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2022 Sustainability Shark Tank Lesson

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VIRGINIAECONOMICEDUCATORAWARDS 2022 SUSTAINABILITY SHARK TANKPlaza Middle SchoolVirginia Beach Public SchoolsAnthony Nobles & Kimberly MoorefieldLESSON PLAN:

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SUSTAINABILITYSHARK TANKCE.11(a) - Explain that because of scarcity, consumers, producers, andgovernments must make choices CE.12- c) Describe the types of business organizations and role ofentrepreneurshipf) Analyze the relationship of Virginia and the United States to the globaleconomy, with emphasis on the impact of technological innovationCE.14(d) - Examine the impact of technological change and globalization oncareer opportunitiesGrade Level: Middle School Materials: Chromebook or other computers Time Required: 240-360 Lesson Description: Students work together in science and economics classes tocome up with a business pitch. Their business must make a profit and promotesustainability. Students conduct background research about and select an environmentalissue; then they come up with a business idea to address it. This is where they actas entrepreneurs; their business should make a profit. Ideas range from a newapp to a sustainable restaurant. Groups create a presentation to pitch their idea. Economics and/or Personal Finance Topics: This project connects to theeconomic concepts of globalization, businesses, entrepreneurship, resources,production, and consumption. By connecting to science class, students can see how natural resources andglobalization operate in the real world. They can see how economics plays out inthe physical landscape of the earth.Standards:Earth Science standard 6 - Environmental and economic impacts of resources

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Which group members will research which topics?What will you look for in your research? What questions do you need toanswer about how businesses work in a global world?How will you balance working as a group in science class and individually incivics class? What will you complete during the class periods you have towork on this project?Procedure: Day 1The teacher will divide students into groups and direct them to sit together. Theywill allow students to view the instructions for the project and go over the majorsteps. First, small groups will have 15 minutes to create a research plan. They willanswer these questions in their research plan.For the remainder of class, individual students will conduct research. As theyresearch, they will create MLAsource citations (using EasyBib or another website) and add those to the groupworks cited page.Day 2Students will continue their individual research from last class for the first 45minutes (roughly) today. Then small groups will come back together and sharetheir most important research with each other. They will fill out a discussionnotes sheet to make sure they know the most important information about eachscience topic.Groups will spend the last 30 minutes today talking through the team proposalplan document. They will narrow down to one environmental concern andexplain why they selected it. Then they will narrow down to one good/service thattheir business will sell and explain why they selected it. They will make a plan forworking on their presentations the next few class days.Day 3The teacher will go over expectations for student presentations. Groups willcreate presentations that meet the requirements on the instructions.Presentations should be 5-10 minutes long, include all group members,include a visual aid (Slides presentation) and tangible product or other “wow”factor, and be persuasive in tone.Sustainability Shark TankBy: Anthony Nobles & Kimberly Moorefield

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Mission statement for your businessWhat human, natural, and capital resources will you need for production?How will you get them?Who are your intended customers? How will you appeal to them?What makes your product unique? Why will you make money?Evaluate your research process and results. Were you successful? Why or whynot? In your research, what were the strategies or resources that were mosthelpful? What strategies or resources were least helpful?How might you improve your research strategy in the future?This may be the first time you have ever worked on a unit between twodifferent subject areas. What are your strengths and weaknesses in socialstudies? What are your strengths and weaknesses in science? What are yourstrengths and weaknesses at combining knowledge from these two subjectareas?Evaluate how helpful it was to pull on two subject areas (social studies andscience) to examine each of the following subjects: natural resources,globalization, businessesProcedure: While students are creating their presentations, they will work from a list of topics to include. They must include background information about their environmental concern (related to science class). They must also include answers to the following economics-related questions:Day 4Groups will continue working on their pitch presentation today. For homework,they will do whatever necessary to be ready to present next class.Day 5Student groups will have 10 minutes to prepare for presentations.Student groups will present one at a time in a random order. Their presentationwill be 5-10 minutes in length, and they may choose to take audience questionsafterward if they have time left. Students listening to the presentations willcomplete an observation sheet in which they answer questions about whatmade the presentations effective and why these businesses might make a profit.During the last 20 minutes of class (or the beginning of the next class), studentswill respond to the reflection questions below. They will have 2 minutes todiscuss each question as a group and then 4 minutes to writesilently about each question.Sustainability Shark TankBy: Anthony Nobles & Kimberly Moorefield

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https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TNnPnPHYG3weH7J0kXNnX9Eo1OdZ60Xx?usp=share_linkAssessment: Students are assessed on their research, presentation itself, and reflection. Forthe presentation, the teacher assesses if students communicate in a way that isappropriate for their audience and purpose and if they synthesize disciplinaryknowledge from both science and social studies into a cohesive business plan.On this project, 89% of our students this year scored at a level of proficient on therubric, and 54% scored at a level of expert.Extension & Modifications: Student groups allow modifications for different types of students; the teachercould group gifted students together, divide up special education students, orplace some students with a TA. Presentations can be modified (written proposalswith prompts or prerecorded). Companies with a globalreach or cultural element might be appealing to students from diversebackgrounds. This project could be modified to just take place in civics class(without the heavy environmental components) or relate to other sciencesubjects or English class (persuasive communication).Upload of Supplementary Materials: Explain how this lesson/unit teaches or reinforces the economics/personalfinance concepts above: This project is an opportunity for students to seeeconomics standards in action. Instead of learning about entrepreneurship andworld trade, students get to think like an entrepreneur operating in the globaleconomy. By coming up with new ideas and presenting, students wereentrepreneurs. They took risks and displayed profit motive.Plaza Middle SchoolVirginia Beach Public SchoolsSustainability Shark TankBy: Anthony Nobles & Kimberly MoorefieldAnthony NoblesKimberly MoorefieldPlaza Middle SchoolVirginia Beach Public Schools