Design Challenge
Planning Guide Select where you are in your real world learning journey.
Getting Started
Set your goals and understand your commitment.
Finding Partners
Who from the real world will interact with your students?
Preparing
What do you need to be ready to launch?
Launching
Connect your students with real world learning experiences.
Following Up
How will you follow up with everyone after the experience?
Reflecting
Did you achieve your goals?
Getting Started
Understand goals and commitments
Write down your vision and identify student learning goals for this introduction to social entrepreneurship unit. Use the RWL Activity Planning Worksheet
Develop a unit plan with key objectives and resources you want to integrate (see Sample Design Challenge Sample Plan and Lesson Planning Resources)
If you plan to host a final demonstration of learning or competition contact your administration to schedule the event and be prepared to discuss details about your vision for the event, budget, location and potential judge(s) outside of class hours (see Student Competition for more details)
Tips
- When selecting an event date consider holidays, student testing and other district calendar dates
- Remember that this is an “introduction” you may not be able to cover all topics in-depth. Consider what topics and learning objectives are most important.
Supporting materials that can help
RWL Activity Planning Worksheet
A blank worksheet designed to plan the activity
Sample Design Challenge Unit Plan
Use and adapt great example for your unit plan
Design Challenge Lesson Planning Resources
Use this list of case studies, lessons and presentations to create your unit
Finding Partners
Who from the real world will interact with your students?
Reach out to personal contacts, organizations and colleges to identify partners as potential speakers and Design Challenge Advisors to support student groups
Identify potentials partners, collect their contact information and create a spreadsheet with this information
Send invitations to potential partner guest speaker(s) (see Guest Speaker Invitation Email)
Send invitations to Design Challenge Advisors (see Design Challenge Advisor Invitation Email)
Confirm potential partner guest speaker(s) with any pertinent information and to schedule a prep call closer to the engagement (see Guest Speaker Confirmation Email)
Confirm Design Challenge Advisors with description of their role, details for engagement and training (see Design Challenge Advisor Confirmation Email)
Collect short bios for all partner(s)/volunteer(s)
Tips
- Universities/colleges are great resources for content and even syllabi if you need additional resources and support
- Advertise it within local chambers of commerce and professional associations that have companies as members
- Reach out to families. This can be a great way to incorporate family engagement and increase the breadth of potential contacts
- As you confirm speakers and advisors make sure to update your unit plan/scope and sequence
Supporting materials that can help
Design Challenge Advisor Invitation Email
Use this template to customize invitations Social Entrepreneurship Advisors
Guest Speaker Invitation Email
Use this template to customize invitations to guest speaker(s)
Guest Speaker Confirmation Email
Customize this template to confirm guest speaker(s)
Design Challenge Advisor Confirmation Email
Customize this template to confirm Social Entrepreneurship Advisors
Preparing
What do you need to be ready to launch?
Create a student-facing “syllabus” for this unit including confirmed guest speakers, advising classes and description of what they will do
Schedule calls with the speaker(s) to answer questions and review expectations
Create a Design Challenge training call agenda and schedule 2-4 one-hour calls for your advisors to join (see Training Agenda and Feedback Tips)
Share any background check/clearance information required by the school with partner(s), if applicable
Send school media waiver to the partner(s), so you can take photos and share your classroom experience
Arrange a location for advisement sessions with proper space and seating for students and partners to collaborate
Continue to refine your unit and lesson plans by identifying videos and online resources that may work for your students
Create a Design Challenge Proposal Template for students to complete (see Student Proposal/Presentation Template)
Share a rubric with students and advisors to set expectations (see Proposal/Presentation Rubric)
Create student Design Challenge groupings (3-4 students) to save time and share with students
Introduce the Design Challenge unit or module to students and explain that they will interact with real world professionals in class. Review some “dos and don’t” in communicating with adults.
The unit will rely heavily on teamwork consider doing 1-2 classes with students on teamwork (see Sample Teamwork and Professional Communications Lessons: 11-14)
Tips
- If you don’t have time to do multiple “training” calls consider doing a pre-recorded intro and schedule 30-minute Q & A calls.
- Students make not “like” their groups, be thoughtful about how to balance friendships and teaching students valuable lessons about teams.
Supporting materials that can help
Design Challenge Advisor Training Agenda
Create an advisor call agenda, using this sample
Share these tips with your advisors on the training call
Edit and customize this presentation rubric for your social entrepreneurship project presentations
Student Proposal/Presentation Template
Adapt this proposal/presentation template to use with your students
Sample Teamwork and Professional Communications Lesson
Use this sample lesson to help students prepare for their presentations
Launching
Connect your students with real world learning experiences.
Teach the Design Challenge course
Host guest speaker(s) virtually or in-person
Arrange your classroom for Design Challenege Advisor days
Ahead of each class ensure all A/V you need will work
Ensure students have access to computers to do research and complete proposals in class when needed
Greet partners 15-30 minutes ahead of the classes they will join
Ensure administrators and front office staff are aware that there will be visitors and there are directions on what to do when they arrive
Host the demonstration of learning or competition
Take photos and video when possible to document the process, key learnings and to share with partners
Tips
- Adjust lessons and timing based on your student needs.
- Make sure you print out copies of rubrics and any student work that advisors will review and discuss with them.
- If you plan to host a competition that takes separate planning. Review the Student Competition destination for planning, templates and tips.
Following Up
How will you follow up with everyone after the experience?
Send a thank you email to the partners on behalf of yourself and the class. Share partner survey (see Partner Survey Questions)
Have students write personal thank you notes sharing how they benefited from the experience
Reach out to anyone else who helped in arranging the partners to update them on the event and thank them for their assistance
Tips
- Close the email with a reference to the future - leaving the door open to more interactions
- Have students write personal thank you notes sharing how they benefited from the experience
- Administer partner survey online (using Google Forms, SurveyMonkey or a similar tool) and include with your follow up thank you email
- Have students write about their experiences and share with the local community or arrange interviews with the local newspaper and media outlets
Supporting materials that can help
Use these sample questions in a survey to partners
Reflecting
Did you achieve your goals?
Reflect with students on the overall experience: the class, the partners and their learning (see Student Reflection)
Reflect on your own experience with the course, planning and partners (see Teacher Reflection)
Create a blog post or write up about the experience to share with your district
Tips
- Share your story. It will help spread good ideas and gain support from others. You can blog about it, share it at a faculty meeting, send out a press release, etc.
Supporting materials that can help
Edit and customize this sample reflection sheet to use with students after the unit
Edit and customize this sample reflection sheet once you’ve completed this unit
