3rd Grade: Blending Skill with Innovation

Design Thinking vs. Basic Woodworking skills...which should we do?  Both!  

While directly teaching the Design Thinking process is one of our main goals, it is equally important to develop the skills needed to interact and engage with our Design Lab tools in a safe and appropriate way. Francis Parker 3rd graders started off the year by with the skill building challenge of creating an iPad holder.   Students learned to cut notches in small hard-board pieces using a provided template and a coping saw to create a desktop iPad holder for use in the classroom (making this project very popular with the classroom teachers!).

 

After the students have used their iPad holder for a couple of months, we will circle back and have students take another look at their design, how it is used, and how it could be improved to better meet their needs.  To directly develop empathetic skills in these students, we will ask them to interview another student, attempting to better understand the others perspective and individual needs.  The students will then take that information and continue along the Design Thinking process, brainstorming improvements to the holder, and designing and creating a improved iPad holder that will better meet the needs of their partner.  
   
 We are using this seemingly small, introductory  project to not only develop fundamental skills needed to effectively and safely engage with the design center and its many tools, but also to directly teach the Design Thinking process and help the students develop empathy and effective communication. Win-Win!

We can't wait to see what they come up with!