Yourname:

ChereseS.

PROJECT#1

1. Topicarea#1youwishtoexploreforCapstone:

fashionseffectontheconsumerandtheirperceptionoftheirbody

2.Listassortedquestionsthatyouwouldgenerateaboutyourtopic(feelfreetoenlargethebox
belowifyouneedmorespace).

howaremodelspicked?
is(s)heactuallythatskinnyorthatcurvy?oristhisphotoshopped?
doconsumerscomparethemselvestomodelsandinwhatways?
amIsupposedtofitclothinglikecelebritiesdo?
doconsumersgetinfluencedbymodelsinsuchawaythattheymodifytheirdiet?
whyisitinappropriateforwomentowearshortclothing?
shouldconsumersaspiretohavebodieslikesupermodels?
whyphotoshoptheimageofabodyandwhatarethebenefits?

3.Revisitthequestionsyouplacedintheboxabove.

colorthequestionsthataretoosimple/deadend:RED
colorthequestionsthathavesomepotential/possibilities:BLUE
colorthosequestionsthathavesignificantpotentialthosethatcouldleadtootherrich,
thoughtprovokingquestions:GREEN

4.Fromthequestionsyouvecolored,reformulatethosequestionsintoseveralpossible
questionsaboutyourtopicthatapproachwhatmightbeapotentialessentialquestion.

Intheindustryoffemaleapparel,howareconsumersinfluencedbythemodelsusedto
showcaseclothing?
whatfactorsinthefashionindustryaffectthewayconsumerseatandthereforetheirbodies?
Whatdoesthefashionindustryimplybyphotoshoppingimagesofcelebritiesonthecoverof
magazinesandinwhatwaysareitsaudienceaffected?

5.Nowrefineyourquestionsintheboxaboveintoasingleessentialquestionthatyouthink
mightworkforyourproject.Putthatquestionintheboxbelow.

Inwhatwaysdothefashionindustryinfluenceconsumerstothinkabouttheirbodyandtheir
overallimage?

6.Now,evaluateyourproposedessentialquestionaccordingtothefollowingcriteria:

Doesyouressentialquestionmeetthefollowingcriteria?

Youressentialquestionisopenendedthatis,ittypicallywill
nothaveasingle,final,andcorrectanswer.
xYes No
Youressentialquestionisthoughtprovokingandintellectuallyengaging,oftensparking
discussionanddebate.
xYes No
Youressentialquestioncallsforhigherorderthinking,suchasanalysis,inference,evaluation,
prediction.Itcannotbeeffectivelyansweredbyrecallalone.
Yes No
Youressentialquestionpointstowardimportant,transferableideaswithin(andsometimes
across)disciplines.
Yes No
Youressentialquestionraisesadditionalquestionsandsparksfurtherinquiry.
xYes No
Youressentialquestionrequiressupportandjustification,notjustananswer.
xYes No
Youressentialquestionrecursovertimethatis,thequestioncanandshouldberevisitedagain
andagain.
Yes No

7.Basedontheaboveassessment,doyouhaveanyrevisionstoyourquestion?Ifyes,reviseit
intheboxbelow.Ifno,thencopythequestionyoustartedwithintotheboxbelow.

Inwhatwaysdothefashionindustryinfluenceconsumershowtofeelabouttheirbodyand
theiroverallimage?

HiCherese,

Yourtopicissuchahugeoneandissodominantindiscussionsofteenagecultureespecially.
Andyouhadsomanygoodideasthatcouldpotentiallybepartofthisproject.

Whatifyoutooksomeofthoseand,ineffect,flippedtheinvestigation?Whatifyourproject
beganbyaskingasignificantnumberofadolescents(diverseintheirappearance,ethnicity,
economicstatus,etc.)todrawouttheiridealwardrobe,irrespectiveofthefashionindustry,
whatsinthestoresorwhatstrendyatthemomentorwhatsaffordableorwhatyourfriends
arewearing?Youcouldnarrowthedemographicto,forexample,1618yearoldwomen.
Whatwouldtheywanttowear?Whatpieces,specifically?Whatfabrics?Whatstyle?How
fitted/lessfittedwouldtheseclothesbe?Wouldcomfortmattermorethanstyle?

Thenyoucouldanalyzeaparticularseasonofclothingproducedforyoungpeople.Youcould
select,maybe,certainkeystoresand/orcertainkeymagazinesandanalyzewhatisbeing
promotedintheseandwhatitsaysaboutalookand/orbodytypethatsbeenemphasized
overothers.

