CAS Guide

[annessa321]

 

2020-2021 CAS Guide for Juniors 

 

Meet the Authors

Annessa- Hi, I’m Annessa, a class of 2020 IB senior. I enjoy spending time with my friends and generally having fun. I hope this guide is helpful and clears some confusion regarding CAS.

Colton- Hi guys! I’m a class of 2020 senior and IB candidate. Some fun little things to note about me: I love the outdoors, to shop, and to read, so that is where most of my CAS time is directed. I hope that in reading some of our suggestions you will be able to learn a little!

 

Table of Contents

• What is CAS?

  • Creativity

  • Action

  • Service

• What are the CAS requirements?

  • Learning outcomes

  • Continuous activity

• What is a CAS project? 

  • Time requirements

  • Ideas for a project

• What activities count as CAS?

  •  Creativity:

  •  Action:

  •  Service:

  • Examples and non-examples of CAS activities

 

What is CAS?

CAS is a system of recorded activity that either satisfies the criteria of creativity, activity, and service. 

Creativity- Per the IB, creativity is exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance. Basically, anything that requires one to use imagination or original ideas to produce a body of work, in any form.

Activity- any physical actions or anything considered exercising or to be a sport.

Service- any free work used to help others (community service or volunteering)

 

What are the CAS requirements?

CAS requires 18 months of continuous creativity, action, and service throughout junior and senior year. To display these activities one must categorize the activity into one or more of the seven learning outcomes through a reflection and evidence.

Learning outcomes- there should be at least three to four reflections per outcome

• Strength and Growth

• Challenge and Skills

• Initiative and Planning

• Commitment and Perseverance

• Collaborative Skills

• Global Engagement

• Ethics of Choices and Actions

Continuous Activity- there must not be any long gaps (more than a month) with no activity. If this occurs then it will not be considered continuous and CAS will not be satisfied.

Reflection- a reflection is a written statement, of approximately a paragraph, which explains one's experience and the result as well as explaining how the activity relates to the chosen learning outcome.

Evidence- anything that proves the activity was done, for example, a picture or video.

 

What is a CAS Project?

A CAS project is an activity completed over an extended period of time that meets multiple learning outcomes.

Time Requirement- A CAS project mandates an activity that takes at least a month to complete, over this time the project should be continuously worked on.

CAS Project ideas- 

• Sell a product (ie bracelets and lanyards) and donate the money to charity

• Start a club that is ongoing for at least a month(specifically one that provides service in some way)

• Plan an event and donate the proceeds to charity

 

What activities count as CAS?

• Creativity

  • Arts & Creative Writing

  • Debate Team

  • Musical Performances

  • Student Government

  • Yearbook

• Activity

  • Individual & team sports

  • Hiking & outward bound

  • Yoga & meditation

  • Expeditions

  • Physical exertion

• Service

  • Volunteering

  • Peer tutoring

  • Social entrepreneurship

  • Community improvement

  • Habitat for Humanity

  • Humane Society/ASPCA

Senior FAQs

• How many experiences/reflections do I need in order to satisfy CAS requirements?

  • The minimum number of reflections in order to satisfy CAS requirements is technically 18, one for each of the 18 months which CAS is completed. However, ideally, logging one CAS experience and reflection per week will create a stronger portfolio.

• How do I find things that qualify as CAS experiences that I will enjoy?

  • CAS is extremely flexible depending on the individual, and is intended to provide  a sense of self-determination, collaboration, accomplishment and enjoyment. So if you like the beach, count it as an activity; if you love dogs, volunteer at the ASPCA. The options are endless!

• Where do I find ways to get globally engaged?

  • Most activities that either support causes or charities outside of one’s own community are considered global engagement. This could be military food drives, or any kind of global response fundraiser.

• Should I have equal amounts of service, activity, and creativity?

  • While it is necessary to keep a balance of the three, if one naturally happens more than the other, there is no need to worry. This being said, there must be reflections for all three categories.