Life Lab: Building the skills for a thriving life

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Life Lab: Skills That Go Beyond the Classroom

Life Lab is Ascend Charter Schools’ new K–12 curriculum designed to help students develop essential life skills, build meaningful relationships, and become confident problem-solvers.

Complementing Ascend’s strong academic program, Life Lab helps students develop the habits and decision-making skills they need to navigate challenges, pursue opportunities, and shape their futures.

Learn more about how Life Lab helps students thrive in this video, narrated by Ascend CEO Maryann Li.

Life Lab builds six essential skills that help students make thoughtful choices, build relationships, and shape their futures.

Agency: I shape my future.

Students practice setting meaningful goals, making intentional choices, and speaking up for themselves and others. They learn to adapt and keep moving forward when something does not go as planned.

Problem-Solving: I figure things out.

Students ask questions, consider evidence, and test possible solutions. They practice explaining their thinking and applying what they know to unfamiliar situations.

Discipline: I follow through.

Students learn to plan, prioritize, manage their time and attention, and follow through on commitments. They use feedback to improve and build habits that support long-term goals.

Connection: I build strong relationships.

Students practice communicating clearly, listening to understand, and building trust. They learn to work toward shared goals and resolve disagreements respectfully.

Contribution: I make my community better.

Students identify ways to improve their communities and take responsibility for helping others. They learn when to lead, when to support, and how their ideas and actions can create positive change.

Opportunity: I create my own chances.

Students practice entering unfamiliar situations, seeking guidance, and building connections. They learn to recognize possibilities and take steps toward new experiences and future goals.

Learn it. Try it. Use it.

In Life Lab, students don't just talk about important life skills. They practice using them.

For example, students might explore what to do after receiving a disappointing test grade. Rather than simply saying they'll try harder, they practice identifying what went wrong, asking for feedback, and creating a specific plan to improve.

Other lessons might involve role-playing a difficult conversation, working with classmates to solve a problem, or practicing how to ask an adult for help.

Teachers guide students through these experiences, provide feedback, and give them opportunities to try again. Students then reflect on what they learned and how they can apply it beyond the classroom.

Skills that grow with our students.

Life Lab grows alongside students, with lessons and activities becoming more challenging as they get older.

In kindergarten, students might work together to solve a simple classroom problem, like figuring out how to keep crayons from spilling, and try a different approach if their first idea doesn't work.

By elementary school, students practice speaking up for themselves, including asking adults questions or requesting help when they need it.

In middle school, students take on more independence, practicing how to introduce themselves, communicate professionally, and build connections with people outside their immediate circles.

In high school, Life Lab and Prosperity Lab build on these skills through practical experiences, including financial planning, exploring career pathways, and preparing for life after graduation.