Onceyouhavethosetwobodiesofinformation,youcouldcomparethem.Youcouldalso
lookatwhatdrivesthedecisionstoprefercertaintypesofclothingwhetheryougetthat
informationfrominterviewingcustomersoutsidestorestotalkingmoreanecdotallyand/or
photographingpeoplesclosets!

Assumingthatthereisadisconnectthatwhatpeoplewantisdifferentthanwhatthefashion
industryismarketingyoucouldthengotointerviewfolksinthefashionindustrytoassess
theirreasoningbehindthedecisionstheymaketomarketonethingoranother.

Allofthisinvariablywouldcomebacktoperceptionsofhowonewantstolookandtryingto
figureoutwhatarethefactorsthatinfluencethatforindividuals.Weresensingthatthatisthe
underlyingmotivationforyourprojectaspresentlywritten.Doesthisoffersomeideasfor
possibledirectionstoexpand/reshapetheproject?

Ms.F.andMr.M

8.Now,answerthefollowing:

(a)Whyareyoupursuingthisessentialquestion?

BecauseIwanttofindoutwho/what/when/where/whether/why/howto:

whyconsumerscomparethemselvestowhatthefashionindustrymarkets

(b)SowhydoIwanttodothat?

Inorderto:
i. helpmyaudienceunderstandhow/why/whether

thatthestandardbeingpresentedtoconsumersasalevelofassumedperfectionis
nonexistent

ii. makechangeinthisdirection:

topreventpeoplefrombelievingthatthebodiesshownonthecoverofmagazinesandon
runwaysinfashionshowsarewhatabodyshouldlooklike

iii. tocallattentiontothesethings:

theseassumptionscanleadapersontoreevaluatetheirbodyandthinktheyneedtogain
weightorloseweight(typicallyunnecessarily)tofitthisstandard

(c)Whyisthisrelevanttoanyoneintodaysworld,totheirdailylives,tothefutureof
theplanet?

Negativeeffectssuchasbullying,healthissues,insecurityissues,anddepression
canbeproducedfromthismatter.

(d)Isthatreallythemostrelevantthingaboutit?Bottomline:sowhat?Whyshouldwe
careaboutyourproject?

Thementaldevelopmentforchildrenofthefutureiscalledintoquestionsinceitmay
haveaneffectontheyouthsselfesteem.

(e)Seriously,isthatthemostyoucansay?Really,truly:whyshouldwecareaboutyour
project?

Shouldweletthementalityofpeoplearoundtheworldcirclethedraininanattemptto
fitinwiththestandardssocietybelievesinandsupports?

(f)Haveyouanymoreanswerstothequestionsowhat?Whatdoesthismatter?Why
isitworthspendingyourenergyonthis?

Confidenceinyourbodyand,moreover,yourselfismostimportantforapersons
health,letalonetheirsuccessinlife.

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**
PROJECT#2

1. Topicarea#2youwishtoexploreforCapstone:

foodproductionandtheireffectsonsustainability

2.Listassortedquestionsthatyouwouldgenerateaboutyourtopic(feelfreetoenlargethebox
belowifyouneedmorespace).

howdothematerialsweuseforcookinginfluencetheecosystemsaroundus?
doesthedifferencebetweenusingsyntheticingredientsandnaturalingredientsaffect
consumers?
howwouldbuyingmorelocalfooditemsinfluencetheneedforsustainability?
inwhatwaysdoestryingtoincreasethespeedofmassproductionnegativelyinfluencethe
environment?
howdoweknowifsomeofouragriculturalmeasuresarebeneficialtotheearth?

3.Revisitthequestionsyouplacedintheboxabove.

colorthequestionsthataretoosimple/deadend:RED
colorthequestionsthathavesomepotential/possibilities:BLUE
colorthosequestionsthathavesignificantpotentialthosethatcouldleadtootherrich,
thoughtprovokingquestions:GREEN

4.Fromthequestionsyouvecolored,reformulatethosequestionsintoseveralpossible
questionsaboutyourtopicthatapproachwhatmightbeapotentialessentialquestion.

Howdoestheworldsinterestingainingmoreprofitfromfoodproductionconnectstothe
ignoranceofcaretowardsfood?
Doestheworldcreatehealthissuesforitsconsumersduetoitsneedtoproducemorefood
fromoverpopulation?

