STEAM Teams: Introducing the Design Process

Last year's reflections about the Global Cardboard Challenge pointed to the fact that we had to utilize a more explicit team building and design thinking introduction and process before jumping into the Global Cardboard Challenge. We felt that laying a good teamwork and design process foundation would lead to greater satisfaction and successful inclusion with regard to the overall project.

With this in mind, students got together yesterday with their Global Cardboard Challenge STEAM teams--teams created with teacher and student choice and voice. We sang the Lego movie song and discussed whether "Everything is awesome and cool when you're working with a team." Students were quick to mention that teamwork can be difficult, and that's when we watched Kid President's latest video about how to disagree:

Today the class will focus on The Design Process. We'll discuss the fact that we'll employ The Design process as we work on the Global Cardboard Challenge. We'll talk about the word "process" and what it means. Then I'll note that many designers, inventors, scientists, artists, engineers, and others define the design process in somewhat different ways. I'll ask students to watch the video below and list the steps they hear as they watch:

Next, I'll tell students that we're adopting IDEO's design process illustrated below. And then we'll use that process to map out a Global Cardboard Challenge project together. Tomorrow groups will begin the project in earnest designing their individual team projects as we prepare for Friday's Team Build Day.