A foundational lesson exploring how energy moves through ecosystems, focusing on trophic levels, the 10% rule, and the complex connections in terrestrial and aquatic food webs.

Teachers learn to break complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps using classroom routines and Iowa Core standards as examples.

A critical examination of how systemic inequities influence environmental health outcomes, focusing on Flint's water and urban air quality. Students analyze data and develop advocacy products to promote environmental justice.

A hands-on project where students explore waste management through the lens of Shoji Yamasaki's art, culminating in a creative video showcasing their own upcycling process or performance.

An extra credit project challenging students to live plastic-free for two weeks while researching the impacts of bioaccumulation and exploring sustainable alternatives. Students document their journey and findings in a formal scientific lab report.

The final project compilation phase where students curate their best work from the term into a professional digital portfolio. Students learn the art of curation and how to publish a simple one-page website as a 'Digital Resume'.

A lesson focused on post-pitch reflection and strategic iteration. Students conduct a SWOT analysis of their own performance and draft a 'Pivot' plan to refine their business concept based on audience feedback.

The unit capstone experience where students present their marketing campaigns as founders. Includes a two-day formal pitch event with peer judging, Shark Tank-style Q&A, and 'Class Cash' investment reflections.

A lesson focused on public speaking and professional presentation etiquette. Students learn non-verbal communication techniques, projection, and how to use digital slides as a backdrop rather than a teleprompter.

A lesson focused on data visualization and presentation flow. Students learn to simplify complex spreadsheets into high-impact slides, animate charts for storytelling, and finalize their full pitch deck.

A lesson focused on visual consistency and branding in pitch decks. Students learn to use master slides, image masking, and brand-aligned assets to create the first half of their digital marketing pitch.

A lesson focused on business storytelling and pitch deck structure. Students learn to frame their marketing campaign as a problem-solving narrative using the 10-Slide Rule and 'invisible' design principles.

A lesson focused on designing large-format print advertisements. Students learn the differences between RGB and CMYK color modes, resolution requirements, and how to design for 'glanceability' using the Drive-By Test.

A lesson focused on creating high-impact vertical social media advertisements. Students learn the 'Thumb-Stop' rule, the 60/20/20 anatomy of mobile ads, and design safe-zone techniques in Canva.

A lesson focused on the core marketing message: the Value Proposition. Students learn the formula for persuasive messaging and how to design high-impact 'Hero Text' for digital landing pages.

Students learn to craft compelling marketing messages by developing a Value Proposition using a specific formula and applying visual text hierarchy principles to design website 'Hero Text'.

Students finalize their Unit 3 Portfolio, checking for technical errors and exporting their report as a professional PDF for final submission.

Students synthesize their Unit 3 research by creating a professional Market Analysis Report, integrating personas and charts from previous lessons.

Students learn the fundamentals of financial forecasting, calculating revenue vs. profit, and using absolute cell referencing ($) to project business growth over time.

Students learn to transform raw spreadsheet data into impactful Pie and Bar charts to visualize market trends and customer intent.

Students learn to use sorting, filtering, and conditional formatting in Google Sheets to identify target audience trends and organize large datasets efficiently.

Students transition from data entry to data analysis by learning essential Google Sheets formulas like =SUM, =AVERAGE, and =COUNT, as well as the efficiency of the Fill Handle.

Students gain 'x-ray vision' over large datasets by learning to sort and filter information. They explore conditional formatting to visualize trends and identify specific target segments within their market research data.

Students transition from data entry to data analysis by mastering fundamental spreadsheet formulas. They learn the power of the equals sign, cell referencing, and essential functions like =SUM, =AVERAGE, and =COUNT to automate business calculations.

Students explore the efficiency of automated data collection by linking their market research forms to live spreadsheets. They learn the concept of real-time data syncing and master the 'Freezing Rows' skill to manage large datasets effectively.

Students learn the art of professional survey design to gather market intelligence. They distinguish between quantitative and qualitative data, identify biased questioning, and build a multi-format survey in Google Forms or Microsoft Forms to collect clean data from their target audience.

This lesson introduces students to the fundamental structure of spreadsheet software. They learn about cells, rows, columns, and addresses while performing basic data entry and formatting to align with their brand identity.

Students transition from brand design to market analysis by distinguishing between demographic data (external facts) and psychographic data (internal values). They apply these concepts by building a formal User Persona for their brand, justifying their earlier design choices based on audience data.

Students participate in a professional 'Gallery Walk' to provide and receive constructive feedback on their Brand Style Guides and One-Pagers. They apply the 'Glow and Grow' framework to refine their designs, fulfilling standards for artistic critique and professional communication.

Students master the principle of visual hierarchy to lead a customer's eye through a design. They apply the 'Rule of Three' (Size, Weight, and Contrast) to create a professional brand 'One-Pager' in Canva, ensuring their most important brand assets receive maximum visibility.

Students define their brand's 'personality' by selecting and filtering imagery that aligns with a specific tone. They complete their formal Brand Style Guide by documenting photography standards and brand keywords, focusing on the principles of repetition and unity.

Students transition from brand creation to documentation by building a formal Style Guide. They learn the importance of brand consistency through 'The Brand Police' concept and document their logo usage, hex codes, and typography pairings in Canva using alignment rulers and guides.

Students transition to Canva as a layout tool to assemble their brand assets into a professional Mood Board. They learn to 'break' templates by replacing generic elements with their own custom logos and colors, focusing on brand consistency and visual harmony.

Students refine their logo drafts for professional use, focusing on simplicity, negative space, and contrast. They learn to create multiple versions (Full Color and Solid Black) and understand the technical export requirements for digital vs. print media (PNG vs. PDF).

Students transition from creating isolated assets to building their official brand logo. They learn the anatomy of a logo (Symbol + Logotype), master alignment guides in Google Drawing, and perform the 'Squint Test' to ensure their design is clear and balanced.

Students advance their Google Drawing skills by moving beyond basic geometric shapes to custom paths. They learn to use the Polyline and Curve tools to create original icons, while understanding the technical differences between Vector and Raster images and the importance of PNG transparency.

This lesson introduces students to the concept of vector art using Google Drawing. Students learn to build complex objects using simple geometric shapes, mastering skills like grouping, layering (order), and the use of the Shift key for perfect proportions.

This lesson introduces students to the emotional impact of color in branding, the basics of color theory in marketing, and the technical use of Hex Codes in digital design. Students apply these concepts by creating a brand mood board in Canva.

Students define their brand's personality and photography style, using image filters and curation to complete the final section of their professional style guide.

Students create a formal brand style guide, documenting rules for logo usage, color palettes with Hex codes, and typography to ensure brand consistency.

Students learn to use Canva as a professional layout tool, transitioning from building individual design components to assembling a cohesive Brand Board using custom assets, frames, and positioning tools.

Students refine their logo drafts by applying principles of negative space and contrast, creating color and black-and-white versions for professional export.

Students combine their icon and typography choices to build an official brand logo draft, focusing on balance, alignment guides, and the 'Squint Test' for simplicity.

Students master custom shape creation using polyline and curve tools, exploring line weights and the importance of vector scalability for professional branding.