C a p s t o n e

I G L O B A L S T U D I E S
Fort Bend ISD High School Academies provide specialized learning communities with concentrated and robust course pathways comprised of career
and academic classes. These specialized academies exist at the high school level to provide focused study and services, launching our students toward
careers and college pathways in a number of highly skilled and competitive areas. The Global Studies Academy is one such academy. Our GSA program
equips students to effectively solve the challenges society will face in the future while developing as multi-faceted global citizens. Students are
empowered to become innovative global thinkers who celebrate diversity. The Academy also fosters leadership by exposing its members to a variety of
situations from a globally integrated perspective while offering opportunities in student government, community service and cultural awareness activities.

The academic program culminates with the senior year Capstone course, which allows students to blend their personal educational interests and skills to
study a topic of their own selection by reading widely over the topic as well as by pursuing learning through non-traditional means through internship/
job shadowing, service learning, product creation, or extended independent study under the guidance of a campus and a community mentor. Students
will write extensively over their research and experiential learning as well as refining their multi-media and public speaking presentation skills to do with
the work they study. The culminating assignment of the fall is a research paper supported by scholarly sources. Students are expected to develop a
position through their research, experiential, and writing work to become an informed advocate on sub-topics of their study. In the spring, students plan
and carry out an event of their own design, either alone or in a group, to share an element or elements of their research work with a group that they
believe would benefit. At the conclusion of the year, students present a summary of all their work to a panel of evaluators, reflecting on not only their
topical learning but also their personal growth.

1 s t N i n e W e e k s
Research/ Reading & Writing
Prerequisite: Complete and evaluate
approved Summer Reading text.
Read and evaluate 5+ scholarly
articles to do with a subset focus of
the larger research topic.
Research essay part 1 (building
block for semester-long research
writing)
2 n d N i n e W e e k s
Research/ Reading & Writing
Read and evaluate 5+ scholarly
articles to do with a subset focus of
the larger research topic.
Research essay parts 2 & 3
(building blocks for semester-long
research writing)
Draft of combined essay research
paper
Spring Action proposal
3 r d N i n e W e e k s
Research/ Reading & Writing
Final draft of research essay
Spring Action Component drafting
Reflection over spring action
preparations
Reflection over peers spring action
events (minimum attendance of 3)
4 t h N i n e W e e k s
Research/ Reading & Writing
Reflections over year components
Final Evaluations speech drafting
Mentoring Reflections (with juniors)
Course Evaluation Reflections
Track/ Mentorship Listening/ Speaking/ Media
Starting in week three, 4 hours of
approved track work per week;
Summer Reading/ Topic Focus
reflection every other week over
presentation
combined 8 with signature
Infographic/ digital media creation/
verification.
use in presentation
Starting in September, meeting with
Research task presentations
each mentor at least once a month;
Begin learning journey websites
reflection each month with signature
verifications.
Track/ Mentorship Listening/ Speaking/ Media
Completion of 40 hours of track work
by Thanksgiving; 4 hours of
approved track work per week;
Research task presentations
reflection every other week over
Spring Action proposal presentation
combined 8 with signature
Continue refining learning journey
verification.
websites
Continued meeting with each mentor
at least once a month; reflection each
month with signature verifications.
Track/ Mentorship Listening/ Speaking/ Media
Spring Action practice presentations
Continued meeting with each mentor
(2)
at least once a month; reflection each
Attendance (evaluation) of a
month with signature verifications.
minimum of 3 peer Spring Action
Matched with junior GSA students to
Events
mentor topic selection; initial meeting
Complete learning journey websites
Track/ Mentorship Listening/ Speaking/ Media
Meeting/ reflection over junior Practice Final Evaluation
mentoring Presentation
Reflection/ thank you letters to Final Evaluation (Saturday, April 29,
mentors 2017l)

I I T R A C K W O R K
All students get to select a method of experiential learning to augment their classroom study of the topic of their choice. Students must accrue a
minimum 40 hours through their track work by the end of November in their senior year. Students may begin this track work over the summer between
their junior and senior year but may not get credit for more than 20 summer hours. Track paths include: service learning, internships, job shadowing,
product creation, and extended independent study. Students are also able to combine track paths when appropriate.

I I I M E N T O R S
All students must secure a minimum of two mentors (one on campus and one in the community) with a connection to their Capstone topic/ field to help
guide them in their research and learning journey. Students are required to meet with their mentors at minimum once a month beginning in September
through March of their senior year.

I V R E S E A R C H
The primary method of learning in this course is through research. Students need to gauge the merit of sources and seek out scholarly resources (with
the help of their mentors) to refine their knowledge and understanding. Through writing tasks of progressive refinement over research material, students
will eventually be able to be informed advocates for one or more sub-topics in their selected research/ Capstone focus. The research that students
perform is intended to inspire a spring action event that is informed by the research and learning journey and provides a way to share relevant research
with an appropriate audience who would benefit from the event.

V S P R I N G A C T I O N
In winter of their senior year, Capstone students plan and work on progressively refining their work leading up to a Spring Action that will take place
rd
during the 3 nine weeks. The type of event must be approved by the instructor and (if on campus) the campus administration. These events range
from interactive educational events, to community forums, to informational fairs, to fundraising events, to classroom lessons/ units. Requirements vary
depending on the event the student elects to pursue.

V I F I N A L E V A L U A T I O N
In the 4th nine weeks, all students are required to reflect on the work of the year and present to a panel of evaluators over their work, including their
research, mentor experiences, track learning/work, spring action, and lessons learned/ value they have found in their learning journey. This evaluation
will be on a Saturday, likely in late April or early May.

V I I M E N T O R I N G J U N I O R S
In the 4th nine weeks, all senior Capstone students will be assigned a junior Capstone student to meet with to help in mentoring him or her through the
early decisions and work leading up to the Capstone senior course. Seniors and juniors will be required to meet and will have assignments to do with
these meetings.

V I I I C O U R S E E V A L U A T I O N
Due to the nature of this course, it will be a different experience for every student. The students voice and serious recommendations are valued and
used to continue to refine and perfect the course offerings and delivery. Seniors should look at their course evaluation work done in the spring as a way
to leave a positive legacy for their program and future students.