestones are met and delays and “bumps” are addressed quickly

2. Use technology to keep the group organized: as a group students will decide on which tech tool to use that all can access.

4. Communicate with their mentor twice weekly using the mentor’s advice and help of their mentor to complete each task.

5. Complete Capstone Reflective Journal twice monthly via Google Classroom

May 9-20

Students Task: Assess their progress and tasks completed and identify what direction the Ag Greenhouse Capstone Group needs to take as the school year closes.

Mentors Task: Helps students answer the following questions:

* Project continuation or expansion?

* How can we continue to innovate this Capstone project?

1. Written Summary submitted to teacher, Capstone Coordinator and to their mentors for review and dialogue.

2. Group consensus as to what will happen in the upcoming school.