MYP Personal Project

The MYP Personal Project is a required, independent project for all 10th-grade students in the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP).

Students choose a topic that is personally meaningful to them, set a learning goal, and create a product that shows what they learned. Throughout the process, students document their work, reflect on their learning, and meet with a supervisor for guidance.

The Personal Project:

• Encourages student choice and independence

• Develops research, planning, and reflection skills

• Is the culminating experience of the IB MYP

• Helps prepare students for future academic challenges

Students spend about 25 hours total on the project, including planning, researching, meeting with a supervisor, creating the product, and writing the final reflection.

The Personal Project is truly personal.  You choose a goal based on something that interests you. Your overall goal has two parts:

• Learning Goal: What you want to learn or improve

• Product Goal: What you will create

Students often choose goals connected to:

• A hobby or interest they want to explore

• A global context they found interesting

• A unit from a previous class

• A service experience they want to build on

Your goal must be achievable within about 25 hours.

Completing the Personal Project is required for all CHS sophomores because it is the capstone of the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP). Students who complete the project on time will earn: 

• An official certificate from the IBO

• A cord at graduation

• A notation on their high school transcript.

• Eligibility to attend the Sophomore Field Trip

All students must have a Personal Project supervisor.  Supervisors can be any member of the faculty or staff member from Cordova or Mitchell (but not a relative).  

Please review the “Finding a Supervisor” resource.  It includes how to choose a supervisor, sample emails to send, what students and supervisors are responsible for, and what to do if you need help finding someone.

The Personal Project is divided into four (4) phases

1. Planning - Completed in September

2. Research - Completed in October (Bibliography is a required assignment in History)

3. Creating the Product - Completed in November - Early January

4. Writing the Report - Completed in January - February

Your Process Journal is where you document your thinking and progress. It should include:

• Notes and decisions

• Developing a Plan (To Do List)

• Research

• Photos/drafts

• Reflections

A template is provided in the resources section and a copy is posted in your Advisory Google Classroom.
Completing your journal thoroughly makes writing your report much easier.

Your completed Personal Project includes four required parts:

1. The Product:  The final thing you created, such as your performance, artwork, design, event, model, digital piece, or whatever your project set out to produce.
Include at least 3 pieces of evidence showing your work.

2. The Report (Written or Spoken)

Your report shows your thinking and learning throughout the project.
It can be written or spoken (video or audio), but it must include:

• Your learning goal & why you chose it

• Your product and success criteria

• How you planned and created your product

• Key research and inspiration

• How you used ATL skills

• What you learned

• How well your product met your success criteria

• Your report must include a minimum of 3 pieces of evidence, with at least one piece of evidence for each criterion (Planning, Applying ATL Skills, and Reflecting). 

You will submit your report in English class and your Advisory Google Classroom.

3.  Works Cited:  Your list of all sources used during your project.  This should follow the format taught in your classes (MLA or teacher-guided). This is submitted with your report.  

4. The Process Journal: Your notes, research, plans, photos, drafts, thinking, struggles, decisions, and progress throughout the project.
A strong journal makes writing the report and completing your project much easier.

Your product is the thing you create — a performance, artwork, video, slideshow, event, design, or other outcome linked to your goal. If your product is not something you can turn in physically, you must submit evidence such as: 

• Photos

• Videos

• Screenshots

• Drafts

• Recordings

Students need at least 3 pieces of product evidence. 

• • These show how you created your product (photos, videos, drafts, screenshots, etc.).

  • Note: 

    • Physical products should be turned in to your supervisor. 

    • Digital products must be uploaded in Google Classroom. 

Your report is a spoken or written account of your Personal Project. Its purpose is to explain your learning clearly and succinctly. The report shows your engagement with the project by summarizing your experiences, decisions, skills, and growth. Your report must include a minimum of 3 pieces of evidence, with at least one piece of evidence for each criterion (Planning, Applying ATL Skills, and Reflecting). 

Your report must include:

1. Your Goals 

• Your learning goal

• Your product goal

• Why you chose them

• The Approaches to Learning (ATL skills) you focused on

2. Your Process

• How you planned your project

• How you created your product

• The research, inspiration, and strategies that guided your choices

3. Your Findings

• What you discovered through creating your product

• How well your product met your success criteria

4. Your Reflection

• What you learned

• Challenges you overcame

• The impact of your project

• Any new perspectives you gained

Your report may be written or spoken (audio or video), and will be submitted in your Advisory Google Classroom and your English class.

You will be assessed using the MYP Criteria:

• Criterion A: Planning

• Criterion B: Appling skills

• Criterion C: Reflecting

You will be evaluated on whether you:

• State and explain a learning goal

• Connect your goal to a personal interest

• State a product goal with clear success criteria

• Present a detailed plan for completing your product

• Explain how ATL skills helped your process

• Reflect on the impact of your learning

• Evaluate your product using success criteria

• Personal Engagement - You should stay in regular communication with your supervisor, ask questions, share updates, and actively seek feedback throughout your project. 

• Meeting Deadlines - Staying on track is essential. The Personal Project includes several required deadlines, and meeting them ensures you finish your product and report successfully. 

• Reflection - You are expected to think honestly about your learning; what’s working, what’s challenging, what you’ve discovered, and what adjustments you need to make. Reflection is a major part of the Process Journal and the final report. 

• Academic Honesty Form - This form is posted in your Advisory Google Classroom. Record each meeting with your supervisor (three total are required).  Your supervisor must initial or sign each meeting from their own account.