The MicroSociety® Model
What is MicroSociety?
MicroSociety was created to reimagine the traditional model of education. Rooted in the belief that students learn best when their education feels meaningful, it transforms classrooms for one period a day into vibrant, student-led societies where academic skills are essential to success. Students take on real roles as entrepreneurs, elected officials, nonprofit leaders—managing real organizations, solving real problems, and making decisions that matter.
With support from educators and mentorship from community professionals, young citizens immerse themselves in hands-on work that brings learning to life. Teachers become facilitators of student-run organizations, guiding managers and employees and helping them connect academic learning to their real-world responsibilities.
Meanwhile, community partners mentor, advise, and serve as role models—sharing real-world knowledge and helping students develop critical skills. Whether it’s an adult banker guiding young bankers or a small business owner advising a student-run venture, these relationships enrich learning and build lasting aspirations.
Student learning is no longer confined to textbooks. It’s driven by purpose, grounded in experience, and shaped by the challenges of building a functioning society together. Citizens build essential skills, confidence, and resilience—empowering them to challenge the status quo, lead with vision, and shape a better world.
How does it work?
Experiential learning in MicroSociety occurs through seven TEACHH “Strands,” which connect academic standards to practical skills.
Every day, students apply, analyze, evaluate, and create — the most sophisticated levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy of learning objectives.
Learning in a MicroSociety school occurs in four domains:
MicroAcademy
At the start of the year, students spend six weeks exploring citizenship and the building blocks of community using our curriculum. They decide their core values, create a governing document, and elect their representatives. They also draft resumes, propose and launch new businesses, and interview for jobs of their choice.
MicroUniversity
Once hired, students receive job training and take school-created courses that interest them.
MicroTime
Then, they create and manage their own kid-sized society. For one period a day, classrooms and hallways become stores and marketplaces. Students take charge and, together, face real challenges, problem-solve, take risks, fail, and try again. They are guided by teacher facilitators and mentored in their jobs by professional adults from the community.
Classroom Instruction
During the instructional part of the day, each MicroSociety citizen builds content-area knowledge and develops soft and hard skills, processes, and habits of mind needed to thrive in their mini-society. Educators personalize instruction and connect core academic subjects to MicroSociety’s real-world activities.
Integrating Standards
Reading and Writing to Succeed
MicroSociety provides a context that makes reading functional and fun. In the courtroom, legislature, marketplace and newsroom, reading and writing are essential skills that spell the difference between success and failure.
Math As a Survival Skill
Hundreds of math problems are solved each day during MicroTime. Students use arithmetic as they buy and sell, budget, analyze data, and calculate taxes. They apply geometry making jewelry, and algebra developing financial reports.
Living Social Studies
MicroSociety is social studies, citizenship, and government in action. Students choose their form of government, run for office, and debate issues in town halls. Coached by teachers, they learn to resolve conflicts, negotiate, persuade, and even defend themselves in court.
Science in Action
Science lessons come to life as student entrepreneurs innovate and produce goods for their marketplace, while government researchers develop conservation campaigns and craft legislation that pushes student ventures toward sustainability.
MicroSociety is extremely valuable in a global economy that recognizes individual achievement in terms of innovation, team building, critical thinking, cultural adaptability and job flexibility. Everything is done through the core curriculum. By establishing a center of commerce and governance in which every child and adult participates, students become aware of their interests and aptitudes for certain occupations. They plan and prepare for the opportunities they will seek in high school for becoming work- and college-ready upon graduation.
Sandy Garrett
Former State Superintendent, Oklahoma