Every unit is built around a driving question. Subject boundaries dissolve — math, science, history, and writing all serve the same real-world challenge.
ScienceMathELAGeography
Driving question
"Why do wildfires start, spread, and destroy — and what forces are at work?"
Future City connection
Lays the science foundation: fire behavior, wind patterns, the Wildland-Urban Interface. Students pick their city's location and climate.
Standards
NCES.7.P.1 forces & motion · NCES.7.E.1.3 air masses · NCES.7.P.2 energy transfer · NC.7.RP.1–2 proportional relationships · NC.7.G.1 scale drawings · RI.7.3
🔥 Wind tunnel + burn behavior lab
🏆 Future City anchor unit
MathScienceSocial StudiesELA
Driving question
"How do we design a city that can prevent, survive, and recover from wildfire?"
Future City deliverables
Essay (Oct) · Scale model (Nov–Dec) · 5-min presentation (Jan) · Regional competition Jan 2027 · Nationals Feb 2027 Washington DC
Standards
NC.7.G.4 area & circumference · NC.7.G.6 volume & surface area · NC.7.G.1 scale drawings · 7.C&G.1 government · 7.E.1 economics · W.7.2 informative writing
🏙️ Urban planning + 3D model build lab
StatisticsHistoryArgument writing
Driving question
"How do we measure risk, evaluate evidence, and decide when we're not certain?"
Fire resilience thread
Analyze real NIFC wildfire datasets. What did Future City judges value? Use evidence and statistics to argue for fire policy decisions.
Standards
NC.7.SP.1–4 statistics & sampling · 7.H.1 historical turning points · RI.7.6 author POV · RI.7.8 evaluate arguments · W.7.1 argument writing
🔬 Wildfire data analysis + C-SPAN documentary
BiologyMathNarrative writing
Driving question
"How do our genes, cells, and choices shape who we become — and how do disasters affect health?"
Fire resilience thread
Study how wildfire smoke affects respiratory cells. Graph PM2.5 data as rational number operations. Connect cell biology to real consequences of poor fire planning.
Standards
NCES.7.L.1 cell structures · NCES.7.L.2 genetics · NC.7.NS rational numbers · NC.7.SP.5–7 probability · W.7.3 narrative writing
🧬 DNA extraction, cell models, health data graphs
MathEconomicsELATech
Driving question
"What product or service could you build to solve a fire-safety or community resilience problem?"
Fire resilience thread
Students pitch businesses solving wildfire problems: early warning apps, fire-resistant materials, evacuation tools. Equations govern pricing and profit.
Standards
NC.7.EE.4 equations & inequalities · NC.7.RP.3 percents & unit rates · 7.E.1 economic systems · W.7.1 argument writing · L.7.1–2 language conventions
🚀 Startup lab — prototype + Shark Tank pitch
All subjectsStudent choiceCapstone
Driving question
"Looking at everything you learned this year — what will you do with it?"
Format options
TED-style talk, community action project, documentary, design proposal, written policy brief, mural, or invention. All presented at a public Expo.
Standards
Student-selected synthesis · 7.H.1.5 human rights · 7.B.1.2–1.3 culture & values · Full ELA standards · Math applied to chosen topic
🌍 Change maker studio — open format, public expo