Build a Studio¶
SDA Commons Wiki · South High School
This tab is for students who are ready to design their own studio — their own question, their own standard, their own plan.
Pre-built studio packets exist for good reasons. They give you structure, they put four curated texts in front of you, and they model what a strong studio looks like. Once you've run several studios and shown that you can manage the process independently, you're ready to design your own.
Is This for You?¶
Building your own studio makes sense if:
- You've completed multiple studios and earned proficient scores
- You've shown you can manage the six-week arc — research, draft, revise, exhibit — without needing a lot of prompting
- You have a genuine question you want to investigate that doesn't fit neatly into one of the pre-built packets
- Reese has confirmed you're ready to propose your own
If you're still getting the hang of how SDA works, start with a pre-built Studio Packet first. You'll get more out of designing your own once you've run the arc at least a couple of times.
If you're not sure whether you're ready — ask Reese. That's a five-minute conversation.
What You're Actually Doing¶
You're making nine decisions. Once you've made all nine and your Studio Contract is signed, everything runs exactly the same as a pre-built studio — the same six-week arc, the same documents, the same exhibition. The difference is that the question and the plan are yours.
| # | Decision | You'll Do This In |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is my Essential Question? | Design Your Studio |
| 2 | Which standard(s) am I targeting? | Design Your Studio |
| 3 | Which texts will I use? | Design Your Studio |
| 4 | What is my Demo mode? | Design Your Studio |
| 5 | What is my Deliverable? | Your Contract |
| 6 | What does 3.0 look like for me, specifically? | Your Contract |
| 7 | Which skinnies do I need? | Your Contract |
| 8 | What are my week-by-week checkpoints? | Your Contract |
| 9 | Has Reese approved my contract? | In person with Reese — end of Week 1 |
You do not start Week 2 work until Reese has signed your contract. That's not a formality — it protects you from six weeks of work on a question that turns out to be unanswerable or off-standard.
Where to Start¶
- Start here: Design Your Studio — work through your EQ, standard, texts, and demo mode before you touch the contract
- Then: Your Contract & Getting Approved — fill out the contract section by section, get Reese's sign-off
- Run your studio — use the Student Workflow page as your week-by-week guide
- Finish: When You're Done — where finished work goes
What You'll Need¶
By the time you sit down with your contract, you should have:
- [ ] A draft Essential Question — rough is fine, you'll refine it
- [ ] A standard in mind, or two you're deciding between
- [ ] At least two texts from the Reading Library that connect to your question
- [ ] A sense of which Demo mode fits your question and your strengths
Don't have these yet? Design Your Studio walks you through each one.
Build a Studio · SDA Commons Wiki · South High School See also: Student Workflow · Skinnies · Reading Library · Studio Archive