How to Fix Topic Ideas
Success in your project begins with choosing a good topic. Since the 8th Grade Team wants you to be successful in completing your project, and we have been doing this for a while, our experience dictates what might be a good project, and what might need a little work. These suggestions might help you decide on something that will work in the long term.
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Unacceptable
Building a model or something from a kit (robotics, instrument, a bike, a structure like a dollhouse)
Why
Simply following directions from a manual is not scholarly, nor does it show new learning.
What might be done?
Indicate a problem or situation to be addressed and design an approach to address this, explaining the steps taken, problems encountered, solutions developed, and how the final product addresses the initial problem undertaken.
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Unacceptable
Writing a report on the coming of Polynesians to Maui
Why
This would entail studying the immigration patterns of early Polynesians but would simply be a recounting of what others have written.
What might be done?
Speculate about the motivation, requirements, and costs of immigration, indicating how the Polynesians addressed these and how we know this; also, analyze how our awareness of this might affect present day practices and decisions.
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Unacceptable
Listing and describing surfing (or fishing, hiking, hunting, etc.) spots on Maui.
Why
While this might be a valuable resource for surfers, it entails no scholarly effort and will not indicate new learning.
What might be done?
Prepare a study on the benefits and dangers of surfing, complete with pictures/drawings illustrating points being made and conclusions one might draw from such a study.
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Unacceptable
Writing a piece of music, a play, film, or creating a work of fine art (painting, photography, sculpture, etc.). This even applies to fashion-based projects.
Why
The work itself is not an indication of a broadening of learning that the 8th Grade Project is expected to engender.
What might be done?
One solution would be to research and analyze a period of work, in motivation, style, and subject, and attempt to recreate that period.
OR
Create the work, and analyze your finished work in terms of process and choices made, comparing it to other works of similar style. Then indicate how you would develop your creation further, referencing other similar artists.
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Unacceptable
Perform experiments to determine the efficiencies of various types of photovoltaic solar cells (really, any science-based project)
Why
Simply performing scientific experiments using the Scientific Method without researching previously published experimental results and without investigating current state- of-the-art technology does not constitute scholarship and will not prove new learning.
What might be done?
Research previously published experimental studies; research publications describing the current state-of-the-art technologies; develop a testable hypothesis based on your research; design and perform an experimental investigation using the Scientific Method to test your hypothesis; compare and contrast your results with previously published investigations; provide an insightful discussion of your results by referring to previously published studies; using concrete evidence, determine whether your hypothesis was proven or disproven.
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Unacceptable
Making a cookbook or following a recipe
Why
Like building a model, a recipe is basically a set of directions, and does not indicate a scholarly project, nor would it prove new learning.
What might be done?
Though projects involving food are rarely successful, we recommend that you extend your project with an externship, perhaps with a restaurant learning the industry, how chefs create new dishes, ordering different supplies, and even the dollars and cents of the project as a whole.
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Unacceptable
Shadowing a professional in an industry in which you have interest in pursuing
Why
Though this might indicate new learning, we feel that the presentation of this lacks depth, and will not be scholarly, in and of itself.
What might be done?
Prepare a business plan, complete with a description of products and/or services to be provided, the competition, costs involved, selling price, break-even points, financing, and potential customers; also, the likelihood of success and why. The student should also consider the amount of education it takes to achieve the job, some of the schools that might be likely to pursue, what would be some logical steps in training, and how much money they can expect to earn. The student should also prepare a day-to-day schedule of what that professional does.