eCommPublishing Kit Curriculum Materials

Instructor Introduction – One Dozen Steps to a Successful eCommPublishing Project

Step 1: Obtain the necessary approvals needed to do the project at your high school

• “Request for Project Approval” sample presentation – customize this sample presentation to fit the needs of your own school and project.
• FAQs About the Project’s Costs & Money Management – answers to all the key questions regarding money.
• Rug City Press demonstration Web site – use this sample Web site to give decision makers a crystal clear idea of what your eCommPublishing project and Web site will be all about.
• Here's proof eCommPublishing works – Testimonials from teachers and students who've used these same resources.

Step 2: Get the stories for your book written

• Seeking Cooperation of Your School’s English Department – customize this sample presentation and use it to convince your school’s English teachers to get on board.
• National Novel Writing Month Young Writer’s Program Web Site– a wonderful collection of resources currently being used by over 600 US schools to motivate their students to write more.
• A Call for Authors Press Release – Can’t get your English department to cooperate? No problem, just find your own writers. This sample press release is the model you need to follow to do just that.
• Sample Writing & Submission Guidelines – Before they can agree to do the writing, you’ll need to tell your writers what you want written. Use this sample a reference when coming up with submission guidelines for your own project

Step 3: Do a case history study of how books are published in the real world

In this step your students learn how different types of books are being sold in today’s marketplace

• Case Study Checklist (Instructor Version)
• Case Study Checklist (Student Version)

Step 4: Describe the eCommPublishing project to your students

In this step your students begin to learn what a publisher needs to know about a book before it can be effectively sold. They get to ask the authors of the book what their stories are all about.

• Book Description Questionnaire (Instructor Version)
• Book Description Questionnaire (Student Version)

Step 5: Brainstorm ways your student-run business can sell a student-written book

In this step your students learn brainstorming techniques and then get to apply them in a real-world brainstorming session.

• Brainstorming Checklist (Instructor Version)
• Brainstorming Checklist (Student Version)

Step 6: Form your in-class publishing company

In this step, your students learn about the efficiencies of business organization and then get to organize their own company and apply for real-world job positions.

• Job Application Form
• Management Team Worksheet
• Marketing Department Worksheet
• Production Department Worksheet
• Finance Department Worksheet
• Working in Teams Tutorial

Step 7: Create a Business Plan

After learning what a Business Plan is and why it is important, your students will get to create a business plan for their own in-class publishing business.

• Business Plan Template (Instructor Version)
• Business Plan Template (Student Version)

Step 8: Finalize Marketing Plan, Production Plan, and Budget

In this step, your entire class gets a lesson on market planning and then breaks up into departmental teams to complete a marketing plan, production plan and an operating budget for your business.

• Marketing Plan Template (Instructor Version)
• Marketing Plan Template (Student Version)
• Production Plan Checklist
• Budgeting & Cash Flow
• Budgeting & Cash Flow Calculator

Step 9: Launch your company’s Web Site development effort

After learning fundamental concepts for selling online, your students begin building their Company’s Web site.

• Web Site Content Plan Template (Instructor Version)
• Web Site Content Plan Template (Student Version)
• Web Site Wizard Tutorials
  • Setting Up Your Class
  • Setting Up Your Web Site
  • Setting Up Your Web Site Pages

Step 10: Implement Marketing Plan and Production Plan

Your students get the opportunity to put all their planning into action.

• Press Release Tutorial & Sample Press Release
• Sample Letter to Potential Book Retailers

Step 11: Monitor Your Company’s Performance

In this critical step, your students regularly measure your Company’s performance versus the goals established in the business plan and respond appropriately when actual performance is not meeting or exceeding expectations.

• Web Site Performance Log
• Project Milestones Tracker

Step 12: Report Your Company’s Final Results

How’d your Company do with their eCommPublishing Project? This is the step in which they find out.

• Project Final Report Template