The Scenarios at BrainBuffet are open-ended, problem-based projects. If you are unfamiliar with Scenario-based education, please click here for more information. Every Scenario includes all of the sections described below. The sections are all important to consider when working on a project, as they all pertain to different aspects of the same problem.

The sections of the scenarios are listed and defined below.

Scenario:

The scenario is the "story" or "background" for the project. The goal is to simulate a real-world work environment. These scenarios set the scene for the purpose of the project as it relates to actual business and industry activities. If demographic information is provided, be sure to keep that in mind while creating your project!

Objective:

This is the actual goal of the project stated as briefly as possible. It says exactly what you will be doing.

Team Size:

This is the maximum number of people that can work on this project. If there is enough equipment to do so, more than one person can work on the project at the same time, but each team must meet the size requirements. If a team size of one is given, then this is an individual project and each person participating must create his or her own project. No matter what the team size may be, every person on the team documents their own work separately.

Specifications:

This list gives you some guidelines for their projects. As in the real world, creativity is valued; we do not want you to copy a project described in a tutorial. The goal is to create your own unique, individual piece of work. Think of these as the basic requirements for the project, not the ultimate goal. The specifications are the minimum you're expected to accomplish. Successfully completing the project and only meeting the basic specifications will result in an average assessment of the project. To achieve an excellent assessment, you will be expected to go above and beyond these minimum specifications.

Materials and Equipment:

This list simply lists the materials and equipment that will be needed to complete the projects. Every project lists pencil and paper for developmental sketches and outlines, and a computer workstation for typing your research report.

Resources and References:

This is a list of books, magazines, and other materials that will help with the project, and provides a link to internet pages that have information that may be useful for completing your projects.

Guidelines:

This section is just a list of helpful hints for those who want to use them. You are not required to follow these guidelines, but you are advised to do so. These guidelines were given by students who have been most successful in completing the project. Many of them are tips that will make the project easier for you to complete successfully.

Evaluation:

This area simply lists what will be considered in the evaluation of the projects. The rubric is used for grading, but this section explains what will be considered "excellent craftsmanship" and "attention to detail."

Suggested Timeline:

This section simply suggests how much time you should spend on each section. Since the time given to projects may vary, the timeline is divided into percentages rather than minutes. This timeline is a suggestion. You may realize that you need more time on one particular section and less than another. A big part of your success on this project will be your ability to manage your time well. Don't get caught up in the minor details at the expense of the critical details. Get what must be done finished before you start to work on the fancy stuff.

Enrichment:

This section is a list of cross-curricular activities related to the projects that can be done for extra credit.