JOHNSON MIDDLE SCHOOL

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8​ Grade Exit Interview and Portfolio Project
Rationale
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The 8​ Grade Exit Portfolio Interview provides a tool for each student to reflect and
assess their academic growth on mastery of the specific California Common Core State
Standards during their middle school experience. Students have had the opportunity to focus on
these 8​th​ grade standards and to track their progress this year.
Students will demonstrate what they have learned by presenting their portfolios to an
interviewer, which may be a teacher, administrator, staff member, district employee, parent,
community member or business leader. The portfolios will contain one essay, highlighting ​six
artifacts (project/work samples) from different content areas which will demonstrate at least one
of the California Common Core State Standards in that content area. Students will also create a
short Google Slides presentation to support their mastery work. The Google Slides will provide a
chance to be creative in the presentation of the material and enhance each student’s individuality.
Objectives
1. Students will select and focus on their Artifacts (project/work samples) produced while
attending Johnson Middle School from the six following curricular areas. These artifacts must
demonstrate the students’ mastery on a particular 8​th grade California Content Standard in the
following areas:
A. Language Arts D. Social Studies
B. Math E. Physical Education
C. Science F. Elective
2. Students will create and type a detailed Cover Letter for their portfolio project.
3. Students will create a resume tailored to their selected career choice.
4. Students will produce a job application specific to their selected career choice.
5. Students will have a person outside of the school write a letter of recommendation. ​No
teacher at Johnson may write this letter. This letter may be written by a Girl or Boy
Scout leader, church youth group leader, coach or other adult outside of school that
knows this student.
6. Students will create and type a double-spaced, one page only, well-written justification essay
(2-4 paragraphs/ 12 point Times New Roman) for each content area artifact to explain in
what way the artifact demonstrates a California State Content Standard.
7. Each justification essay should have a standard header formatted in the following way:
Name of Class: Language Arts
Name of Assignment: Argumentative Essay
CCCSS (standard): W 8.1 Write arguments to support claims with
clear reasons and relevant evidence.
Grade: Grade received on the assignment
8. Students will review and complete a Peer Response Form on another student’s portfolio
9. Students will have his/her parents fill out a Parent Response Form.
10. Students will develop a 5-8 slide Google Slides presentation to highlight their personal
growth in learning while at Johnson. The presentation is to be creative and demonstrate each
student’s individuality.
11. Students will present his/her portfolio to an interviewer. The interviewer may be
a teacher, administrator, staff member, district employee, parent, community member,
or business leader.