FUTURE STUDIO · MISSION 02

STARTUP INCUBATOR

YEAR 8 · TERM 4 · WEEK 2

Founder Lab

Is this a real problem or just your assumption?

FOUNDER LAB: A fictional founder says, “Rangatahi need a new local events app because they never know what is happening.” The solution is already in the sentence. Your job is to remove that assumption and find out what the evidence actually supports.

ENTER MISSION →

MISSION DECKFUTURE STUDIO / WEEK 02SELECT A MODULE

01BRIEFMission

02LEARNIntel

03INVESTIGATEEvidence

04ENGLISHEvidence case

05DECIDEMake the call

06DATANumbers

07PROJECTBuild

08CHECK-INReflect

★GAMEReward

ACTIVE OBJECTIVEFOUNDER LAB: A fictional founder says, “Rangatahi need a new local events app because they never know what is happening.” The solution is already in the sentence. Your job is to remove that assumption and find out what the evidence actually supports.

WORLDFUTURE STUDIO

SEQUENCE01 / 08

REWARDGAME BREAK

Jump to a lesson part

READY?

Watch. Check the clues. Have a go.

Everything you need is on this page.

Start mission →

Need help getting started?

YOU NEED

Required: a device with this page open.
Optional: headphones for video or read-aloud.
Optional: pen + paper for rough working if that helps you think.
Only if you choose a physical build: simple low-cost craft/reuse materials. A digital sketch or model is always okay instead.

HOW TO DO IT

Read or listen to the Briefing + Learn.
Do the interactive mission.
Use facts from the reading and maths parts.
Make your choice and save your project step.
Play the weekly game. Finish Check-in.

WORK YOUR WAY

Short bursts are fine. Use Learning Tools for easier reading, read-aloud, less on screen, stronger contrast, no-rush and quieter-screen options.

If you get stuck, look at the example and try again.

PROJECT NOTE: Your project can stay digital. Physical making is optional unless you choose that format.

MISSION BRIEFING

FOUNDER LAB: A fictional founder says, “Rangatahi need a new local events app because they never know what is happening.” The solution is already in the sentence. Your job is to remove that assumption and find out what the evidence actually supports.

✓Separate a problem hypothesis from a preferred solution.

✓Classify evidence that supports, challenges or limits an assumption.

✓Evaluate sample size, sample selection and question wording.

✓Rewrite a problem statement so it stays within the research evidence.

INTERACTIVE LEARN MODE

No passive video this week.

This mission is deliberately built around its simulator, investigation, decision room or prototype instead of an external video.

LEARN

ASSUMPTION → QUESTION → SAMPLE → REVISE

Validation uses ASSUMPTION → QUESTION → SAMPLE → EVIDENCE → CHALLENGE → REVISED PROBLEM. Friends agreeing with a founder is not strong validation if the sample is narrow. A larger survey can still be biased if the wrong people were invited or the question leads respondents. Interviews can reveal mechanisms and barriers that a percentage alone misses. Ethical research collects only what is needed and avoids pressuring people to disclose sensitive information.

LEARNING BUILD

Learn it. See it. Try it.

Look at the example. Check another point of view. Then try the task.

Step 1: Choose a starting clue

WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW

Reasoning lens:ASSUMPTION → EVIDENCE → CONSTRAINT → TRADE-OFF → TEST → DEFEND / REVISE

What do you already know?

English / communication:Research questions, interview synthesis, bounded claims and concise problem statements.

Maths / data:Survey design, sampling, percentages and data quality.

Topic knowledge:Human-centred design, validation, stakeholder needs, ethical research and bias.

This week’s first target:Separate a problem hypothesis from a preferred solution.

Which clue is a good place to start?

Choose a source that can directly support part of the investigation. More than one source may be useful, but start with evidence that does not outrun its support.

Need more help? See the teaching

TEACH 1 · CORE MODEL

TEACH 2 · WHAT TO NOTICE

Separate a problem hypothesis from a preferred solution.Classify evidence that supports, challenges or limits an assumption.

TEACH 3 · CONNECT + TRANSFER

Evaluate sample size, sample selection and question wording. Rewrite a problem statement so it stays within the research evidence.

WORKED EXAMPLE · EVIDENCE

BROADER SURVEY

38 of 60 anonymous fictional respondents say local event information is spread across too many places.

Reasoning: Start with exactly what the source establishes. Connect it to the relevant concept, then stop before the claim becomes broader than the evidence. Now compare it with SOLUTION CLAIM: “Because information is fragmented, an app is definitely the best solution.” The evidence identifies a problem but does not compare solutions.

Why caution still matters:This item is weak evidence for a broad conclusion: its claim or implication reaches beyond what the available support can establish.

WORKED EXAMPLE · MATHS / DATA ROUTE

38 of 60 fictional survey respondents report fragmented event information. Approximately what percentage is that?

This week’s maths/data focus:Survey design, sampling, percentages and data quality.

Define the baseline, cost, time, proportion or criterion first. Calculate on the same basis, then test the result against the user need, constraint or success criterion.

WE DO · GUIDED PRACTICE

Which source needs the most caution before it is used to support a broad conclusion?

Choose any source whose claim outruns its support.

