Unit 11 — Trep$ and Entrepreneurship
Description
Students explore innovation and entrepreneurship through design challenges that have real-world applications. Students learn about problems in their community and brainstorm invention ideas. Using the TREP$ curriculum, students design, prototype, and pitch their own inventions. The unit emphasizes creativity, business thinking, and communication of ideas. Students present their inventions and explain how their designs solve problems.
Essential Questions
- What makes a good invention or innovative product?
- How do entrepreneurs identify problems to solve?
- How do we communicate our ideas to others?
Learning Objectives
- Identify real problems that could be solved with a new invention
- Brainstorm multiple solution ideas
- Design a prototype of an invention
- Create marketing materials to pitch an idea
- Present invention and explain how it solves a problem
- Understand basic business and entrepreneurship concepts
Supplemental Resources
- Markers and colored pencils for designing invention sketches
- Construction paper for prototyping and display materials
- Index cards for brainstorming problem-solution pairs
- Chart paper for creating pitch posters or advertisements
Engineering Design
Interaction of Technology and Humans
Nature of Technology
Standards for Mathematical Practice
Students investigate environmental issues including climate change, disaster relief, and human impact on natural systems while developing solutions and communicating findings.
Formative Assessments
- Problem statement and brainstorm list
- Prototype sketches and refinement notes
- Pitch outline or script
- Observation of prototype creation process
Summative Assessment
Completed invention prototype with pitch presentation explaining the problem and solution
Benchmark Assessment
— not configured —
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through a teacher-led discussion about a community problem and potential solutions, with support from visual aids or picture cards showing different inventions. Students may create a simple prototype using provided materials with teacher guidance, or explain their invention idea verbally instead of presenting formally.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
Students may benefit from visual supports such as picture-based problem-identification charts and step-by-step design process cards to help organize thinking across the invention cycle. Brainstorming and pitch preparation can be supported through oral dictation, partner scribing, or drawing rather than written output alone. Teachers should break the design process into small, clearly numbered steps and check in frequently to confirm understanding and maintain momentum. Providing a simple sentence frame or picture-supported template for the pitch presentation can help students communicate their invention idea with confidence.
Section 504
Students should be given extended time during prototype creation and pitch preparation, as well as access to a low-distraction workspace when planning or sketching their invention designs. Preferential seating during community problem-solving discussions supports focus and participation. Directions for each phase of the design process should be provided in both oral and visual formats to support consistent access.
ELL / MLL
Teachers should use visual cues, photos, and real objects to help students connect community problem scenarios to vocabulary related to invention, design, and entrepreneurship. Key unit vocabulary such as 'problem,' 'solution,' 'invention,' and 'prototype' should be introduced with picture support and reinforced throughout each phase of the unit. Students may express their invention ideas and pitch content through drawing, gestures, or home language when needed, with support to translate key ideas into English. Simplified sentence frames for the pitch can help students participate fully in the presentation experience.
At Risk (RTI)
Students who need additional support can begin the invention process by connecting to a familiar, everyday problem they have personally experienced, providing a meaningful entry point into brainstorming. Teachers can offer a reduced set of guided prompts to help students move from problem identification to a single workable solution idea without feeling overwhelmed by open-ended tasks. Hands-on prototype building should be prioritized as the primary mode of engagement, allowing students to demonstrate understanding through creation even if verbal or drawn explanations are still developing. Frequent encouragement and visible progress markers help sustain motivation throughout the multi-week design cycle.
Gifted & Talented
Students who demonstrate quick mastery of the design process can be challenged to identify a problem that affects people beyond their immediate classroom or school community, pushing their thinking toward broader social or environmental impact. These students might explore how real entrepreneurs research their audience and refine designs based on feedback, applying an iterative revision process to their prototype with increasing independence. Extending the pitch into a more detailed persuasive presentation — including a consideration of cost, audience, or competition — offers meaningful depth within the entrepreneurship context. Teachers can encourage these students to ask 'what if' and 'why not' questions that push their invention concept further rather than simply adding more steps to the same task.