Middle School Sample Week - Money, Maps, and Media

Focus: analytical reading and writing, percentages and data, budgeting, contract basics, mapping without GPS, customer-service scripts.
Weekly outcomes:
• Build a working 90-day budget and explain choices
• Verify a media claim using lateral reading
• Plan and document a short route with a paper map
• Deliver a 2-minute brief with one accurate chart

Daily rhythm (flexible):
9:00 Morning Meeting • 9:20 ELA • 10:10 Math/Data • 10:50 Break • 11:05 Science/Civics • 11:35 Workshop • 12:05 Lunch • 12:40 Project Lab • 1:40 Speaking • 2:00 Advisory

Monday

• ELA: Claim/evidence from a “needs vs wants” article
  
  

• Math/Data: 50/30/20 budgets; percents to dollars
  
  

• Science/Civics: Documentation habits; evidence vs anecdotes
  
  

• Workshop: Budgeting - build a starter sheet
  
  

• Project Lab: Personal budget v1
  
  

• Speaking: Strong opener practice
  
  

• Advisory: Plan the week
  
  

Tuesday

• ELA: Media literacy - verify an ad claim
  
  

• Math/Data: Sales tax, discounts; comparison table
  
  

• Science/Civics: Bias and framing; lateral reading
  
  

• Workshop: Customer service - call script and log
  
  

• Project Lab: Price comparison sheet
  
  

• Speaking: Ask/answer drill
  
  

• Advisory: Progress update
  
  

Wednesday

• ELA: Turn field notes into five clean bullets
  
  

• Math/Data: Unit price data collection
  
  

• Science/Civics (Fieldwork): Map orientation; N/E/S/W; two landmarks
  
  

• Workshop: Mapping - legend and checkpoint planning
  
  

• Project Lab: Paper map of route with legend
  
  

• Speaking: 60-second impromptu
  
  

• Advisory: Fieldwork debrief
  
  

Thursday

• ELA: Contract reading - lease/TOS red flags
  
  

• Math/Data: Cost per serving; spreadsheet formulas
  
  

• Science/Civics: Consumer law basics (returns, junk fees)
  
  

• Workshop: Cooking beyond ramen - food safety and cleanup
  
  

• Project Lab: Cost table, chart for showcase
  
  

• Speaking: Slide check and timing
  
  

• Advisory: Peer feedback
  
  

Friday

• ELA: One-page brief - “What we proved”
  
  

• Math/Data: Budget check and graph
  
  

• Science/Civics: Reflection on reliability of sources
  
  

• Workshop: Scam spotting - FLAGS drill
  
  

• Project Lab: Showcase - budget, map, brief
  
  

• Speaking: 2-minute brief with Q&A
  
  

• Advisory: Celebrate and set next steps
  
  

Materials for the week: notebook, folder/binder, pencils/pens/highlighter, basic scientific calculator, ruler/protractor, measuring cups/spoons (Thu), headphones with mic, charged device.

Assessment & portfolio: budget sheet + chart, contract redline notes, route map with legend, 2-minute brief rubric.

Home connection: compare unit prices on two grocery items; skim a ToS or lease and list one question; practice a calm customer-service call using the script.

Safety notes: fieldwork follows a safety brief and headcounts; cooking is no-heat or directly supervised.