School: Horizons High School
Class: Social Studies Independent Study
Instructor: Annalisa Gardner
Client: Social Worker
Problem: How can students find resources and people to support them in our school?
Summary
The client presented the problem to the class; students worked through a design-thinking process—researching solutions, crafting a first pitch, receiving feedback, and refining their ideas before producing the final product. While subject matter experts outside the school were limited, students conducted interviews with staff to gather relevant information for their solution. They also attended schoolwide presentations on unrelated topics, using them as case studies to analyze presentation effectiveness. These experiences informed how students structured and delivered their own final pitch.
The final product was a Canvas Course card accessible to all students, housing important non-academic resources—including mental health, social services, and support staff contacts—intended to help students navigate school life more effectively and independently.
Takeaways
One barrier was that we had a small class, and several students would be absent throughout the project. Another barrier was getting used to implementing projects like this, and sometimes it wasn’t clear the direction we would go, and we needed to take a step back.
A success that my students experienced was that they stepped outside of their comfort zone to interview other staff members in the school. Another success is that despite all their differences and the size of the class, the students came together as a team and made sure everyone had a voice in the final pitch.
Advice
Have clear objectives and goals that you want your students to focus on. Be ready to be flexible and have to change things along the way. Be clear with your expectations, but then step back and let the students run the show as much as possible. Let the students fail, but then support them in reflecting, making changes, and continuing on with the project.
Standards/Learning Targets
- I can work collaboratively and cooperatively to negotiate, compromise, build coalitions, and create consensus.
- I can present information, findings, and supporting evidence with a clear line of reasoning and organization, development, substance, and style appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
- I can reflect, analyze, and utilize feedback to identify ways to improve and implement changes.
- I can perform effective community member characteristics through civic actions.
- I can critique a persuasive presentation.