CATS II: Turning Middle Schoolers Into Makers, Thinkers, and Innovators

Part of the L.E.A.P.P. Spring semester, this unit empowers students to create a business concept, build a prototype, and pitch their solution. Includes rubrics, frameworks, and success stories.

Overview

What Students Create

Project Phases

Core Skills Developed

How It Aligns with L.E.A.P.P.

Educator Tools Included

Student Voices

Ready to Inspire Student Entrepreneurs?

CATS II — short for Creative, Applied, Tactical Solutions — is the spring semester capstone unit of the L.E.A.P.P. Forward Curriculum. It’s where students become entrepreneurs, designers, and creative problem solvers.

Students build their own mini-business or product concept from the ground up, going through the entire process of ideation, planning, prototyping, and pitching.

Overview

🔍 A business name, brand identity, and mission statement

💡 A prototype product or service (physical, digital, or visual)

📈 A pitch presentation with visuals, rationale, and goals

🧾 A reflection on teamwork, decision-making, and iteration

What Students Create

Brainstorm + Needs Assessment
Students identify real-world problems they want to solve
Ideation + Research
Market research, customer profiles, and brainstorming
Planning + Sketching
Product design, pricing, materials, goals
Prototype Creation
Using available materials and tech to build a working model
Pitch + Present
Students pitch to a “Shark Tank”-style panel or class showcase

Project Phases

Core Skills Developed

🎯 Goal setting & planning

📊 Budgeting & resource management

🧠 Creative problem-solving

🎤 Communication & presentation

🤝 Collaboration & feedback loops

How It Aligns with L.E.A.P.P.

Enlightenment: Students uncover their passions and solve authentic problems

Achievement: Success isn’t just about a grade — it’s about innovation

Projects: This unit embodies applied learning at its best

Educator Tools Included

🗂️ Editable Unit Planner

📝 Rubrics for prototype, pitch, and participation

📎 Reflection templates and peer feedback forms

💼 Optional “Innovation Night” setup guide for showcases

“This was the first time I felt like I was doing something real — like adults do.”

-6th Grade Student, CATS II Showcase
"Ms. Rivers, Thank you so much for letting us observe today! We were really impressed by your ENTIRE classroom. The "Ms. Rivers will choose our seats" poster was really clever. We also really enjoyed seeing the students work either independently or in the group with you. Giving them the 2 options was really clever and the grading method was original too. We also enjoyed the "Cool Careers in Science" book you have avilable for students to use. The "waterfall the person next to you" was a fun was to quiet down the class, that was fun to see. We will definitely be looking on Pinterest for classroom ideas. Thank you again!

-Victoria L., Kayla J., Karla M., Taiya F.
"Alyza is the kind of leader every school hopes to have. She brings clarity, creativity, and commitment to every initiative, and her ability to align curriculum with strategy is truly next level."

-From a Principal / Instructional Leader
"Working with Alyza was like working with a master strategist who also deeply understands the heart of teaching. She could take any lesson idea and turn it into something dynamic, data-informed, and inspiring."

-Fellow Educator / PLC Team Member
"Alyza combines the structure of a seasoned project manager with the soul of an educator. Watching her guide teams through Agile transformation while keeping learner needs at the center was inspiring."

-From a Project Collaborator / L&D Peer
"She doesn't just deliver resources - she delivers systems that work. Alyza's frameworks have helped our teachers save time, elevate instruction, and foster student ownership."

-From a Department / Curriculum Coordinator
"Alyza made Agile feel approachable and exciting. Her training style is practical, empowering, and built around real challenges we face in the classroom."

-From a PD Attendee / Trainee
"Thanks to Alyza's curriculum design guidance, I landed my first instructional design role. She sees potential in people and knows to turn their story into strategy."

-From a Career Transition Coach
"Alyza's ability to integrate EdTech tools with instructional strategy helped us launch new LMS initiatives faster and with more staff buy-in than ever before."

-From a Former Administrator
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