The Problem: Your class has decided to select a mascot that represents your teacher and fellow students. Is there an animal (or plant) that best represents your class?

This project is appropriate for K-5.

The Problem: You are a teacher heading into a new school year. You need to come up with a few key classroom rules that are important to create a successful learning environment. The rules need to be clear and written in a way that can easily be posted in the classroom.

This project is appropriate for K-5.

The Problem: You are the owner of a garden shop and you are working with a local school to build a butterfly garden on the school grounds. How will you convince the local community to support this butterfly garden?

This project is appropriate for K-5.

The Problem: Nearly 100 million people will tune in for the Super Bowl, but many will be more interested in the commercials than the football game! With such a large audience (and a huge cost to air), the commercials will be some of the best of the year.

You are the creative lead for a company that has decided to air a Super Bowl commercial. It is your job to come up with a commercial that will be a hit among viewers and help your company sell its product.

This project is appropriate for K-5.

The Problem: You are a toy designer hoping to launch the next great toy that will be popular for years to come. What direction should you take in the design of this toy, and why will children be drawn to it?

This project is appropriate for K-5.

The Problem: You are competing in a costume contest where the costumes must be homemade. The entries will be judged on concept, originality, and design. What costume will you enter into the contest and how will it be created?

This project is appropriate for K-5.

The Problem: You are a teacher and your class wants to spend more time outside during recess. How can you convince the principal that students will benefit from more time outside?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: When school lets out for the summer, students have nearly 3 months of “free time” to fill. As a student, what are your different options for using this time, and what is the best (and most practical) way to spend your summer vacation?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: The first full week of May is designated as “Teacher Appreciation Week”. Consider the qualities of a teacher that deserve praise, and which teacher you may have had that possessed those qualities. How will you appropriately show your “appreciation” for what that teacher has done for you?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: You are a classroom teacher who wants to add some humor to your lessons. What is the best way to do this without disrupting your class? How could this change enhance your teaching? In what ways could it be disruptive?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: You have five days to take a vacation (including travel time). What is the destination and type of vacation you would want to take during this time? What are the factors that will determine whether or not this vacation is practical for you?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: Your class has been given the task of coming up with a way that the school can recognize National Parks Week, which is held every year in April. What is the purpose of this observance, and what should your school do to participate?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: You are in charge of designing a new theme park that is scheduled to open soon. What will be the “theme” of this new park, and how will that theme help it attract visitors?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: You are the head of the Creative Department of a major comic book publisher (such as Marvel or DC). It is your job to design the next comic book superhero—or super villain—who will capture the attention of large audiences (and hopefully spark movies, toys, and other merchandise). What should be the look, personality, and backstory of this new character?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: Both NASA and a few private companies are hoping to launch manned-missions to Mars in the next few decades. Of course, these missions will most likely be one-way, and will require volunteers to forever leave Earth behind. How can those planning these missions recruit volunteers to go to Mars?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: You are planning an April Fools Day prank, and want to make sure it goes over well. That means you must choose a great prank, and do it to the right person. You must also follow the understood “etiquette” of April Fools Day, meaning that the prank must be safe and playful rather than hurtful.

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: Fifteen sports were chosen for the Winter Olympics, although there is always discussions to add more sports in future Games. You are the head of the International Olympic Committee. What criteria should be used when selecting new sports for the Games, and which sports might be the best additions?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: You are a city council member and have been asked to propose an idea that will make your town more “attractive” to residents and visitors. This could be an extended theme, annual tradition, or anything else that highlights the character and best features of the town. What is your idea to add appeal to your town, and why?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: You are a meteorologist, and a major winter storm is preparing to strike in your area. What are you going to look for as the storm approaches and hits, and how will that impact what action you take as a meteorologist?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: You are in charge of the Fall Carnival at your school. What attractions will you offer to fit the theme (and keep costs reasonable), and how can you get students, parents, and the rest of the community excited about this upcoming event?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: Hundreds of TV Shows and blockbuster films are created each year, each with unique plot lines and settings. You are part of the creative team of a studio and are creating a new TV show (or even a major motion picture) that is going to be set in your area. What is going to be the plot of your production that makes it important to use your area as the setting? Will it be important that the TV show or movie is actually filmed in your local area?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: It is the start of the school year, and you must decide on how your classroom should be arranged to best fit the needs of the teacher and the students. This should include the layout of the desks, any special classroom furniture (and teacher desk), as well as the various “learning spaces”.

