5th Grade Shark Tank: A Celebration of Creativity and Entrepreneurship
5th Grade Shark Tank: A Celebration of Creativity and Entrepreneurship
The annual 5th Grade Shark Tank event marked a significant milestone in the design thinking unit focused on Economics and Entrepreneurship. This engaging project provides 5th graders with the opportunity to delve into the world of entrepreneurship by identifying consumer needs and developing innovative products. The unit began with an oral hygiene project, where students learned fundamental design thinking concepts while creating products to promote dental health.
With a solid foundation in place, students transitioned to the Shark Tank project, working collaboratively in small groups. They brainstormed everyday problems and honed their ideas from a broad range of issues to a single, focused product concept. This pivotal process fostered critical thinking and teamwork, essential skills for budding entrepreneurs.
Students conducted interviews and gathered feedback from parents, relatives, and teachers to ensure their solutions resonated with potential customers. Based on this feedback, they creatively adapted their products, striving to meet the needs of their audience. A highlight of the unit was the opportunity to collaborate with Upper School Entrepreneurship Capstone Students, who visited several times to provide guidance and insights.
On Thursday morning, the culmination of their hard work came to life as each group presented their startup ideas to a panel of "Sharks." This was an exciting moment as students demonstrated their creativity and confidence in front of their peers and judges.
The innovative products showcased varied widely, with each team presenting a unique solution:
- Bite Ball: A safe pet toy your dog or cat can play with and eat (Team: Reagan, Emi, Ethan, Maise, and Simon).
- Brella-Pak: A backpack with an umbrella installed to save you from having to use your hands (Team: Ryan, Lucas, Noa, Sophie, and Saniyya).
- Golden Pillow: A pillow with a cooling side and a warming side and is available in various sizes (Team: Lena, Grayson, Caitlyn, Sarah, and Hudson).
- Morning Matpad: A mattress pad that cools and vibrates to wake you up (Team: Lily, Max, Kunwoo, Kyra, and Charlotte).
- Power Time: A solar-powered watch that also serves as a charging device (Team: Jacob, Bernardo, Jamie, Mira, and Jackson).
- Robo-Washer: A cute robot that washes dishes faster than a dishwasher super quickly and compliments you (Team: Isla, Connor, Jacqueline, Jake H., and Jake S.).
- Soothing Swaddler: A blanket that soothes your gassy baby (Team: Ben, Rumi, Charlie, Sophia, and Vaani).
- Sound Sleep: This alarm attaches to your bed and wakes you according to the setting you select—sound, vibration, heat, or cold (Team: Abby, Claire, Lila, Michael, and Sebastian).
- Vax Distract: Glasses that show soothing scenes that distract you from the fear of shots and bloodwork (Team: Eli, Joel, Abigail, Daphne, and William).
The panel selected Vax Distract as the winning product, while all students gained valuable experience throughout the process.
This event showcased the students' entrepreneurship skills and highlighted their ability to work collaboratively and adapt based on feedback. We are immensely proud of all the participants and grateful to the teachers who guided them through this enriching experience. Bravo to our 5th graders for their hard work and innovation!
