Month 1: Navigating Legal and Regulatory Compliance

1. Week 1: Transitioning from traditional to permitted growing
2. Week 2: Navigating the permit and licensing process
3. Week 3: Understanding local and state regulations
4. Week 4: Preparing for inspections and audits

Month 2: Advanced Cultivation Techniques and Efficiency

1. Week 1: Optimizing indoor and outdoor cultivation
2. Week 2: Advanced hydroponics and aeroponics
3. Week 3: Implementing automation and technology in cultivation
4. Week 4: Energy efficiency and cost reduction strategies

Month 3: Risk Management in Cannabis Business

1. Week 1: Market volatility and managing business risks
2. Week 2: Legal liabilities and insurance
3. Week 3: Pest, disease, and crop failure management
4. Week 4: Crisis management and contingency planning

Month 4: Market Analysis and Product Diversification

1. Week 1: Understanding current market trends in cannabis industry
2. Week 2: Identifying opportunities for product diversification
3. Week 3: Crafting unique selling propositions for new products
4. Week 4: Understanding consumer behavior and market segmentation

Month 5: Business Management and Operations

1. Week 1: Operations management in cannabis cultivation
2. Week 2: Human resource management and team building
3. Week 3: Financial management and accounting for cannabis businesses
4. Week 4: Supply chain management and logistics

Month 6: Advanced Cannabis Genetics and Breeding

1. Week 1: Opportunities in cannabis breeding and genetics
2. Week 2: Patenting strains and legal considerations
3. Week 3: Market trends in strain popularity
4. Week 4: Ethical considerations in cannabis genetics

Month 7: Ancillary Opportunities in Cannabis Industry

1. Week 1: Exploring opportunities beyond cultivation
2. Week 2: Opportunities in cannabis tourism and hospitality
3. Week 3: Opportunities in cannabis consulting
4. Week 4: Opportunities in cannabis retail and distribution

Month 8: Advanced Marketing and Sales Strategies

1. Week 1: Advanced marketing strategies for cannabis business
2. Week 2: Compliant advertising and digital marketing
3. Week 3: Building customer loyalty and retention
4. Week 4: Business to Business (B2B) sales and partnerships

Month 9: Cannabis Advocacy and Leadership

1. Week 1: Advocating for fair regulation and policy
2. Week 2: Building positive relationships with the community and officials
3. Week 3: Leadership in the cannabis industry
4. Week 4: Public speaking and representing the industry

Month 10: Innovative Trends in Cannabis Industry

1. Week 1: Technological innovations in cannabis cultivation
2. Week 2: Emerging markets and trends
3. Week 3: Sustainability and the future of cannabis cultivation
4. Week 4: The role of research in pushing cannabis boundaries

Month 11: Strategic Business Planning

1. Week 1: Crafting a long-term strategic business plan
2. Week 2: Identifying potential investors and securing funding
3. Week 3: Mergers and acquisitions in the cannabis industry
4. Week 4: Exit strategies and business valuation

Month 12: Final Project and Course Review

1. Week 1: Review of topics covered and current issues
2. Week 2: Preparation for final business project
3. Week 3: Presentations of final business projects
4. Week 4: Course wrap-up, networking, and future opportunities

The first month of the curriculum is titled "Becoming a Legal Grower" and is aimed at transitioning growers from traditional to legal cannabis cultivation.

Week 1: Transitioning from Traditional to Permitted Growing Learning Objectives: Understand the reasons for transitioning to legal growing, recognize the challenges and potential benefits, and begin formulating individual transition plans.

How we exceed these objectives: Through interactive group discussions and guest speaker insights, growers gain first-hand knowledge of the transition process, supplemented by a checklist that helps start their planning.

Week 2: Navigating the Permit and Licensing Process Learning Objectives: Understand the permit and licensing requirements, recognize the steps involved in the application process, and begin gathering necessary documents for their applications.

How we exceed these objectives: We offer a comprehensive presentation, real-world case studies, and practical exercises to demystify the application process. This hands-on approach ensures that growers not only understand the requirements but are ready to start their applications.

Week 3: Understanding Local and State Regulations Learning Objectives: Understand the key local and state regulations, recognize the penalties for non-compliance, and begin formulating compliance strategies.

How we exceed these objectives: Through detailed presentations and case study analysis, growers receive in-depth knowledge of regulations. They then apply this knowledge by creating their individual compliance strategies, ensuring they can practically apply what they've learned.

Week 4: Preparing for Inspections and Audits Learning Objectives: Understand the inspection and audit processes, recognize common areas of concern, and begin preparing their operations for inspections and audits.

How we exceed these objectives: By using real-life inspection and audit case studies, we help growers anticipate what to expect and how to prepare. They leave the class with a clear plan of action, ready to implement necessary changes in their operations.

In each week of this month's curriculum, we strive to exceed learning objectives by combining theory with practical, hands-on exercises. This helps growers not only understand the process of becoming a legal grower but also take concrete steps toward achieving this goal. Through a mixture of individual and group activities, presentations, guest speakers, and case studies, we provide a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.

