A 30-minute lesson for 5th grade students to explore creative problem-solving and design thinking. Students will brainstorm community or school improvements, learn the key stages of design thinking, and sketch a custom prototype to solve an authentic challenge.
We must design for real people. To do this, we step into our classmates' shoes to feel their daily struggles and see what they experience.
Stage 2: Define
Focusing wild problems into a specific challenge. Instead of saying "school is messy," we define it as "classroom pencil shavings spill constantly."
Step 3: Understanding the User
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Framework Stage 3 & 4 Creation & Prototyping
Stage 3: Ideate
Brainstorming multiple solutions! No idea is too wild or too simple. Write or draw every option that comes to mind without judging it first.
Stage 4: Prototype
Building or sketching a quick draft. Prototyping is about showing, not just telling, how your physical mechanism actually functions!
Step 4: Transforming Ideas Into Reality
Slide 8 / 10
Active Lab Challenge 15 Mins
The Spark Tank
Challenge!
Ready to sketch and pitch your big idea?
1
Choose Your Community Bug
Select from the board or use your own custom school bug.
2
Sketch Your Prototype
Draw a clearly labeled schematic in your Design Journal.
3
Draft Your 30-Second Pitch
Use the pitch formula to explain why your innovation wins!
15 Minutes
ON THE CLOCK
Keep pencils moving! Add labels to explain exactly how your invention solves the bug.
Step 5: Active Creation & Team Pitching
Slide 9 / 10
Showcase Prep 30-Second Pitch
Pitch Like a Startup Pro!
Use our official pitch formula to present your idea directly to the class:
"For [User Class] who is super tired of [School Bug], our new invention called [Innovation Name] is a creative way to solve this because it [Invention Mechanics]!"
Speak clearly, look at your audience, and be confident!
