SUSTAINABILITY SUPERHEROES
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Sustainability Superheroes blog

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​Using Entrepreneurial Thinking and Decision-making
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​Created by:
University of South Florida Stavros Center
With generous funding from:
​The Coca Cola Foundation and Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC
USF Stavros Center

Middle School Students Take Shark Tank to a Sustainable Level: Enter the Re-think Tank!

10/23/2019

27 Comments

 
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Mrs. Kara Windish is a middle school teacher at Learning Gate Community School in Lutz, Florida and is passionate about teaching sustainability to her students. With her school's focus on sustainability, environmental concepts are infused across the curriculum, even in subjects like Ancient World History! 
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This year, during her class on ancient civilizations, the students were given a challenge in the form of a Sumerian Shark Tank. The objective was to create a service or product that the ancient citizens would use to make their lives easier using the ideas of today. Sounds a lot like the regular Shark Tank, doesn't it? Well it's not! It's even better. During Kara's Shark Tank, students were not only trying to make money. They were trying to make the world a better place. This was a green and gold Shark Tank, where students infused green sustainability practices into their business plans and still were able to see the pot of gold! 

The participants were required to include a sustainability plan. They were asked to find a problem in ancient Sumer that addressed one of the seven characteristics of civilization. From there, they created a product or a business that solved one of life's problems in that time. In addition, they were required to consider the Sustainable Development Goals (or SDGs) when they were creating their businesses. They had to either to create a sustainable product or describe the sustainability practices that their company will adopt.

Diving Deep

The sharks go through a rigorous process of training, anywhere from creating their own backstory and bio to discussing current jobs and salaries. Sharks are encouraged to watch several episodes of Shark Tank so they can find their personality. Each shark focuses on a characteristic of civilization so that the entrepreneurs have a shark in mind. In Sumerian Shark Tank, characteristics can include art, religion, farming, and architecture. The entrepreneurs pitch several products that fall into those categories. 
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The Pitch

The students are coached on how to make a sixty-second pitch to the sharks. In these sixty seconds, the sharks can decide whether they want to make an offer. So, it is important to have enthusiasm, confidence, and knowledge of your product. Students create original songs, slogans, dances, and outfits to stand out to the sharks and show their business creativity. The pitch laid out the percentage of the company they are willing to part with, as well as the money they are seeking from the sharks. This mathematical part of the activity is created in conjunction with the mathematics teacher, who is teaching percentages as part of their curriculum. 
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Products with Sustainable Ideas

In this pitch, students were interested in the SDG2: Zero Hunger. They created lunch boxes to help the less fortunate. For every ten boxes they sell, they are going to plant another crop. What an impressive method to combat hunger in a sustainable way!

These girls (pictured below) wanted to bring the farm into people's homes. That way herbs and edible flowers can be easily accessible right from the kitchen. No need to drive to the grocery store! In addition, the products are all organically grown, so they protect Life on Land: SDG 15.

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This group (pictured to the right) noticed a need for clean water, so they designed a water filtration system for people. All students were required to either have a product that was sustainable or infuse sustainability practices in their business plan, and this group definitely fulfilled these! In the environmental science class, the teacher has been teaching about the sustainable development goals, so the students used this knowledge and decided to create a product to help with the SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.
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Getting the Deal

When the sharks decided if the business was worth their money and time, a deal most likely was made. Most often deals were made when students were well-prepared, gave samples to the sharks, stated their sustainability practices, and of course, for the right price!
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About the Teacher!
This is Miss Kara's 13th year teaching. As the head shark, she is very passionate about this activity. She created the Shark Tank so that students link the past and the present by solving yesterday's problems with the knowledge and technology of today. In fact, while preparing for one of her shark tank classes, Kara noticed that a former classmate and friend, Steven Markley, was starring on an episode of Shark Tank, so she called and asked him to come in and tell his story and critique some pitches. 
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What They Learned
One of the things students noticed is that people were more sustainable in the past. As a result of this activity, they have started to include sustainability in their mindset of what businesses should be about. Now they are better equipped to go out into the world and critique and research businesses who practice sustainability. They learned that they have control over their decisions in the world. ​As wise consumers, students are more aware and asking questions about the sustainable practices of businesses. The students look forward to their next adventure: Silk Road Shark Tank.
27 Comments
Liam Roshaven
11/13/2019 02:17:03 pm

I am a student that did this! I loved it!

