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Senior Projects

During the senior year students are required to do an extensive and in-depth senior project. It is very important that students choose a topic that you care about and are interested in spending a lot of time developing.

Your first step is to review the Senior Project binder with your advisor to get a good idea of the range of projects available. Requirements for the project will vary according to the type of the project you choose, but all projects will include:

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  • A written component that must be typed

  • A visual component, which could include poster, pictures, video, PowerPoint, etc.

  • An oral presentation which will include all of the following:
     

    1. A 20 minute oral presentation, during which you explain your project

    2. A 10 minute period for questions from a panel, which includes your advisor, one other teacher of your choice, and anyone else you wish to include

    3. A 15 minute evaluation period for panel members to give you written and oral feedback

After you have chosen your project you will:

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  • Write an overview of the project and have it approved by your advisor.

  • Outline the steps you will follow to develop your project.

  • Make a timeline to accomplish those steps.

  • List the resources that you will need to complete your project.

 

Your advisor will meet with you weekly to discuss your progress and help you plan next steps. You will keep a record of the hours spent on the project as well as a journal of your progress.

 

Please plan to complete your project several weeks before you present it, so that you can spend time practicing the oral presentation. You should have an outline or note cards to use during the presentation. In addition, you should have someone time you while you practice, so that you are well prepared. Your advisor will help you chose panel members from your presentation.

Possible Senior Projects

Some interesting and fun formats for Senior Projects are the following:

  • have an Art Show of your work

  • do a Photographic Essay

  • an Anthology of Writing

  • an Interview Project

  • a Video Project

  • a Community Service Project

  • an Event Project

  • a Design and Construction Project

  • a Survey or Questionnaire

 

​Possible Project Topics

Here are some examples of senior project topics:

Art

  • A particular art movement

  • Profile of an artist

  • A specific film genre

  • Children's literature

  • Comedy

  • Imagination

  • Music

  • Drama

  • Movie Legends

  • Literature

  • Mythology

  • Photography

History

  • A war (Civil War, Vietnam, etc)

  • Ancient history

  • Any American historical time period

  • Biography of a famous person

  • Dictators

  • History of cars

  • History of race relations

  • Immigration experience

  • Olympic games

  • Presidents

  • The depression

  • The holocaust

  • The westward movement

Issues

  • Child abuse

  • Civil rights, race issues

  • Current war, global conflicts

  • Domestic violence

  • Environmental problems

  • Gangs

  • Political party profile

  • Prisons

  • Profile a service organizations

  • Poverty

  • Teen pregnancy

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People

  • A specific culture (Native Americans, Aborigines, Mayan, Pygmies,etc)

  • Addictions

  • Best places to live

  • Cults

  • Local leaders

  • Mental Illness

  • Parenting

  • World religions

Science

  • Astronomy

  • Bugs

  • Gardening

  • Genes

  • Geographical areas (Grand Canyon, Sahara Desert, Great Lakes)

  • Heat

  • Human sexuality

  • Infectious diseases

  • Inventions

  • Medicine

  • Water

  • Weather

  • Wild life

Costanoa High provides an alternative academic pathway, where students from 10th-12th Grade can set their own pace while making time for life or work. Our alternative high school provides smaller classes, more direct time with staff and a shorter day to give students more agency over thier time.

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