12th Grade  Project 4 weeks

Shooting Stars: Athlete Life Journeys Explored!

Santiago P
Updated
Effective Communication
Collaboration
Content Expertise
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Self Directed Learning
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Purpose

Create a documentary that explores the shifting perspectives of athletes on sports, focusing on the nuances of mindset, identity, and personal growth as they mature. Engage in immersive interviews with athletes of diverse ages, capturing their stories and insights to understand how sports shape their lives. Through collaboration, reflection, and critical analysis, uncover the broader implications of athletic involvement on personal development and community impact. Share the final product in a senior exhibition, fostering discussions on the evolving nature of sports within society.

Learning goals

Engage in effective communication by practicing active listening, developing thoughtful interview questions, and presenting findings empathetically. Collaborate meaningfully with peers and community members to co-design and produce an insightful documentary that explores athletes' evolving mindsets. Develop content expertise by researching developmental psychology, sociology of sports, and media production techniques. Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to analyze complex personal narratives and societal influences on sports participation. Use self-directed learning to reflect on personal growth and refine the project through peer and teacher feedback.

Competencies
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.

Products

Create a documentary-style video or presentation that captures the evolution of athletes' mindsets across different life stages. Document and analyze patterns through completed interviews, compiling findings into written reflections and analyses. Engage with community partners to gather diverse perspectives, resulting in a comprehensive final product that portrays the real-world impact of sports. Share this knowledge in a public exhibition, sparking discussions about growth and mindset in athletics. The final product should not only demonstrate your research but also exhibit effective communication and collaboration skills developed during the process.

Launch

Before you start conducting interviews, reflect individually and as a group on your personal experiences with sports and how your mindset has evolved over the years. Discuss these reflections and identify themes, motivation, and challenges common within your group. Then, watch a series of clips featuring famous athletes discussing their journeys to gain insights into their experiences and mindsets. Use these discussions to collaboratively brainstorm and develop strong interview questions that will guide your project.

Exhibition

Host a multimedia showcase event in which you present your documentary-style video to classmates, families, coaches, and community members. Engage the audience in meaningful dialogue by facilitating a Q&A session where attendees can ask questions and share their thoughts on the themes explored in your project. Provide physical copies of reflection pieces and offer interactive stations to view behind-the-scenes footage of your interview process. Explore online sharing opportunities to extend the conversation with local sports teams and broader communities interested in athlete mindsets.