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: Every year, the destruction of wildfires results in property damage, and even loss of life. They also serve as a reminder of just how sudden and dangerous fires can be. You want to be prepared for an emergency that involves a fire. This includes having a plan ahead of time, as well as knowing what to do if you are ever in a situation involving a fire.

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: You are a meteorologist, and you see one of the first tropical storms of the season form in the Caribbean. What are you going to be looking for over the next few days, and how will that impact what action you take?

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: Hurricanes are a part of life for many people living along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. While there is no way to avoid them completely, it is possible to take steps to be safe, prepared, and ready to recover after a hurricane hits. You are an entrepreneur who has experienced the impact of a hurricane, as well as the struggles to recover from the storm. You want to create a product or service that will help people deal with the obstacles that a future hurricane will undoubtedly bring. Your idea can focus on preparing for the hurricane (before the storm), dealing with the emergency situation (during the storm), or the road to recovery (after the storm).

This project is appropriate for 2-5.

The Problem: You are a student who relies heavily on social media (TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, Zoom/Hangout, etc.)--especially when you are out of school. Your parents have expressed curiosity (and a bit of concern) about the different platforms you use. You have offered to teach them about how young people use Social Media, and the measures that you take to make sure you are responsible and safe.

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: “Virtual Reality” technology is quickly gaining traction in the tech field. You are an investor. What specific innovation in the field of virtual reality do you feel is most promising to devote time, money, and resources to? How can it best be developed to be used by the general population?

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: To keep everyone healthy, your school wants to start a “Fight the Flu” initiative, but it must first decide on what it will include. What are realistic goals for this initiative, and what intermediate steps should be taken to achieve those goals?

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: You are the campaign manager for a promising candidate in an upcoming election. Voting Day is just a few weeks away, and you must write a final campaign ad that will motivate people to go to the polls and cast a vote.

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: You decide to put together a “time capsule” to be opened on a future date. What will be the purpose of your time capsule, and when will it be recovered (and by whom)? And, perhaps most importantly, what items are you going to include in your time capsule?

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: Every day, hundreds of new mobile applications—or “apps”—are created for smart phones and tablets. You are a developer hoping to design a new app that will become a hit. What will this new app do, how will the user interact with it, and who will be its target audience?

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: You are on the “textbook committee” for your school district. You must consider the issues involved with online textbooks. Are they a better option for the district?

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: You are a national sports star (choose any sport you want) and have just finished a great season. As you become a household name, companies from all over the world want you to become the spokesperson for their brand. How will you decide which products to endorse?

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: Solar eclipses always generate a great deal of excitement... especially "total" eclipses (where the sun is completely blocked out). These events could certainly be the central focus of a great short story!

Decide on the exact details of the short story that centers around the solar eclipse (plot, characters, setting, conflict) and write the first draft.

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: You have been given the task of organizing a Poetry Contest for aspiring poets your age.

What should be the purpose of this contest and what rules and judging criteria should guide the contest and be used to choose the winning poems?

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: Dozens of Awards Shows (honoring everything from movies to music to sports to social media) are featured on primetime television throughout the year. What is an Award Show that does NOT currently exist that people would be willing to watch on TV? Why would it attract a large audience, and what categories would be featured for awards to be given?

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

The Problem: Your school wants to establish an “Anti-Bullying Campaign,” but it must first decide on what it will include. What are realistic goals for the campaign, and what intermediate steps should be taken to achieve those goals?

This project is appropriate for 3-5.

Students... in this exercise, you become the teacher:

You are a teacher and your students are going to be out of school for several weeks. You have been asked to create an extended project for the students to do during this time. This exercise must mimic a real-world situation, and help students learn more about the content they have been reviewing at school. What are you going to have the students work on over the next few weeks, and what will they be asked to show you in the end?

This project is appropriate for 3-5.