Year 4, Lesson 1.7: Anticipating Challenges

Semester Learning Goal

Students will investigate community needs, reflect on personal values, and apply design thinking to develop a values-aligned project idea. Through research, collaboration, and iteration, they will explore what it means to do Good Work as a good person, good worker, and good citizen.

Lesson Goal

Students will learn about common challenges in student-led and social impact projects and reflect on how they might prepare for or respond to these challenges in their own Capstone journey.

Assessment

  • Monitor group discussion and written responses for evidence of thoughtful reflection and connection to students’ specific project ideas.

  • Use reflections to identify which students may need early scaffolding during Semester 2.

Casel Alignment

Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Responsible Decision-Making

Portfolio Documentation

Resources

Prerequisites

  • Year 4, Lesson 1.5, Lesson 1.6

Total Time

45 minutes

Instructions

  • Students should have selected a focus issue and developed a draft "How Might We" question in Lesson 1.5.

    Today, students will building their skills as good workers by thinking creatively, staying open to new possibilities, and preparing to solve problems with purpose.

1. Opener: What makes a good idea hard to follow through on? [5 minutes]

  • Ask students: 

    • Have you ever had a great idea that was hard to complete or stick with? What made it difficult?

  • Introduce the idea that all meaningful work comes with challenges—even when you care deeply about it.

2. Exploring Real-World Project Challenges [10 minutes]

  • Display the Project Challenges Slide. Introduce each of the six common challenges:

    • Keeping the project funded

    • Maintaining school/project/life balance

    • Networking/mentorship access

    • Gaining support from leaders/systems/bureaucracy

    • Sustaining long-term motivation/burnout

    • Measuring impact

  • Discuss: Which of these do you think are most common for students your age? Which feel most relevant to your project idea?

3. Analyzing Youth-Led Projects [15 minutes]

  • Show the examples of Lalakbayin Ecoventures, We Are Special Foundation, and Run For It. 

  • Divide students into three groups (one per project) and have each group discuss:

    • What challenge(s) might this project have faced?

    • How do you think they navigated that challenge?

    • How might their experience be similar or different from yours?

  • Groups share 1–2 highlights with the full class.

4. Personal Reflection: Anticipating Your Own Challenges [10 minutes]

  • Distribute the "Challenges I Might Face" Worksheet. Students will:

    • Identify 2–3 challenges they might face based on their project idea

    • Explain why those challenges might come up

    • List at least one strategy or support they could use to address each

  • Explain that students will return to this handout in Semester 2 to reflect on whether these challenges showed up and how they responded.

  • Remind them: Anticipating obstacles now helps you stay grounded when they arrive.

  • Keep the worksheet for the Good Project Portfolio.

5. Closing and Exit Ticket [5 minutes] 

  • Ask students to complete the Lesson 1.7 Exit Ticket.

    • Students will respond to the following question: 

    • What is one challenge you might realistically face during implementation—and one first step you can take now to prepare for it? 

  • Keep the exit ticket to for the Good Project Portfolio. 

Optional Enrichment

  • Students may choose to complete the Lesson 1.7 - Interview Reflection Worksheet. In this activity, students will Interview a peer, teacher, or adult who has worked on a long-term or impact-based project (this could be in school, work, or community).

  • They will ask this person:

  • What was one major challenge they encountered?

  • How did they respond or adapt?

  • What advice would they give to someone just starting out?

  • Students will then write a brief reflection (3–5 sentences) connecting their interviewee’s experience to their own Capstone goals and any challenges they might face.

  • If completed, students will keep this worksheet for the Good Project Portfolio.