8th Grade Cornerstone Project
By: Chase This is the second year for the 8th Grade Cornerstone Project. This year EMS 8th graders are making a business, where students have to do some of the following, create a logo, determine their target audience, and many more to come. Later in the year, students are going to be in the Media Center in a shark tank type environment and they must present their business to community members. The 8th grade Cornerstone Project Kick-Off Day was on October 12. The kick-off day for this year-long project started off with an assembly with the 8th graders to explain what needs to be done for the project. The school also brought in past finalists from last year to give examples of what it would look like as a final product. After the assembly was finished, students went to their classes like the normal school day, except the kick-off day’s classes were changed. In math, there was a guest speaker who talked about what they do in their job and how it connects to the project. In social studies, there were a couple of shark tank videos, so that students could get a feel for what it would be like at the end of the year. In science, there was another guest speaker about owning or working at an actual business and what it is like in the real world. And finally, in English, there was time to connect with an actual finalist in the project from last year and ask questions such as what the hardest part of the project was. Now let's hear what some teachers think of the project and what the project is mainly about. “The project is about creating a business or product and identifying the challenges of owning a business. The project lets the students understand what it's like to own a business. My favorite part of doing this project is seeing the students' creativity and seeing what they come up with. My personal favorite part of the kick-off day itself was having people come in and talk with the students.” One of the 8th grade science teachers says, “The project is about working well with another student to design a business that includes all of the core classes. The project allows students to think outside of the box and be creative and follow an interest that they might have. The best part of kick-off day to me was the guest speakers. They were great and it was a way to truly see what an entrepreneur went through.” An 8th grade math teacher says, “The project’s main purpose is to brainstorm a product or business and make a profit. The cornerstone project will let the students think about owning their own business in the future. The part that excites me the most has to be the shark tank environment that students will be put in. My favorite part of kick-off day would be having guest speakers come in.” Last but not least, an English teacher from 8th grade says, “The project itself will make students come up with a business idea and students will learn more about the project in their four core classes. The project's main goal is to help students understand that their four core classes are connected. My personal favorite part of the project is the shark tank presentations that students will have to do. My favorite part of the kick-off day itself is having past students that have done this project already, come in and talk about the project to current students.” |