Asia Pacific International School
Hawaii
The Entrepreneur Ship
Authors: Matthew Manley, Jonathan McHugh, McKenzie Kessel
Grade: 5-8
Subjects: Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Writing
Timeline: 5 weeks
Essential Questions
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How can we use ideas from economics to support our values and make a better world?
How can a student-made product help make positive change in Ko’olauloa?
How did the Silk Road develop & impact society through trade?
Project Description​
In this unit, students became real-life entrepreneurs as they used the Stanford Design Process to create an authentic product to be sold at local businesses and farmer’s markets. In order to be successful entrepreneur teams, they pitched their products to investors and community partners, refined products with a social value, created persuasive advertising, and finally directly sold to local consumers! At the same time, students investigated the ancient trading routes of the silk road and built their own gamified trading empire. In studying some of the original global business networks, students discovered how commerce has wide-reaching effects on the spread of goods, people, and ideas throughout the world. All in all, we learned about the power of business, the mindsets of entrepreneurs, and how to make some $$$!
Project Extensions and Real World Connections:
We partnered with the BYU Hawaii Store, Ching’s Market, and the Waimea Farmer’s Market to understand local markets, talk with business owners for feedback, and sell to consumers.
Products and Exhibition
5 different student-designed sellable products, company logos and advertising, formal pitches to investors.
Reflections (student and teacher)
“Working with real businesses and spending and making real money gave a fantastic authentic element to this unit. We had students staying after school and working at lunch to perfect recipes, finish woodwork, and make sure their items were ready for market.” - Matt Manley
“We were even able to use our profits to have a delicious class crepes party!” - Ammon Wilcken
Standards Addressed:
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Standards Addressed / Skills in Focus / Learning Goals Use oral and written language to persuade consumers and investors Explain how economic forces can spread ideas, people, and goods across cultures and regions
Explain and apply basic economic concepts such as supply, demand, income, profit, costs, competition, etc.
Use the Stanford Design Process to engineer sellable products
Collaborate in teams using agendas and delegation to work efficiently
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.B Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.C Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Aero Standard 2 - (Connections and Conflict) Students will understand causes and effects of interaction among societies, including trade, systems of international exchange, war, and diplomacy.
Aero Standard 4 - (Culture) Students will understand cultural and intellectual developments and interactions among societies.