5.Nowrefineyourquestionsintheboxaboveintoasingleessentialquestionthatyouthink
mightworkforyourproject.Putthatquestionintheboxbelow.

Howdoestheworldsneedforfastermassproductioncreateenvironmentalissuesaswellas
healthissuesforitsconsumersandinwhatwayscantheseeffectsbereversedtocreatea
betterlifestyleforall?

6.Now,evaluateyourproposedessentialquestionaccordingtothefollowingcriteria:

Doesyouressentialquestionmeetthefollowingcriteria?

Youressentialquestionisopenendedthatis,ittypicallywill
nothaveasingle,final,andcorrectanswer.
xYes No
Youressentialquestionisthoughtprovokingandintellectuallyengaging,oftensparking
discussionanddebate.
xYes No
Youressentialquestioncallsforhigherorderthinking,suchasanalysis,inference,evaluation,
prediction.Itcannotbeeffectivelyansweredbyrecallalone.
xYes No
Youressentialquestionpointstowardimportant,transferableideaswithin(andsometimes
across)disciplines.
xYes No
Youressentialquestionraisesadditionalquestionsandsparksfurtherinquiry.
xYes No
Youressentialquestionrequiressupportandjustification,notjustananswer.
xYes No
Youressentialquestionrecursovertimethatis,thequestioncanandshouldberevisitedagain
andagain.
xYes No

7.Basedontheaboveassessment,doyouhaveanyrevisionstoyourquestion?Ifyes,reviseit
intheboxbelow.Ifno,thencopythequestionyoustartedwithintotheboxbelow.

Howdoestheworldsneedforfastermassproductioncreateenvironmentalissuesaswellas
healthissuesforitsconsumersandinwhatwayscantheseeffectsbereversedtocreatea
betterlifestyleforall?

HiCherese

ThrilledthatyouwereinspiredbyreadingDanBarbersbooktocomeupwiththissecond
project.

Yourquestionisobviouslycentraltoagoodportionofthebook(andasyouwillseenextweek,
thisquestionarisesfromseveralofthesummerreadingvolumes).AndwhileBarberidentifies
theproblem,hereallydoesntcomeupwithasolutionforit.Ultimately,andyouarequiteright
here,iftheworlddoesnotfindananswertothis,theenvironmentalaswellasthehealth
consequencesofthisproductionoffoodonanacceleratedscheduleanditsconsumption
fartherandfartherfromitssourcewillbebadforthehumanspeciesasweknowit.

Inyourvideoclip,youidentifiedwheatandthegoalofpossiblycreatinganewformofwheatin
responsetotherecognitionthatonlyaportionofthewheatgermisusedinwheatbased
products.Thatsareallygreatidea.Thequestionis:howfeasibleisthatifyouarebasedin
Massachusetts?IlookedonlineandherearethestatesintheUSwiththegreatestproduction
ofwheat:http://www.statista.com/statistics/190376/topusstatesinwheatproduction/

Whatthatmeansisthatyoucoulddobookresearchonthisandpossiblyproposesolutions
butitwouldbehardtoverifywithouttalkingtofarmers,etc.whoactuallygrowwheat.

Somuchastheessentialquestionis,astheBritssay,spoton,thechallengewouldbein
figuringouthowtoactuallydotheprojectfromyourperchinBoston.

Iwasthinkingaboutaprojectaboutafoodproductthat,whilelesspervasivethanwheat
(whichisinsomuchstuffinourdietthatwehavetoproduceagrowingnumberofglutenfree
productsinordertoavoideatingit),ismorelocal.Whichbroughtmetoapples.

NowIdontknowifyoulikeapples,butapplepickingiseverywhereinNewEnglandrightnow.
Haveyoueverdoneapplepicking?Ifnot,gettheetoanappleorchardasap.Theyarenearby:
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/artsentertainment/blog/2014/09/19/applepickingorchardsn
earboston/

Ifyougotoamarket,unlikemanyotherfooditemswhicharemuchmoreseasonal,apples
areontheshelvesyearround.AndIneverreallythoughtaboutwhythatis.Itsnotsomething
centraltoBarbersbook,tobesure.ButtheyaredefinitelyastapleinanAmericandiet.