Lesson Title: Transitioning from Traditional to Permitted Growing

Lesson Duration: 3 Hours

Objectives: By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:

1. Understand the reasons for transitioning from traditional to legal cannabis growing
2. Recognize the challenges and potential benefits of this transition
3. Begin to formulate their individual transition plans

Materials Needed:

1. Slide presentation
2. Handouts on relevant laws and regulations
3. Transition checklist handouts
4. Pens, paper, and other writing materials for notes

Lesson Procedure:

Introduction (30 minutes)

1. Introduction and Ice-breaker activity
2. Outline lesson objectives
3. Briefly discuss the importance of transitioning from traditional to legal cannabis growing

Activity 1: Group Discussion (60 minutes)

1. Divide the class into small groups
2. Provide discussion prompts related to the reasons for transitioning, such as increased market access, regulatory safety, or community reputation
3. Ask each group to present their thoughts
4. Facilitate a class-wide discussion on these topics

Activity 2: Guest Speaker (60 minutes)

1. Invite a grower who has successfully transitioned from traditional to legal cultivation
2. Allow them to share their experiences, challenges, and the benefits they've realized
3. Open the floor for an interactive Q&A session

Wrap-Up and Reflective Activity (30 minutes)

1. Summarize key points from the group discussion and guest speaker's input
2. Distribute the transition checklist handouts
3. Ask participants to reflect individually and write down a few initial steps they plan to take for their own transition
4. Optional: Share some steps with the class for those who are comfortable doing so

Assessment: Collect the written reflections at the end of the class. This will help gauge the participants' understanding of the topic and their readiness to move towards legal growing.

Homework: Ask participants to do a more thorough self-assessment using the transition checklist provided, as well as to start preliminary research on the permit and licensing process for the next class.

Lesson Title: Navigating the Permit and Licensing Process

Lesson Duration: 3 Hours

Objectives: By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:

1. Understand the permit and licensing requirements in Nevada County
2. Recognize the steps involved in the permit and licensing application process
3. Begin to gather necessary documents and requirements for their own permit applications

Materials Needed:

1. Slide presentation
2. Handouts on permit and licensing requirements and process
3. Sample completed permit and licensing applications (for illustration)
4. Pens, paper, and other writing materials for notes

Lesson Procedure:

Introduction (30 minutes)

1. Introduction and review of previous lesson
2. Outline lesson objectives
3. Briefly discuss the importance of permits and licenses in legal cannabis cultivation

Presentation (60 minutes)

1. Detailed presentation on permit and licensing requirements
2. Explain the application process step-by-step using the sample applications
3. Highlight common mistakes and tips for a successful application
4. Q&A session to clarify any doubts

Activity: Case Studies (60 minutes)

1. Present a few case studies of successful and unsuccessful permit applications
2. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses in each case
3. Group discussion on lessons learned from the case studies

Wrap-Up and Planning Activity (30 minutes)

1. Summarize key points from the presentation and case study discussion
2. Distribute a checklist of documents needed for the application
3. Ask participants to plan their next steps in collecting and preparing these documents
4. Optional: Participants can share their plan and receive feedback

Assessment: Collect the participants' plans at the end of the class. This will help assess their understanding and preparedness for the permit application process.

Homework: Ask participants to start gathering the necessary documents and filling out a mock application form for review in the next session.

Lesson Title: Understanding Local and State Regulations

Lesson Duration: 3 Hours

Objectives: By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:

1. Understand the key local and state regulations impacting cannabis cultivation
2. Recognize the penalties and implications of non-compliance
3. Begin to formulate their compliance strategies

Materials Needed:

1. Slide presentation
2. Handouts detailing relevant local and state regulations
3. Case studies of regulatory compliance and non-compliance
4. Pens, paper, and other writing materials for notes

Lesson Procedure:

Introduction (30 minutes)

1. Introduction and review of previous lesson
2. Outline lesson objectives
3. Briefly discuss the importance of regulatory compliance in legal cannabis cultivation

Presentation (60 minutes)

1. Detailed presentation on local and state cannabis cultivation regulations
2. Discuss the potential penalties and implications of non-compliance
3. Q&A session to clarify any doubts

Activity: Case Studies (60 minutes)

1. Present a few case studies illustrating both compliance and non-compliance
2. Discuss the outcomes and lessons learned from each case
3. Group discussion on how to apply these lessons to their own operations

Wrap-Up and Planning Activity (30 minutes)

1. Summarize key points from the presentation and case study discussion
2. Ask participants to start brainstorming their individual compliance strategies
3. Optional: Participants can share their strategies and receive feedback

Assessment: Collect the participants' compliance strategies at the end of the class. This will help assess their understanding of the regulations and readiness to ensure compliance.

Homework: Ask participants to refine their compliance strategies and consider any changes they might need to make in their operations to align with local and state regulations.

Lesson Title: Preparing for Inspections and Audits

Lesson Duration: 3 Hours

Objectives: By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:

1. Understand the inspection and audit processes related to cannabis cultivation
2. Recognize the common areas of concern during inspections and audits
3. Begin to prepare their own operations for upcoming inspections and audits

Materials Needed:

1. Slide presentation
2. Handouts on inspection and audit checklists
3. Case studies of real-life inspections and audits
4. Pens, paper, and other writing materials for notes

Lesson Procedure:

Introduction (30 minutes)

1. Introduction and review of previous lesson
2. Outline lesson objectives
3. Briefly discuss the importance of being prepared for inspections and audits in legal cannabis cultivation

Presentation (60 minutes)

1. Detailed presentation on the inspection and audit processes
2. Highlight common areas of concern and best practices for addressing these areas
3. Q&A session to clarify any doubts

Activity: Case Studies (60 minutes)

1. Present a few case studies of real-life inspections and audits
2. Discuss the outcomes, the good practices, and the areas that needed improvement
3. Group discussion on how to apply these lessons to their own operations

Wrap-Up and Planning Activity (30 minutes)

1. Summarize key points from the presentation and case study discussion
2. Distribute the inspection and audit checklists
3. Ask participants to start brainstorming their own preparation strategies
4. Optional: Participants can share their strategies and receive feedback

Assessment: Collect the participants' preparation strategies at the end of the class. This will help assess their understanding of the inspection and audit process and readiness to ensure compliance.

Homework: Ask participants to refine their preparation strategies and start implementing necessary changes in their operations to prepare for future inspections and audits.