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High School Grade  Project 6 weeks

Spirit Week Spectacular: Reunion Remix

Macaella D
Updated
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1
DA:Pr6.1.III.a
DA:Pr6.1.II.a
DA:Pr6.1.I.a
+ 11 more
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Purpose

Students work as an event leadership team to design a school celebration that strengthens belonging and honors both school history and current community life. Through planning Spirit Week, Homecoming, an Alumni Reunion, or a Grand Opening, they create real materials such as invitations, posters, budgets, schedules, maps, performances, and activity plans for an authentic audience. The experience builds communication, collaboration, and problem solving as students revise their ideas through critique, respond to partner feedback, and make design choices that support accessibility, participation, and school spirit.

Learning goals

Students will analyze sample event plans, invitations, flyers, announcements, and celebration layouts to identify how purpose, audience, persuasive language, visual design, music, and signage shape participation, accessibility, and school spirit. Students will collaborate in teams to plan a school celebration by developing agendas, roles, budgets, timelines, supply estimates, station maps, and rehearsal plans, using feedback from peers, staff, and community partners to revise for feasibility and inclusion. Students will create and present polished event materials and digital media, including posters, social media posts, invitation sets, slideshow elements, and public proposal updates, to communicate clearly and persuasively with students, families, alumni, and community members. Students will reflect on how their planning choices, leadership, and teamwork helped create a meaningful, memorable event that honors school history and builds community connection.

Standards
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1 - Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9—10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1 - Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11—12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr6.1.III.a - Demonstrate leadership qualities (for example commitment, dependability, responsibility, and cooperation) when preparing for performances. Model performance etiquette and performance practices during class, rehearsal and performance. Enhance performance using a broad repertoire of strategies for dynamic projection. Develop a professional portfolio (resume, head shot, etc.) that documents the rehearsal and performance process with fluency in professional dance terminology and production terminology.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr6.1.II.a - Demonstrate leadership qualities (for example commitment, dependability, responsibility, and cooperation) when preparing for performances. Model performance etiquette and performance practices during class, rehearsal and performance. Implement performance strategies to enhance projection. Post-performance, accept notes from choreographer and apply corrections to future performances. Document the rehearsal and performance process and evaluate methods and strategies using dance terminology and production
  • [National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr6.1.I.a - Demonstrate leadership qualities (for example commitment, dependability, responsibility, and cooperation) when preparing for performances. Demonstrate performance etiquette and performance practices during class, rehearsal and performance. Postperformance, accept notes from choreographer and apply corrections to future performances. Document the rehearsal and performance process and evaluate methods and strategies using dance terminology and production terminology.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr5.1.I.b - Develop a plan for healthful practices in dance activities and everyday life including nutrition and injury prevention. Discuss implementation of the plan and how it supports personal performance goals.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.5 - Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr6.1.I.b - Evaluate possible designs for the production elements of a performance and select and execute the ideas that would intensify and heighten the artistic intent of the dances.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr5.1.I.c - Collaborate with peers to establish and implement a rehearsal plan to meet performance goals. Use a variety of strategies to analyze and evaluate performances of self and others (for example, use video recordings of practice to analyze the difference between the way movements look and how they feel to match performance with visual affect). Articulate performance goals and justify reasons for selecting particular practice strategies.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1 - Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
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.
  • 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.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • 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

Students create draft and final event planning artifacts throughout the project, including meeting agendas, role sheets, budgets, supply lists, timelines, station maps, accessibility notes, and rehearsal or setup plans for performances, games, and welcome activities. They also produce promotional materials such as posters, flyers, invitations, announcement scripts, social media posts, newspaper blurbs, slideshows, guestbook materials, score trackers, and signage designed for students, alumni, families, and community partners. By the end, each team delivers a polished school celebration package such as a Spirit Week and homecoming plan, an alumni reunion kit, an advisory competition system, or a grand opening/ribbon-cutting event plan with decorated space designs, crowd-flow layouts, food and activity schedules, and public-facing displays ready for exhibition. Students also curate evidence of revision and impact through draft-to-final comparisons, feedback notes, photos, and short reflections that document how their choices made the event more welcoming, feasible, and memorable.

Launch

Open with a School Spirit Kickoff Carnival and Alumni Reunion Spark Night hybrid: students rotate through quick game demos, a mini photo slideshow of school history, and examples of flyers, invitations, announcements, and event signage. In mixed teams, they complete a fast “welcome audit” by noting what makes each station feel exciting, organized, inclusive, and memorable for students, alumni, families, and community members. End with a whole-group planning circle where teams pitch one event idea, one accessibility consideration, and one promotional strategy, then sort themselves into committees for games, decoration, outreach, performances, and logistics.

Exhibition

Host a School Spirit Celebration Expo where teams present their full event packages—posters, flyers, invitations, budgets, timelines, accessibility notes, station maps, and advisory competition materials—to students, families, alumni, staff, and community partners. Turn the space into an interactive preview with sample decoration zones, welcome signage, slideshow stations, game demos, dress-up day promotions, and QR codes linking to social media posts, announcement scripts, and newspaper blurbs. Invite guests to leave feedback through a guestbook, sticky-note critique wall, photo comments, or short audio reflections about what feels welcoming, memorable, and inclusive. End with brief team presentations that explain key planning choices, revisions made from critique, and how their design builds school spirit while honoring the school’s past and future.