This volume is organized into three main sections: Elementary School, Middle School, and High School. Each section follows the same format.

Each standard is identified by a symbol.
Click here to view the performance descriptions for the standards for elementary school. There are five standards for Applied Learning at the elementary school level, each identified by a symbol. The symbol for the Problem Solving standard is . This symbol appears wherever there is a reference to this standard.

Each standard is made up of several parts.
Each standard is made up of several parts, for example, the Problem Solving standard has three parts. Each part is identified by a lower case letter; for example, the part of the Problem Solving standard that refers to solving problems to do with designing a product, service or system is a. These symbols are used wherever there is a reference to the relevant part of a standard.

Performance descriptions tell what students are expected to know and be able to do.
Each part of a standard has a performance description. The performance description is a narrative description of what students are expected to know and be able to do. It is shown in bold type.

Examples are the kinds of work students might do to demonstrate their achievement of the standards.
Immediately following the bold-typed performance descriptions for the standard are examples of the kinds of work students might do to demonstrate their achievement. The examples also indicate the nature and complexity of activities that are appropriate to expect of students at the grade level. However, we use the word “example” deliberately. The examples are intended only to show the kinds of work that students might do and to stimulate ideas for further kinds of work. None of the activities shown in the examples is necessarily required to meet the standard.

Cross-references following the examples highlight possible connections among the Applied Learning standards.
Most of the examples that follow the performance descriptions include cross-references to other parts of the Applied Learning standards. These cross-references highlight the interrelated nature of the Applied Learning standards and the ways by which a single project can provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their achievement of parts of several Applied Learning standards.

Cross-references also highlight possible ways of connecting Applied Learning with Language Arts, Mathematics and Science.
Some cross-references shown following the examples identify parts of the standards for Language Arts, Mathematics and Science. These cross-references highlight examples of Applied Learning projects that provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their achievement of standards both in Applied Learning and the relevant content area. These cross-references can be examined further by checking the relevant appendix in the back of this book. See Appendix I (Language Arts) for details of cross-references marked E, Appendix II (Mathematics) for details of cross-references marked M, and Appendix III (Science) for details of cross-references marked S.

Comparing the grade levels.
Each page showing performance descriptions for the standards has a note in the margin that directs attention to Appendix V which shows the performance descriptions for Applied Learning at each of the three grade levels: Elementary, Middle, and High School.

Project samples and commentaries.
Project samples and commentaries appear on the pages immediately following the performance descriptions.

There is a guide to locating work samples for specific parts of the standards.
At the beginning of each section containing project samples and commentaries there is a guide to locating work samples that illustrate specific parts of the standards.

Each project sample is introduced by the story behind the project.
The story behind the project explains how the project arose and provides information about the circumstances under which the student work was produced. This includes the period of time over which the project was completed and how the students organized themselves to do the work.

Standards are highlighted in the bar at the side of the page.
The bar along the side of the pages showing student work highlights the standards that are illustrated by each project sample. (N/A for online version)

The box at the bottom of the page shows what is illustrated in the project sample.
The shaded box at the bottom of the page lists the parts of the standards that are illustrated in the
project sample.

Project samples illustrate standard-setting performances.
Each project sample is a genuine piece of student work. We have selected it because it illustrates a standard-setting performance for some parts of the standards.

The commentary explains why the student work illustrates a standard-setting performance.
The commentary that goes with each work sample identifies the features of the work that illustrate the relevant part of the standards. It draws attention to the qualities of the work with direct reference to the performance description for the relevant standard.

The commentary also notes our reservations about the work.
The commentary also draws attention to any reservations we have about the student work.

Performance Standards = performance descriptions + work samples + commentaries on the work samples.
Performance standards are, thus, made up of a combination of performance descriptions, work samples, and commentaries on the work samples:

• The performance descriptions tell what students should know and the ways they should demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired.
• The work samples show work that illustrates standard-setting performances in relation to parts of the standards.
  
• The commentaries explain why the work is standard-setting with reference to the relevant performance description or descriptions.

Each of these is an essential component of a performance standard.

Some student work samples illustrate a standard-setting performance for parts of more than one standard.
Some of the student work included in the project samples illustrates the quality of work expected for parts of more than one standard. For example, some of the work selected to illustrate parts of , Communication Tools and Techniques, also illustrates a standard-setting performance for parts of , Information Tools and Techniques. Similarly, some of the work selected to illustrate parts of , Problem Solving, also illustrates a standard-setting performance for parts of , Self-management Tools and Techniques.

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