Independent Projects

Each year, all TRCS students have a chance to demonstrate their learning to themselves, their families and the West Linn-Wilsonville public. This event is the culmination of a year of study! Many of our students look forward to this three month project for entire YEAR! It often can be heard on the final night of Independent Projects… “I know what I want to study next year!”

One of the biggest reasons we spend this much energy on this project, is that the kids are able to select their own course of study, and then integrate all subject areas into this choice. Each student will develop a contract with a teacher/partner, for the demonstration of a research paper, a math project, a literature book and project, a science project, social studies project, music project and artist study. We also insist that each student demonstrate what they have learned over the year in technology. This often is in the display of one of their other projects—or embedded within a subject area.

We assist students with how to write and research for a lengthy paper, how to display their work to the best advantage, how to prepare a speech about their study, and how to reflect and analyze their progress. The biggest learning is when each student develops a time plan for how to accomplish their contracted pieces.

This study begins in the latter part or March or early April. Students go through a teacher guided process on how to select a good topic. They then learn how to locate resources in multiple libraries, as well as, on the internet. Taking notes, compiling notes and writing a paper comes next. Finally, compilation of a bibliography and the successful formatting of a paper are discussed.

After the paper is turned into their teacher, they develop a plan to integrate their learning into the subject areas. We use a webbing technique at this point to develop many different creative ideas, from the student, teacher and other students.

The teacher helps each student write a time plan for the next month of work—setting goals and checking into the progress on each goal. As the projects start to come together throughout the school, the interest and excitement begins to build.

As the evening of Independent Projects nears, students will be offered the opportunity to present their work to a panel of important people in their lives—teachers, mentors, parents, brothers and sisters. We assist all students in writing a speech that is used to present their work!

At the completion of the entire body of work, each student feels the success of working hard and being absolutely successful. Please help support your child through their work by getting them supplies that are needed, attending any panels of reflection as they are called, and attending the Independent Project evening event.