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Has anyone ever completed an exit project and have any ideas?

Hi Kelly, If you are looking for a culminating project that will help you evaluate how your students understand a particular unit of study, could you provide a little more information? Depending on what your students studying right now, others may have some ideas for you. For example, when I taught eighth grade science, I had the students create and complete their own Periodic Tables of "Anything" to make sure they understood that there was a reason why Earth's elements were arranged in particular rows and columns. I apologize if that is not exactly what you are looking for in the way of an exit project.

Carolyn, Thank you, that sounds like a great project! I was told yesterday that I needed to have an exit project for the 6th, 7th and 8th grade students and in my moment of panic I wrote a quick question on here. I was informed that in order for the students to be promoted to the next grade they needed an exit project, I would assume that it needed to be something about the curriculum through the school year. We can't do a science fair project (which was what was our original plan for the exit project) because we are holding a science fair in February. I've never completed an exit project or had my students complete one and I was wondering if anyone had an exit project that they've assigned or saw for the end of the year.

Hi Kelly, Thanks for the clarification. That makes sense. You said, "I've never completed an exit project or had my students complete one and I was wondering if anyone had an exit project that they've assigned or saw for the end of the year. " It must be something "new" (to me anyway). If I were to come up with one, I would want it to be something like a portfolio that perhaps the students worked on through out the school year. That way, by the artifacts they chose, they could show growth in writing, math ability, or science conceptual understanding. You still have half a year left; perhaps you could have them keep some kind of ongoing science journal that exhibits growth across the semester. It seems embedding the exit project into a weekly routine would make it less of a drudgery at the end of the school year. It will be interesting to hear what other schools might be doing with a similar administrative directive.

I think many of us use the term, “culminating project” to mean “exit” project. I tend to make my exit projects something that requires the students to show they can take “all of the pieces and parts” and apply their learning to a real life project. For example, if we are studying electricity, I use the TOPScience Electricity #19 resource, and have the kids create a battery holder, cell holder, and switch. After they figure out how to make all of the components work together, their final project is to find a way to make a series of batteries light four Christmas tree bulbs, a fan and buzzer work all together. Once they get it to work in series, they then have to make it work parallel. While this may seem to be an easy task, students find it difficult because you can’t just move objects around. Another way I have done this is to ask the students to come up with a proposal for what they believe would be an appropriate culminating project. Quite frankly, their projects are oftentimes more involved and higher level than any I would have thought of. One of my all time favorites was when a student and his dad took an old mouse from a computer, soldered some capacitors and resistors along with a battery source, added whiskers and facial features and made a mouse that when turned on, ran wildly through the room. They now sell a kit for that. Go figure.

I agree, Sandy. It reminds me of a discussion thread about authentic assessments that could very well be tagged exit projects: Evaluation and Assessment > Authentic Assessment: What Does it Mean? link
There are several good examples there, too.

Kelly, I would be interested to know what you had the students do as their culminating project. I think Carolyn offered a great idea to use a portfolio that the students could work on for the year (or half of the year in your case). I think having a culminating activity that incorporates many content areas, and focuses on the students’ learning over the course would be most beneficial. Instead of having a science fair, you could have students display their portfolios and create mini-experiments (with safety in mind) for guest to try out. Students could work in pairs and reflect on activities done throughout the year. Pairs can choose one to recreate for guests, or create a new activity/experiment to present. This would turn the students into the teachers. Students can focus on their communication skills, use with technology, or other 21st century skills that you may want them to incorporate into their presentation. Instead of students presenting what they learned to guests, they could present their projects in a “discrepant event” manner. This would engage guest, and ensure that students have a clear understanding of the topic if they are going to be the facilitator. As a pre-service teacher, I have not tried this out; just an idea I think might be fun!