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Student Workflow — How to Run a Studio

Self-Directed Academy · South High School

This page tells you what to actually do, week by week. Every studio follows the same six-phase arc. Use this as your map.

Phase Overview

Phase Week What You're Doing Document You Create Resources to Pull
Launch 1 Read the EQ. Pick your inquiry angle. Fill out your Studio Contract. Studio Contract Studio packet, skinnies
Dig 2 Research. Primary + secondary sources. Build your source log. Source Log Reading library, IR.1–5 skinnies
Build 3 Make the thing. First draft of your deliverable. Your deliverable (draft) W.3 or W.4 skinny
Shape 4 Peer review. Advisor conference. Revision plan. Revision notes Advisor, peers
Finish 5 Complete your Demo of Learning. Polish the deliverable. Demo of Learning evidence Proficiency scales
Publish 6 Exhibition. Reflection. Studio archived. Reflection Exhibition guide

Start Here — The Essential Question

Every studio starts with an Essential Question (EQ). The EQ is the shared question the whole class anchors on. Your job is to find your specific angle inside it.

Where to find your EQ:

Go to your studio packet. The EQ is at the top.

Studio Essential Question
WH-01 — Who Should Govern? Who should govern, and what gives them the right?
WH-02 — Rights Chain When people write down their rights, what changes — and what doesn't?
WH-03 — Writing Against Empire When a powerful system is doing harm, what does it take to challenge it — and what does it cost?
WH-04 — Reformation and Revolution Can one document change the world — and if so, how?
WH-05 — The Cost of War Who pays the cost of war — and who gets to tell the story?
WH-06 — The Connected World What connects the world — and who decides who counts as part of it?
USH-01 — When the System Fails When an institution fails the people it's supposed to serve, what does it take to fix it — and who has to do the work?
USH-02 — Literature of Fear What does a society's fiction reveal about its fears — and whose fears count?
USH-03 — When the Floor Falls Out When the economy collapses and millions of people lose everything, what does the government owe them — and what does it cost to find out?
USH-04 — The Cost of Victory When a nation believes it is fighting on the right side of history, how does it decide which of its own values it can sacrifice — and who pays the price?
USH-05 — What the Government Didn't Say When a government lies to its people about a war, and those lies get exposed — what changes, what doesn't, and who pays for the gap?
USH-06 — When the Rules Don't Apply When people in power break the rules they're supposed to enforce, what — if anything — holds them accountable?
USH-07 — The Unipolar Moment After winning the Cold War, the United States had more power than any nation in history. What did it do with that power — and who decided?

What is an inquiry angle? The EQ is shared. Your angle is yours. Three students can all be in WH-01 and investigate three completely different civilizations. Your angle is the specific question you will investigate within the EQ.

A good angle: - Connects to the EQ - Is specific enough to research in 6 weeks - Is something you're actually curious about - Can be argued — reasonable people could disagree

Week 1 — Launch

Goal: Understand the question. Choose your angle. Commit to a plan.

Step 1 — Read your studio packet Open the studio packet for your current studio. Read:

  • The Essential Question
  • The Inquiry Angle Menu (suggested angles — you can use one or propose your own)
  • The reading list (skim the titles — which ones pull you in?)
  • The active standards (these are what you'll be scored on)

Step 2 — Do a first-pass skim of 2–3 sources Before you commit to an angle, read one passage from two or three texts in the reading library. You're not researching yet — you're figuring out what you're interested in.

Step 3 — Choose your inquiry angle Write your angle as a question. Test it:

  • Can I argue a position on this? → Good
  • Can I Google a single answer in 30 seconds? → Too narrow or too factual — revise it
  • Does it connect to the active standards? → Required

Step 4 — Fill out your Studio Contract Open the Studio Contract (Google Doc). Make a copy — rename it: [Your Name] — [Studio Name] Contract. Fill out all 9 parts. This is your plan for the whole studio.

Studio Contract

Open Studio Contract (Make a Copy)

Parts 1–3 are the most important to get right in Week 1. Part 4 is Skinnies — read those before you write Part 5 (your proficiency targets).

Step 5 — Get Reese approval Share your completed contract with Reese before you start Week 2. He'll either approve it or send notes. You don't start digging until it's approved.

What you submit at the end of Week 1: - Completed Studio Contract (shared with Reese via Google Drive)

Week 2 — Dig

Goal: Build your evidence base. Find your argument.

Step 1 — Set up your Source Log Open the Source Log (Google Doc or PDF). Make a copy — rename it: [Your Name] — [Studio Name] Source Log.

Source Log

Open Source Log (Make a Copy)

Step 2 — Find your sources You need at minimum:

  • 1 primary source — a document, speech, artifact, or firsthand account from the time period
  • 1 secondary source — a historian, journalist, or expert analyzing the primary source or event

The Reading Library is your first stop. It has primary sources organized by era and unit, with standard connections already mapped.

Step 3 — Annotate each source For each source, record in your Source Log:

  • What it says (summary in your own words)
  • What it means for your research question
  • The author's perspective and purpose
  • Whether it's reliable — and why

Step 4 — Pull any skinnies you need If you hit a knowledge gap, pull a skinny before asking Reese. Common ones for this phase:

Step 5 — Narrow your research question Based on what you found, sharpen your guiding question. Most good research questions evolve in Week 2. Update your Studio Contract if your angle shifted.

