Designing Capstone Curriculum

Sample 8th Grade Capstone Project Structure:

Title: "Protecting Our Reef: A Community Action Project"
Duration: 12 weeks
Essential Question: How can we use scientific data and community partnership to address coral reef decline in our local waters?

Week 1-2: Community expert interviews (marine biologists, fishermen, cultural practitioners)
Week 3-5: Data collection and analysis (water quality, fish counts, traditional knowledge)
Week 6-8: Solution design (restoration techniques, policy proposals, education campaigns)
Week 9-10: Community presentation and feedback
Week 11-12: Reflection and action planning

Phase 1: Foundation Setting

• Identify authentic community challenge or opportunity
• Map connections to Hawaiian place (land, ocean, culture, history)
• Align with academic standards across disciplines
• Recruit community mentors and experts

Phase 2: Project Architecture

• Create essential question connecting place to global concepts
• Design scaffolded learning experiences (research → create → present → act)
• Plan authentic assessment checkpoints
• Build in student choice and voice opportunities

Phase 3: Community Integration

• Establish partnerships with local organizations
• Schedule expert visits and field experiences
• Plan final presentation to real community stakeholders
• Create pathways for continued student action

Phase 4: Implementation Support

• Develop rubrics emphasizing process and product
• Create reflection protocols for deep learning
• Build peer collaboration structures
• Plan celebration of student work

Example 1: Input: Need capstone connecting science and Hawaiian culture Output: "From Volcano to Village: Understanding Our Island's Water Cycle"

• Students trace water from Mauna Kea to their neighborhood
• Interview kupuna about traditional water management
• Test water quality at multiple points
• Create community education materials about water conservation
• Present findings to county water department

Example 2: Input: Want project addressing food systems Output: "Growing Forward: Sustainable Food for Our School"

• Research traditional Hawaiian agriculture and modern sustainability
• Design school garden incorporating native plants
• Interview local farmers about challenges and solutions
• Create business plan for farm-to-cafeteria program
• Present proposal to school board and community

Place-Based Connections:

• Start with specific local phenomena, then connect to universal concepts
• Include multiple perspectives: scientific, cultural, historical, economic
• Use Hawaiian language and cultural protocols appropriately
• Build relationships with Native Hawaiian educators and community members

21st Century Skills Integration:

• Embed collaboration in every phase, not just group work
• Require digital creation tools for research and presentation
• Build critical thinking through multiple solution pathways
• Include global connections to similar challenges worldwide

Student Agency:

• Offer choice in final product format (documentary, policy brief, art installation, etc.)
• Allow students to identify their own community connections
• Build in regular reflection and project pivoting opportunities
• Create authentic audiences beyond the classroom

Avoid Surface-Level Connections:

• Don't add Hawaiian words or images without deeper cultural understanding
• Resist "tourist curriculum" that exoticizes place
• Don't assume all students have the same relationship to Hawaiian culture

Avoid Fake Authenticity:

• Don't create artificial community "problems" for students to solve
• Don't promise community impact you can't deliver
• Don't substitute teacher expertise for genuine community partnership

Avoid Overwhelming Scope:

• Don't try to cover every subject equally - choose 2-3 for deep integration
• Don't make projects so complex that learning gets lost in logistics
• Don't underestimate time needed for reflection and iteration

Assessment Missteps:

• Don't rely only on final presentations - assess process throughout
• Don't use traditional tests for interdisciplinary learning
• Don't forget to assess collaboration and communication skills explicitly