Launch
Launch
Students will experience a community systems challenge, connect City of Ember to real sustainability issues, and begin the project by establishing discussion norms, team roles, and initial inquiry interests.
Days 1 - 3
Research & Plan
Research & Plan
Students will gather evidence from City of Ember, nonfiction sources, and direct user research to understand a community need before choosing what to design. They will document user needs, test assumptions, discuss patterns with peers, and produce an empathy-based planning artifact that prepares them for defining a strong problem statement in the next phase.
Days 4 - 9
Synthesize & Define
Synthesize & Define
Students will sort and synthesize evidence from City of Ember, nonfiction research, and user research to define a focused community problem. They will use discussion routines, team roles, and critique to write and revise a shared How Might We statement and short design brief that will guide later solution ideas.
Days 10 - 15
Ideate Multiple Concepts
Ideate Multiple Concepts
Students will generate multiple solution ideas from their City of Ember and SDG research, use structured critique to compare concepts, and select one direction by explaining how user needs, evidence, risks, and feedback shaped their decision.
Days 16 - 21
Prototype & Showcase
Prototype & Showcase
Students will turn their selected solution ideas into testable prototypes, gather feedback from real users and peers, revise with evidence, and prepare a digital story of how their design changed across two iteration cycles.
Days 22 - 27
Showcase
Showcase
Students will present their final Better Futures from Ember projects to an authentic audience, communicate how evidence and feedback shaped their solution, complete an individual polished writing task, and reflect on their growth as readers, researchers, designers, and collaborators.
Days 28 - 30
Launch
Days 1–3
Day 1
💡 Ember Emergency Challenge
Launch
50m
Day 2
📘 Ember Themes and SDG Gallery
Knowledge/Skill Building
50m
Day 3
🗣️ Better Future Seminar
Deliverable
50m
Research & Plan
Days 4–9
Day 4
📖 Ember Themes and SDG Notes
Knowledge/Skill Building
50m
Day 5
🎤 Community Interview Practice Cards
Knowledge/Skill Building
50m
Day 6
🗣️ School Needs Interview Rounds
Community Experience
50m
Day 7
📝 Source Notes and Assumption Check
Research
50m
Day 8
🧩 Needs Summary Gallery Walk
Deliverable
50m
Day 9
✅ Empathy Board Milestone Check
Assessment
50m
Synthesize & Define
Days 10–15
Day 10
🧩 Evidence Clusters from Ember
Knowledge/Skill Building
50m
Day 11
🗣️ Character Choices and Community Moves
Knowledge/Skill Building
45m
Day 12
📝 How Might We Sentence Lab
Knowledge/Skill Building
50m
Day 13
🚶 Design Brief Gallery Walk
Deliverable
50m
Day 14
🤝 Team Roles and Decision Log
Project Work
45m
Day 15
✅ Design Brief Milestone Check
Assessment
50m
Ideate Multiple Concepts
Days 16–21
Day 16
💡 HMW Idea Burst Cards
Knowledge/Skill Building
50m
Day 17
📖 Ember Evidence to Ideas
Knowledge/Skill Building
45m
Day 18
✏️ Three Concept Sketches
Project Work
55m
Day 19
🗣️ Concept Gallery Walk Feedback
Deliverable
50m
Day 20
📊 Decision Matrix and Risk Notes
Deliverable
50m
Day 21
📝 Solution Rationale Checkpoint
Assessment
45m
Prototype & Showcase
Days 22–27
Day 22
🧩 Prototype Materials and Feedback Criteria
Knowledge/Skill Building
40m
Day 23
✂️ First Prototype Build
Project Work
50m
Day 24
🗣️ User Testing Interviews
Community Experience
50m
Day 25
🔁 Gallery Walk Revision Round
Deliverable
50m
Day 26
🎙️ Digital Pitch Storyboard Draft
Knowledge/Skill Building
50m
Day 27
✅ Prototype Milestone Conference
Assessment
50m
Showcase
Days 28–30
Day 28
🧭 Showcase Run-Through and Feedback
Deliverable
50m
Day 29
🌍 Better Futures Digital Showcase
Community Experience
50m
Day 30
✍️ Research Brief and Growth Reflection
Assessment
50m
September 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
21
Day 1
Launch
💡 Ember Emergency Challenge
22
Day 2
📘 Ember Themes and SDG Gallery
23
Day 3
🗣️ Better Future Seminar
24
Day 4
Research & Plan
📖 Ember Themes and SDG Notes
25
Day 5
🎤 Community Interview Practice Cards
28
Day 6
🗣️ School Needs Interview Rounds
29
Day 7
📝 Source Notes and Assumption Check
30
Day 8
🧩 Needs Summary Gallery Walk
1
Day 9
✅ Empathy Board Milestone Check
2
Day 10
Synthesize & Define
🧩 Evidence Clusters from Ember
October 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
5
Day 11
🗣️ Character Choices and Community Moves
6
Day 12
📝 How Might We Sentence Lab
7
Day 13
🚶 Design Brief Gallery Walk
8
Day 14
🤝 Team Roles and Decision Log
9
Day 15
✅ Design Brief Milestone Check
12
Day 16
Ideate Multiple Concepts
💡 HMW Idea Burst Cards
13
Day 17
📖 Ember Evidence to Ideas
14
Day 18
✏️ Three Concept Sketches
15
Day 19
🗣️ Concept Gallery Walk Feedback
16
Day 20
📊 Decision Matrix and Risk Notes
19
Day 21
📝 Solution Rationale Checkpoint
20
Day 22
Prototype & Showcase
🧩 Prototype Materials and Feedback Criteria
21
Day 23
✂️ First Prototype Build
22
Day 24
🗣️ User Testing Interviews
23
Day 25
🔁 Gallery Walk Revision Round
26
Day 26
🎙️ Digital Pitch Storyboard Draft
27
Day 27
✅ Prototype Milestone Conference
28
Day 28
Showcase
🧭 Showcase Run-Through and Feedback
29
Day 29
🌍 Better Futures Digital Showcase
30
Day 30
✍️ Research Brief and Growth Reflection