What you submit at the end of Week 2: - Source Log (at least 2 sources annotated) - Updated Studio Contract if your angle changed

Week 3 — Build

Goal: Get a first draft down. Done, not perfect.

Step 1 — Choose your demo format and start Look at Part 3 of your Studio Contract — your Demo of Learning mode. That determines what you're making this week:

Demo Mode What You're Building in Week 3
Written Assessment Draft response to your prompt
Extended Writing Draft essay — intro, body paragraphs, conclusion
Verbal Conversation Outline of your argument + talking points
Visual / Creative Rough layout or sketch with annotations
Multimedia / Performance Script, outline, or storyboard
Portfolio Annotation Curated evidence + draft commentary

Step 2 — Pull writing skinnies if needed - W.4 Argument Writing — claim, evidence, counterclaim - W.3 Explanatory Writing — organizing explanatory evidence - R.4 Main Idea and Theme — if you're analyzing a text's argument

Step 3 — First draft due end of Week 3 It doesn't have to be good. It has to exist. A rough draft you can revise is worth more than a perfect outline you never wrote.

What you submit at the end of Week 3: - First draft of your Demo of Learning (or your deliverable draft if they're the same)

Week 4 — Shape

Goal: Get feedback. Make a revision plan. Improve.

This is the most important week. Students who skip the Shape phase rarely reach 3.0.

Step 1 — Peer review Exchange your draft with another student. Use the proficiency scale from the relevant skinny to give specific feedback: - What's at 3.0 already? - What's still at 2.0? - What's missing entirely?

Step 2 — Advisor conference Come to your conference with: - Your draft - A list of 2–3 specific things you're unsure about - Your proficiency targets from Part 4 of your Studio Contract

Step 3 — Write a revision plan After feedback, document: - At least 3 substantive changes you will make - Why each change moves your work closer to 3.0 (or 4.0)

This isn't optional. The revision plan is part of your IR evidence.

What you submit at the end of Week 4: - Peer review notes (yours + theirs) - Written revision plan

Week 5 — Finish

Goal: Complete your Demo of Learning. Polish everything.

Step 1 — Complete your Demo of Learning Your Demo evidence must be finalized by the end of Week 5. Reese will give you a preliminary proficiency score before the exhibition.

Review Part 4 of your Studio Contract — do your revisions show 3.0 work on the standard?

Step 2 — Polish your deliverable If your studio has a Week 6 deliverable, finish it. Practice your presentation if applicable.

Step 3 — Fill out your Reflection (first pass) Start the Reflection template now. You'll finalize it after the exhibition, but getting your thoughts down before is easier than starting cold on Week 6.

Reflection Template

Open Reflection (Make a Copy)

What you submit at the end of Week 5: - Completed Demo of Learning evidence - Deliverable (final or near-final)

Week 6 — Publish

Goal: Show your work. Reflect. Archive.

Step 1 — Exhibition Present your deliverable to the audience. Your advisor will tell you the format (in-class, parents, community, panel).

Bring: - Your deliverable (printed, displayed, or loaded and ready) - Your Studio Contract (shows your original plan) - Your confidence — you've done the work

Communication standards C.1 and C.6 are assessed here: - C.1 — How you present: format, delivery, preparation - C.6 — How you respond to questions: listening, engaging, defending your ideas

Step 2 — Finalize your Reflection Complete the Reflection template after the exhibition. Answer honestly: - What did you learn about the standard? - What would you do differently? - What are you most proud of?

Step 3 — Submit everything Final checklist:

  • [ ] Demo of Learning evidence (submitted to Reese)
  • [ ] Deliverable (exhibited and/or published)
  • [ ] Completed Reflection
  • [ ] Source Log (final)
  • [ ] Studio Contract (final — filed in your Google Drive folder)

Your studio is now archived. Future SDA students can see what you made.

Documents You Need Every Studio

Document What It's For Get It Here
Studio Contract Your plan — inquiry angle, demo mode, proficiency targets, timeline Make a Copy
Source Log Track and annotate your sources during Dig Make a Copy
Reflection Written reflection after the Week 6 exhibition Make a Copy

Frequently Asked Questions

"Can I change my inquiry angle after Week 1?" Yes, with Reese approval and an updated Studio Contract. Don't change it just because it got hard — that's usually a sign you need to push through.

"What if I can't find good sources?" Check the Reading Library first — it's organized by era and standard. If you still can't find what you need, ask Reese before Week 2 ends.

"What if I don't finish by Week 6?" Extensions are available with advisor approval — but you must request one before the exhibition, not after. Plan backwards from Week 6.

"What's the difference between the Demo and the Deliverable?" Demo = proof you know the standard (scored 1.0–4.0). Deliverable = something you share with an audience (exhibited at Week 6). They can overlap, but they're not the same thing.

"What if I got a 2.0 and want a higher score?" You can resubmit evidence within the same semester. You need to show substantially improved work — not the same thing cleaned up. Talk to Reese.

"Can I work with other students?" Maverick and Phoenix students can collaborate freely. Trailblazers confirm with Reese first. Group deliverables always require individual Demo of Learning evidence.

Student Workflow · SDA Commons Wiki · South High School See also: Home · Reading Library · Skinnies · Studio Archive