Soheressomethinginteresting.AnorganizationcalledCUESA(whichrunsthisincredible
marketintheFerryTerminalinSanFrancisco)putoutsomefindingsaboutfoodsthathaveto
travelfartogettotheconsumer.Turnsoutthatmostapplesarestoredinproduceterminals
formonthsandthenpurchasedanddrivenfarinordertofeedtheUSconsumer.Seethis
article:http://www.cuesa.org/learn/howfardoesyourfoodtravelgetyourplate

ThenIsawthissortoffunkyblogsite(runbyawomanwhohomeschoolsandseemstobe
obsessedwithfood).HerblogiscalledFoodRenegadeandshewritesinthisentry
(http://www.foodrenegade.com/yourapplesyearold/)abouthowmostapplessoldinstores
areseveralmonthsifnotmorethanoneyearold.(Wow.)

Iwonderwhathappenstothenutritionalvalueoffoodifittakessolongforittoreach
consumersafterithasbeenharvested.

Whyallthistextaboutapples?Ithinkyourprojectisverydoableifyouidentifysomething
close(r)tohome.Icouldseeyouinterviewinglocalapplegrowers,talkingtoproduce
managersatsupermarketsabouthowapplesareselectedfortheirmarkets,wheretheyare
from,howlongtheysitinstoragevsinbinsonthesupermarketfloor,etc.Youcouldtalkto
consumersnow,whileapplesareinseasontoassesswhatmakesforadeliciousapple(in
applegrowingseason)andwhetherapplesareasdeliciouswhentheyarenotfreshlypicked.
Youcouldanalyzethenutritionalvalueofapplesandcomparewhethertheyaremore(orless
orthesame)nutritionallyiftheyareeatenafterbeingpickedorwaitafewmonths.Andyou
couldidentifytheenvironmentalandeconomicimpactofkeepingapplesaroundfarbeyond
whentheyareproducedontreesinNewEngland(andelsewhere).

(BTW:funfactChinaproducesthemostapplesintheworld.Whoknew?Ijustlearnedthis.
SomehowIdontthinkofChinesefoodandapplepieinthesamesentence,doyou?)

Ofcourse,youcouldsticktowheatandthendothisresearchinamoreacademicway.It
woulddefinitelybehardertoincorporatesomefieldworkinthatbutitwouldbeaninteresting
researchproject,forsure.

Thinkaboutallthisandletusknowwhatyouthink.Youhavetworeallyinterestingproject
possibilitiesinthisfirstdraft.

Ms.Freeman(andMr.Mikalaitis)

8.Now,answerthefollowing:

(a)Whyareyoupursuingthisessentialquestion?

BecauseIwanttofindoutwho/what/when/where/whether/why/howto:

whatdoesthefoodindustrygiveupinordertobeabletosatisfyeveryonewithfood

(b)SowhydoIwanttodothat?

Inorderto:
i. helpmyaudienceunderstandhow/why/whether

whytheindustrybelievestheyneedtodothisandwhataretheconsequencesforeachfactor

ii. makechangeinthisdirection:

topromoteamoreintenseandnaturalcareforfoodproductionandtheenvironmentsin
whichtheingredientsareharvested

iii. tocallattentiontothesethings:

howthefoodindustrymayinsertsyntheticingredientsthatcausesunnaturalchangesinour
bodiesandmaybereducingtheamountofandtheauthenticityoffoodduetotheirattentionto
profitandoverpopulation

(c)Whyisthisrelevanttoanyoneintodaysworld,totheirdailylives,tothefutureof
theplanet?

Alloftheworldisalreadystrippingtheearthofalotofitsresourcesandthusto
preserveitandachievethehealthiestdietpossible,wemustworktowardskeeping
theearthhealthy.

(d)Isthatreallythemostrelevantthingaboutit?Bottomline:sowhat?Whyshouldwe
careaboutyourproject?

Ifwetaketheearthsresourcesforgrantedandnotreturnnutrientsbacktotheearth,
weputourveryexistenceatstake.

(e)Seriously,isthatthemostyoucansay?Really,truly:whyshouldwecareaboutyour
project?

Besidesourexistencebeingontheline,ourhealthalsoisendangeredduetothe
possiblyharmfulartificialingredientsinsertedintothefoodnowadaysaswellasthe
caretakingprocessusedtoproducefood(whichmayincludechemicals).

(f)Haveyouanymoreanswerstothequestionsowhat?Whatdoesthismatter?Why
isitworthspendingyourenergyonthis?

Weshouldpromotetheutmostbestcareforeveryoneontheworld,nota