Here is a quick outline for students and parents to use as they navigate project work at the Professional Learning Institute.
TOPIC SELECTION
• Look at the newspaper to see if anything catches your eye
• Thing about things you enjoy reading about, watching on TV or things that you have thought: “How does that work?” or “Why did that happen?”
• Remember that you need to study it for at least 8 weeks.

IMPORTANT NEXT STEPS

• Meet with each advisor to discuss what skills/competencies you should be working on
• Make sure that you have a rubric for each skill/competency
• Write those competencies on the top of your timelog sheets
• Schedule to meet with each advisor at least once a week
• Determine a weekly schedule that will allow you to log at least 6 hours a day and 5 hours a week in each of the following areas: science, math, reading, writing and social studies

MOVING FORWARD WITH YOUR TOPIC
1. Brainstorm a list of questions on your topic.
2. Categorize the questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy so that it is clear what information will be basic and what will be considered higher level information.
3. Conduct background research to answer some of the basic questions.
4. Record any other new questions that may arise along the way.
5. Find resources and start taking notes on your topic.
6. Re-brainstorm questions once you feel that you have enough background and have finished your Background Research Paper. Hopefully these questions will be more in-depth or higher level.
7. Re-categorize the questions.
8. Set a clear purpose for your project, which will in the end be the purpose of your presentation.
9. Determine data that you will collect that will support your purpose.
10. Select your primary, secondary and reference sources.
Be able to distinguish between the different content areas to know what standards are being met with the work done to answer each questions. (Never hesitate to ask if you are not sure because you do not want to miss out on doubling or tripling up on credit.)

ONCE YOU ARE FINISHED WITH YOUR RESEARCH
A. Make sure that you have a clearly defined conclusion.
B. Complete written assignments based on research
C. Write your outline for your presentation, practice your presentation, create visual aids for your presentation.
D. Make sure that all of your work is in order.
E. Fill out your assessment sheet.
F. Meet with each advisor to be assessed.
G. Write up a quarterly reflection
H. Turn in all paperwork to your advisor:

   a.	Signed assessment sheet
   b.	Signed rubrics
   c.	Totaled Timelogs
   d.	Quarterly Reflection