How to handle the design process at different grade
levels.
Pre-K-grade 1:
Learn
vocabulary: design, engineer
Children
brainstorm, choose theme, plan and
set up dramatic play area
with
science and math themes.
Practice
observation and classification skills.
Plan, create,
and refine structures with blocks and other manipulative.
Grades 2/3
Practice
brainstorming.
Begin to use
design process in simplified form. Teacher models the process of
morphological analysis. Teacher and students do the process
together.
Teacher presents
a design challenge and a solution from a story that is familiar to
the children. Invite the children to come up with another
solution. (Choose a problem that will really engage the class.)
Write to
engineers, scientists, mathematicians. Invite some to visit the
classroom to do a presentation/demonstration.
Fourth Grade
Interview
engineers.
Engage in the
whole process of finding design challenges in stories and deciding
on solutions that involve science and or math concepts as a class,
with the guidance of the teacher.
Possibly
complete part of the process working in teams after beginning it as
a class.
Fifth Grade
Class reads a
book together. Teams each choose a challenge from the book and
decide on a solution that incorporates science concepts /math
skills.
Possibly teams
choose their own books and complete the design process.
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