Super Jewels by Z

TOPIC PLAN – Super Jewels by Z 

AIM/ GOALS 

This project aimed to expand Zaden’s interest in entrepreneurship, business, art and craftsmanship. We also aimed for it to strengthen math, writing and presentation skills through his sales, presentation and business goals.

BACKGROUND

Zaden has always loved making gifts for friends and family. He loves working with his hands and creating new things. When we tried a fused glass art class, he was totally inspired. He talked to the teacher and asked for a mentorship. That led to his business idea of Super Jewels by Z. His jewelry became very popular, and his execution of ads and fairs and connecting with retail stores gave him a lot of business experience and all the work that comes with it.

Zaden recognized that he needed to connect with as wide an audience as possible to sell his jewelry. He reached out to cafés with small retail spaces, consignment clothing stores, and retail jewelry shops. He also wrote and ran a Facebook page aimed at the Christmas shopping audience. He signed up for two Christmas fairs, where he made his own booth display, complete with decorative stands, store signs and business cards. He presented his artwork to the public and spoke to his customers in a kind, professional manner.

METHOD

We helped Zaden learn about cost ratios, loans, managing expenses and looking at gross profit. He had to decide to whom he could sell and how he could reach out to them.

We helped Zaden learn about popular trends in jewelry, and guided him in making a list of questions to support selling his jewelry successfully.

• He made signs.
• He set up a Facebook page.
• He signed up to work a booth at two local Christmas Fairs.
• He made presentations to stores and cafes where he could show his jewelry.

This project incorporated using math for running his business and calculating the ongoing expenses of materials and advertising. He had to calculate how to cover costs in order to make a profit. He had to accept payment and make change. He had to pay bills to his suppliers.

This Topic Plan led Zaden to many learning experiences and resources including:

• introducing him to new investigative methods
• conducting account management, money handling, paying bills and teachers, taking in money, creating ad pages, going to fairs and stores.
• visiting jewelry stores and the library for ideas
• getting mentored and being guided on glass fusion
• planning a booth for market
• reviewing IXL to learn math components, percentages, fractions and currency.
• refining his art form and understanding how many pieces to sell to make sure costs are met and a profit is made
• working with retailers to carry product
• writing Facebook ads and posts
• visiting small jewelry stores and meeting the artists
• searching online sources of information for craft businesses, the Art of fused glass and business strategies
• reviewing IXL math components, percentages, fractions and currency

EVALUATION

We evaluated Zaden’s use of his Topic Plan by assessing the degree to which he made measurable growth in every part of his curriculum.

Reading Literacy:

• comprehending the material read

Writing and Oral Literacy:

• writing and presentation skills
• communicating with mentors and customers and teachers

Listening Literacy:

• listening attentively to mentors, customers and vendors

Math:

• calculating cost of materials purchased, money taken in and change made, managing ad costs, classes and booth prices

Science:

• understanding chemistry and chemical reactions to different items used in fused glass making
• discovering the melting point of different materials used
• hypothesising about different reactions, items used and kiln conditions.
• testing hypotheses by speaking to mentors and teachers
• testing materials such as beach sand, shells and chemicals for different reactions
• changing the kiln temperatures for different reactions

Technology:

• using online technology to find information

Arts and Crafts:

• using different creative methods to record and present work, i.e. photos, collages, oral presentations and written work. 
• working in a shared studio with his teachers at the glass studio

Health and PE:

• walking days, carrying product from retail store to retail store

Self Evaluation·      

• determining if his questions were answered
• recording any ideas or questions for future investigation
• reviewing new techniques he has learned
• identifying what he would do differently next time
• celebrating what went well

RESOURCES

• Library
• Glass studio
• Teachers/ mentorships
• Art center
• Art documentaries
• Community Art Fairs