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9th Grade  Project 5 weeks

Cultural Wealth: Museum of Us

ERIKA A
Mar 21, 2026
Updated Mar 21, 2026
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Academic Mindset
Effective Communication
Content Expertise
Collaboration
+ 1 more
1-pager

Purpose

Students will curate a museum exhibit that showcases an object representing the overlooked strengths and cultural wealth of their community, emphasizing ethnic studies principles. Through research and collaborative planning, students will craft exhibits that engage and educate visitors on the cultural narratives and power dynamics present within their communities. This experience encourages critical reflection on identity and culture, motivating students to elevate and articulate community perspectives authentically and inclusively.

Learning goals

Students will analyze and highlight the strengths and cultural wealth of their communities by showcasing objects or artifacts in a museum exhibit project centered on ethnic studies. They will engage in critical thinking as they explore cultural identities, analyze power systems, and learn from social movements to inform their exhibits. Effective communication will be honed through interactions with community partners, reflective sessions, and by serving as knowledgeable docents. Students will collaboratively co-design the project, strengthening peer relationships and leadership. They will also develop self-directed learning by integrating feedback to refine and clearly convey their perspectives.

Competencies
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.

Products

Students will collaboratively develop a dynamic museum exhibit that highlights their community's cultural wealth and strengths, focusing on ethnic studies. The exhibit will showcase objects or artifacts from their community, incorporating multimedia elements and artistic expressions that convey their research. As docents during a community event, students will guide visitors, providing explanations and facilitating meaningful conversations about the cultural significance and power dynamics represented in their work.

Launch

Kick off the experience with a dynamic gallery walk where students interact with objects and images that highlight the rich histories of diverse communities. Encourage each student to bring an artifact that symbolizes their family's narrative or cultural heritage. Include a session with an ethnic studies expert who will shed light on community stories, emphasizing the Community Cultural Wealth framework, especially the aspects of resilience and knowledge systems. Conclude with an engaging group dialogue, inviting students to reflect on their insights and draw connections to the essential question, considering the power and strengths often overlooked in their communities.

Exhibition

Students will curate a museum exhibit showcasing community funds of knowledge and cultural wealth through multimedia displays, ethnic studies artifacts, and storytelling. The exhibition will be a community event where students, as docents, guide family members, local residents, and the guest speaker through their exhibits, discussing cultural wealth and power dynamics. Interactive elements will invite visitors to contribute their insights, enriching the understanding of shared heritage and identity.

Plan
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Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test/Present
Empathize
Students will investigate how Community Cultural Wealth appears in their own lives and local communities by engaging directly with real people, documenting interviews, and constructing structured empathy maps that surface strengths often overlooked by dominant narratives.
Days 1 - 2
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Define
Students will synthesize interview data and empathy artifacts into a clear, evidence-based problem definition that names a specific user, core need, and insight about Community Cultural Wealth. They will identify patterns across multiple interviews, challenge assumptions, and craft a well-scoped How Might We statement grounded in user evidence that will guide ideation in the next phase.
Days 3 - 4
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Ideate
Students will generate and evaluate multiple exhibit concepts for their Community Cultural Wealth museum installation, using user evidence and their ‘How Might We’ statements to move from divergent brainstorming to a clearly justified top concept ready for prototyping.
Days 5 - 6
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Edit Phase

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Prototype
Students will build and refine low- to higher-fidelity prototypes of their Community Cultural Wealth museum exhibits, test them with real users, and document how feedback shapes revisions before moving to the final exhibition phase.
Days 7 - 8
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Test/Present
Students will conduct a final validation round of their Community Cultural Wealth museum exhibits with new users, refine their installations based on documented feedback, and present as docents at a public exhibition. They will explicitly trace their design decisions back to interview evidence, Community Cultural Wealth theory, and multiple prototype iterations.
Days 9 - 10
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Edit Phase

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Empathize Days 1–2
Day 1
Day 2
Define Days 3–4
Day 3
Day 4
Ideate Days 5–6
Day 5
Day 6
Prototype Days 7–8
Day 7
Day 8
Test/Present Days 9–10
Day 9
Day 10

June 2026

Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
15 Day 1
Empathize
16 Day 2
22 Day 3
Define
23 Day 4

July 2026

Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
29 Day 5
Ideate
30 Day 6
6 Day 7
Prototype
7 Day 8
13 Day 9
Test/Present
14 Day 10
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