This lesson is for : Grade 8:
Summary
Have you ever wanted to own your own company? Did you know that you can do something you love and get paid for it? It’s all possible with help from the Middle School Shark Tank!
In this lesson, students will create a unique product that they believe could make them millions if they convince one of the “sharks” to invest in their product. Using persuasive techniques taught in class, students will create their choice of a unique advertisement, commercial, slideshow, poster, etc. to encourage others to invest in their product. In addition to the advertising, students will write a persuasive essay to enhance their argument. The top five products will be selected by students to be contestants on the Shark Tank. The selected products will be presented by the students in the auditorium in a “live” Shark Tank episode. The faculty members of the shark tank will decide which product to invest in based on the innovation of the production and the effectiveness of the persuasive techniques used.
TIPC Ratings
Research & Information Fluency
Rating: Entry – Explanation: Students used some research methods to gain ideas for their advertisement and product ideas, but it was not a focal point of the lesson.
Communication & Collaboration
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: This lesson falls into the ideal/target range for communication and collaboration. Students will collaborate in student-chosen groups and create their own roles within those groups. Students will also decide which digital tool is best to communicate the benefits of their project to the Shark Tank. Lastly students will reflect on how the collaborative project helped them to learn about persuasive techniques used in real world advertising.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Rating: Approaching – Explanation: This lesson falls into the approaching category for critical thinking and problem solving due to the student focus of creating a product that fulfills a real world need. Students will use critical thinking to identify a real world problem that could be solved by the creation of a new and innovative product. In addition, students will be required to thinking critically to defend the need for their product on the market in effort to gain financial backing from the “Shark Tank”.
Creativity & Innovation
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: This lesson falls into the ideal/ target category for creativity and innovation because the students are solving the authentic task of creating an innovative product that meets the needs of a market. In addition, they are illustrating their knowledge about persuasion in convincing the Sharks to invest in a product that fulfills a real world need.
Student Artifact
Will you survive the shark tank? Student artifact from HCPS Instructional Technology on Vimeo.
Will you survive the shark tank? Student artifact from HCPS Instructional Technology on Vimeo.
Lesson Materials
