How do you get 5th and 6th graders to become excited about fractions, decimals, budgeting, states of matter, writing research and business proposal papers, and learning about economics? You offer them this Driving Question: How can we effectively use our entrepreneurial skills to design and market a product to sell to our community?
Then, you tell them that they and a partner will create their own baked goods business. You connect them with experts in the field, such as two-time Cupcake Wars Winner and Food Network Challenge Champion Erin Campbell, for some solid advice. After they select their business, you call in marketing expert and college professor Jeff Courtney to help them with designing their logo and targeting a specific audience.
Don’t forget to have them survey a variety of demographics to find favorite flavors and chart the data.
To keep the excitement going, you have to bring them to the test kitchen, where they have to create and test an original recipe and help them realize that failures do happen (like when you leave out the flour or put in too much baking powder) and to embrace it, push through, and grow from it.
You still have to keep that sustained inquiry going, so bringing them to the new Exploratorium to film their commercials and create an advertisement and business cards just might work.
Afterwards, you give them support when they have to write a business loan proposal and build a solid marketing plan, which helps them to realize, on their own, that they have to be frugal with some ingredients if they want to make a larger profit.
Profit? Yes, our learners are preparing to sell their goods. We know that they will do their best and be more engaged in their learning because they are making connections to the real world.
Please watch this video as Samantha and Kiera were so excited that they discovered a profit to debt app on their own. They beautifully articulate the learning process!
