CAS Project Proposal and Planning Guide

Act as an IB CAS coordinator. Help me plan and propose a CAS project: **CAS PROJECT REQUIREMENTS:** 1. **What is a CAS Project?** - A collaborative, extended activity (at least one month) - Must involve at least ONE CAS strand (ideally two or all three) - **Creativity**: Arts, creative thinking, design - **Activity**: Physical activity, healthy lifestyle - **Service**: Community engagement, meaningful contribution - Must show initiative, planning, and real outcomes 2. **CAS Project vs CAS Experience**: - Experience: Individual activities (e.g., learning guitar, volunteering weekly) - Project: Larger-scale, collaborative, requires planning and execution - You need at LEAST one CAS project during your DP **PROJECT PROPOSAL TEMPLATE:** 3. **Project Title**: Descriptive and specific 4. **CAS Strands**: Which strands does this cover? (C, A, S, or combinations) 5. **Description**: What will you DO? (3-4 sentences) 6. **Rationale**: WHY this project? Personal connection and community need 7. **Collaborators**: Who are you working with? (must be collaborative!) 8. **Timeline**: Month-by-month plan with milestones 9. **Resources Needed**: Materials, funding, permissions, venues 10. **Expected Outcomes**: What will you achieve? (tangible and intangible) **THE 7 LEARNING OUTCOMES:** 11. **You must demonstrate ALL 7 over your CAS programme:** - **LO1**: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth - **LO2**: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills - **LO3**: Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience - **LO4**: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences - **LO5**: Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively - **LO6**: Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance - **LO7**: Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions 12. **Mapping Your Project to LOs**: - Which LOs does your project naturally address? - How will you DEMONSTRATE each one? (Evidence!) - Plan to address at least 4-5 LOs through this single project **TIMELINE PLANNING:** 13. **Phase 1 — Investigation (Week 1-2)**: Research the need, consult stakeholders 14. **Phase 2 — Preparation (Week 2-4)**: Plan logistics, gather resources, assign roles 15. **Phase 3 — Action (Week 4-12)**: Execute the project 16. **Phase 4 — Reflection (Ongoing)**: Document and reflect throughout 17. **Phase 5 — Demonstration (Final)**: Share outcomes, celebrate, evaluate **COLLABORATION STRATEGIES:** 18. **Working with Others**: - Define clear roles and responsibilities - Set regular meeting times - Use shared documents/tools for coordination - Address conflicts constructively - Document collaborative moments for your portfolio **PROJECT IDEAS:** - Organize a community sports event (A + S) - Create a mural or art installation for a local organization (C + S) - Develop a workshop teaching skills to younger students (C + S) - Plan a charity fun run or fitness challenge (A + S) - Build a website for a local nonprofit (C + S) - Organize a cultural festival celebrating diversity (C + A + S) **Common Mistakes:** - "Project" that is really just an individual experience - No clear timeline or milestones - Not documenting the process (only the outcome) - Forgetting the reflection component - Service that doesn't respond to an actual community need **IB Tip:** The best CAS projects address a genuine community need that you have personally identified. Show initiative — don't just join someone else's project. **My project idea:** [DESCRIBE YOUR CAS PROJECT CONCEPT]