YOU TRY · INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

For Founder Lab, explain one core idea, connect it to one named source or observation and one quantitative/data point from this page, then state an alternative explanation, trade-off or limitation that a strong judgement must consider.

Write at least 30 words. Name the evidence or data you are using and keep the claim inside what it can support.

MISCONCEPTION CHECK

SOLUTION CLAIM:“Because information is fragmented, an app is definitely the best solution.” The evidence identifies a problem but does not compare solutions.

This item is weak evidence for a broad conclusion: its claim or implication reaches beyond what the available support can establish.

HELP

Try: “The assumption is ___. Evidence ___ supports/challenges it. The main constraint/trade-off is ___. I would defend/revise ___ because ___.”

STRETCH · OPTIONAL

Build the strongest reasonable counter-argument or alternative explanation. Name one additional piece of evidence that could distinguish between the two positions.

FUTURE STUDIO · WEEK 2

FOUNDER LAB · VALIDATION ROOM

◎

Test the problem before selling the solution.

Interrogate a fictional founder assumption, classify research evidence and rewrite the problem only as strongly as the sample allows.

FOUNDER ASSUMPTION“Rangatahi need a new local events app because they never know what is happening.”

CLASSIFY THE RESEARCH

8 FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDER7 say they would download it.

60 ANONYMOUS RESPONSES38 say event information is spread across too many places.

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWA youth worker says transport and cost stop attendance even when people know an event exists.

REWRITE THE PROBLEM

Classify all three evidence files, then choose the problem statement the evidence can actually support.

LAB IN PROGRESS

INVESTIGATE + ENGLISH · EVIDENCE CASE

A founder should try to disprove the favourite idea

The fictional founder begins with an app idea, but the research complicates it. A small group of friends likes the concept, although that sample may not represent the wider audience. A broader anonymous survey suggests fragmented information is a real issue for many respondents. A youth worker adds that transport and cost also affect participation. The revised problem therefore needs to include uncertainty and multiple barriers rather than assuming one digital product solves everything.

BUILD THE EVIDENCE CASE · CLAIM → EVIDENCE → REASONING

MAKE THE CALL

Decide whether the founder should build the app, research further, test a lower-cost non-app solution, or abandon the problem. Defend the next step without treating uncertainty as failure.

BUILD YOUR CASE CONCLUSION1. Make the call. 2. Use at least two relevant pieces of evidence. 3. Explain one limitation or uncertainty. 4. Finish with what can responsibly be concluded.Strong structure: My judgement is… The strongest evidence is… However, we still do not know… Therefore…

CASE CONCLUSION: Write 190–260 words as a founder-research memo. Evaluate the three evidence sources, calculate or cite one percentage, identify one sampling limitation, rewrite the problem statement and name one assumption that still needs testing.

YOUR REASONING

0/190 words minimum for this writing mission.

CLAIMEVIDENCELIMITATIONCONCLUSION

MATHS + DATA LAB

Check the numbers.

HOW TO SUCCEEDRead the situation first. Estimate what a sensible answer should look like, choose an efficient calculation, then use the feedback to check your reasoning.For data questions, explain what the number shows — and what it does not prove.

38 of 60 fictional survey respondents report fragmented event information. Approximately what percentage is that?

Estimate first, then choose the answer.

MISSION 05 · MATHS + DATA LAB

DATA TRAINING

MEASUREMENT + GEOMETRY · YEAR 8 EXTENSION

6 PROBLEMS

QUICK METHODMEASUREMENT + GEOMETRY

Write the correct formula or conversion before substituting values.

GUIDED · Q01–Q03Use the quick method, then check the explanation.

Q01

Rectangle 8 m × 5 m. Area?

Q02

Rectangle 8 m × 5 m. Perimeter?

Q03

A straight angle measures…

INDEPENDENT · Q04

2.5 m equals…

INDEPENDENT · Q05

A triangle has angles 50° and 60°. Third angle?

INDEPENDENT · Q06

A cube has side length 3 cm. Volume?

OPTIONAL CHALLENGE · OPEN RESPONSE

A design keeps the same area but changes shape. Explain what can happen to its perimeter and give an example.

0 words · optional

PROJECT HQ · PROJECT FILE 02

DEFINE — validate need and audience.

Start something real. Build an idea, test it, improve it, and share it. Make your move.

Start Something: choose an idea, name who it helps, make a small version, then test and improve it.

IDEA→RESEARCH→PLAN→BUILD→TEST→IMPROVE→PRESENT

WEEK 2 · DEFINE · Validate the problem before committing to a product or solution.

REVISED PROBLEM VALIDATION EVIDENCE SAMPLE / RESEARCH LIMIT

This saves into your Term 4 Start Something project record as you type.

Project sharing will be optional. A future upload system must keep private submission separate from public-showcase/marketing permission.

CHECK-IN

What changed in your thinking?

One thing I learned or questioned

YEAR 8 · REMIX · TERM 4 / WEEK 2

EDGE VALUE

Choose every drop deliberately and convert limited coins into maximum value.

UPGRADED DIFFICULTYBEST SCORE SAVED

PLAY EDGE VALUE

A remastered ICONIC GAMES favourite · phone + keyboard controls.