Shark Tank: Cathedral Edition

Ms. Goco’s 6th grade English students recently completed a trimester long project entitled “Shark Tank: Cathedral Edition.” They drew inspiration from the novel, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. The book relates the story of a middle school girl who struggles with cerebral palsy. 

Taking their reading assignment to new heights, the students worked individually or in groups to invent something to improve the lives of people with special needs. As a class, they discussed the importance of accessibility, communication, and independence and then set their sights on brainstorming ideas to “change the world.”

After brainstorming, they selected an idea to prototype and then presented their inventions “Shark Tank” style to a panel of judges including Head of School Erica Corbin. Shark Tank is a popular TV show where budding entrepreneurs are given an opportunity to pitch their products to a panel of potential investors.

The presentations concluded just before Spring Break and included ideas such as clothing with embedded motion sensors and haptic alerts to assist the visually impaired in navigating unfamiliar spaces; a robotic reclining wheelchair with a food tray, footrest, and robotic ramp; and a device to print braille.

This creative extension of a reading assignment channeled the student’s empathy into action and allowed them to showcase their skills in presenting, writing, problem-solving, prototyping, inventing, and practicing science.