This is the working companion for D2's Build the Tribe quest — the foundation on which every other quest sits. We don't teach the year and then live it. We live the year from Day 1, slowly, with high modeling, with constant conversation about how we show up. The seeds get planted now so everything that comes later can grow.
Build the Tribe is not a preamble to the year — it IS the year, taught slowly and explicitly with the guide modeling alongside.
We run the real schedule from Day 1. Math time opens IXL. ELA opens our writing tools. Quest happens. But the goal of every block during BTT is "how do we show up to this excellently?" not "how many problems did we finish?" The guide is in the room as an active practitioner — sharing their own Personal Working Guide, narrating their thinking, modeling focus. If the studio does 5 minutes of actual math and 35 minutes of co-creating how math time will work all year, that's a win.
Each of us is on our own journey. Heroes don't journey alone — they find their fellow heroes. BTT is about meeting the tribe and becoming the kind of hero who helps others find their way.
D2 holds a unique position: old enough to lead, young enough to remember being led. The cross-school work centers on showing up as role models — especially for Spark learners learning to navigate conflict.
When someone forgets a rule, we give a kind reminder. We don't yell. We don't shame. If we need help working it out, we ask a guide to facilitate — after we've tried first.
The schedule that runs every day, from Day 1 of BTT. Hard cutoffs are non-negotiable — they teach the studio that time is real. Special blocks (Town Hall, Share Chair) replace the variable slot on their days. See the full schedule page for printable version and day-by-day variations.
| Time | Block | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 – 8:25 | Arrival & Free Time | Settle, social, optional reading |
| 8:25 – 8:30 | Settle | Transition to launch |
| 8:30 – 8:50 | Morning Launch hard cutoff | 20 min. Extra ideas go to a guide at snack. |
| 8:50 – 9:00 | Habit & Character Goals | Goal-setting check-in |
| 9:00 – 9:40 | Math Time (IXL) | Personal Working Guide in use, focused work |
| 9:40 – 9:50 | Rocket Math exit ticket | Exit ticket → wash hands → snack |
| 9:50 – 10:15 | Snack | Free time, social |
| 10:15 – 11:20 | ELA Block | DEAR / Free Write / NoRedInk / Nessy / Read-Along (varies) |
| 11:20 – 12:00 | Variable Block | Wed Town Hall Fri 360 + Share Chair M/T/Th Ext. ELA + Typing Club (last 10) |
| 12:00 – 1:00 | Lunch | Full hour. Hand-washing first. Guide eats with the studio. |
| 1:00 – 1:50 | Civ / Read-Along / Improv | 3 days Civ · 1 day Read-Along · 1 day Improv (Clare, 40 min) |
| 1:50 – 2:50 | Quest | M-Th 60 min Fri Quest catchup + Language + Art/PD |
| 2:50 – 3:05 | Studio Maintenance | Keep the space sacred. Daily Thinking Puzzle still up near cubbies for arrival tomorrow. |
| 3:05 – 3:15 | Character Callouts | Use the studio script: "I have a character callout for ___ for ___ and I call that ___" |
| 3:15 – 3:30 | Reflection & Pickup | Be grateful · share the day |
Each week has a Hero's Journey moment, a guiding question, and concrete artifacts that get built. The structure scales: Day 1 is the most carefully designed; later weeks open up as the tribe takes ownership.
What does our excellent year look like, and what's our role in making it real?
// week 02Who is on this journey with me, and how do we help each other?
// week 03What does it mean to lead and be a role model across our school?
// week 04How do we respond when things get hard?
// week 05How do I navigate my own path while still being part of the tribe?
// week 06Who are we now, and what's our promise to ourselves and each other?
10 essential roles + extensive bonus list. Empower every learner with something meaningful beyond studio maintenance.
// the visionWhat does each block look like at its best by May? Co-created posters that hang in the studio all year.
// document 01The non-negotiables. Signed by every learner. Breaking these triggers compass checks.
// document 023–5 simple rules followed during any learning time. Refined at Town Hall when broken.
// document 03The living constitution. Everything else we've agreed on — how things work here.
// weekly heartbeatIntentionality · Civility · Excellence · Energy. Weekly self + studio ratings. Friday reflection → Monday launch.
// every wednesdayPosted agenda, topic sign-up, rotating learner leader, timekeeper. Modeled in Week 1.
// every learnerEach learner's "how I work best" document. Built in Weeks 1–4. Guide models theirs first.
// the libraryTested launches, debriefs, challenges, and team-building games — sortable by length and goal.
// referenceEvery term used in this guide, defined. Acton-keep vs Acton-evolve clearly marked.
Tribe-defining experiences threaded across the 6 weeks. Each gets its own page.
One-shot studio music video. Song chosen together, lines learned, choreography practiced, final film shot before exhibition.
// week 6 fridayLip Dub premiere + Studio Contract reading + learner-led Launch Circles with families and Sparks.
// throughout the yearLibrary Day, Acton Games (school-wide olympics), Cardboard Boat Pool Day, and more.
// daily ritualThe script + a working list of character traits worth naming. Beyond "friendship and fun."
// daily whiteboardThe puzzle on the whiteboard by the cubbies — Trolley problems, riddles, philosophical questions to spark the day.
// before day 1The exhaustive prep checklist — 126 items across 12 categories. Spreadsheet version also included.