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Sustainability Superheroes link
11/14/2019 07:30:08 am

This is a great project! We look forward to seeing you on the Silk Road Shark Tank next semester.

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Kolby Warren
11/15/2019 10:54:01 am

I got a deal, it was hard though. Everyone did great good job!

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Nicholas abrams link
11/13/2019 03:38:51 pm

I am the kid shaking hands with the shark at the getting the deal part it was amazing I got picked to be a shark but I couldn’t cause we already did a therapy project and I was therapist

Reply
Sustainability Superheroes link
11/14/2019 07:31:26 am

You look very professional! You're lucky to have Ms. Kara as a teacher!

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Nicholas Abrams
11/14/2019 03:19:13 pm

Thank you very much

nicholas abrams
9/1/2020 10:58:07 am

every one except one group our class got a deal

Reply
Sustainability Superheroes link
9/1/2020 12:42:37 pm

That is wonderful! I saw many presentations during the past two years and Ms. Kara has shared your wonderful work. You are such smart and creative students!

Sienna Fogarty
11/13/2019 04:16:41 pm

It was fun to make the business! Me and my partners got a shark too! We also surprised a shark AFTER they went out.

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Sustainability Superheroes link
11/14/2019 07:32:27 am

We heard the sharks were tough! It's good you got a bite!

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Brayden Newell link
11/14/2019 01:17:42 pm

I was in shark tank too! Im not on any pictures but i got a deal with a shark! :)

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Sustainability Superheroes link
11/19/2019 08:22:17 am

That's awesome! It's great you got to participate in this activity.

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Caden Ramos
11/14/2019 02:24:12 pm

I am a student that is on the cover I was ashark and I was on the far left

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Sustainability Superheroes link
11/19/2019 08:23:38 am

I hope your shark bite wasn't too hard!

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Nicholas abrams
11/14/2019 03:24:19 pm

I am so happy that I’m on the blog this is amazing thank you

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Sustainability Superheroes link
11/19/2019 08:25:08 am

You are amazing with all the innovative sustainability ideas that are happening in your class!

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luke vaughan
11/14/2019 04:18:21 pm

this is so cool

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SustainabilitySuperheroes link
11/19/2019 08:26:25 am

Cool teacher + cool students = cool activity!

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Garrett link
11/14/2019 04:29:13 pm

That was so much fun! I can’t wait to do it again! Hopefully I get a deal, and if I’m lucky enough, be a shark!

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Sustainability Superheroes link
11/19/2019 08:27:40 am

I hear a new Silk Road Shark Tank is coming up! We look forward to seeing more Sustainability Superheroes in action!

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Annabelle Newborn
11/15/2019 04:20:58 pm

I loved this, and I did get a deal with my partner!!! We’re so lucky to have Ms. Kara as a teacher and get to do fun things like this!!

Reply
Sustainability Superheroes link
11/19/2019 08:31:00 am

Great job! We will posting more of Ms. Kara's classroom activities soon!

Reply
Giovanni Zammito
11/19/2019 03:41:42 am

I was a shark and this was very fun

Reply
Sustainability Superheroes link
11/19/2019 08:31:46 am

We're glad to hear that you liked it, and we look forward to your next Shark Tank adventure!

Reply
Ryan Rabon
11/21/2019 03:06:43 pm

This is so cool! I'm the girl with the plaid skirt and gray socks ;)

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Jordan Frary
11/23/2019 07:51:52 am

I had so much fun in this activity. Thank you Ms. Kara!😃

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Cooper Alvero
11/23/2019 02:03:38 pm

I commend everyone for their great pitches and performances so congratulations everyone

Reply



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    Created by Deborah Kozdras, USF Stavros Center

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  • Home
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  • Resources
    • Resources from Workshops >
      • Sustainable Cities and Communities SDG11
      • GLOBAL LITERACY: INDUSTRIES, INNOVATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE
      • Buy The Change You Want to See
      • Save the Ocean
      • America Recycles Day
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      • In the Shark Tank >
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            • Value + Customer Testing
            • Channels
            • Customer Relationships
          • Revenue
          • Costs >
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            • Key Partners
      • Industrial Revolutions
      • Meet the Lorax
      • Practice Sustainable Manufacturing
      • Secondary Science
      • Solve Problems and Make Decisions
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      • Use Text Sets >
        • Text Sets At-risk Turtles
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        • SDG Ask the Right Questions
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    • Decision Making >
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