Teacher Guide Test and Pitch Lesson Plan Test and Pitch
Teacher Guide • Try It Out
30 Minutes
Why This Matters
This lesson teaches students the vital design thinking skills of user testing and iteration. It also hones their ability to clearly and concisely present their ideas, essential for real-world projects and communication.
Audience & Approach
Audience: 9th Grade
Approach: Hands-on testing, immediate feedback, rapid revision, and a focused pitch.
Preparation Checklist (10 Minutes)
Review the Slides Try It Out to understand the visual aids and talking points.
Print copies of Do Now Feedback Goals , Test Script and Feedback Form , Pitch Rubric , and Exit Ticket Next Step for each student.
Familiarize yourself with the Gallery Walk Demos discussion prompts.
Ensure students have their prototypes ready (physical or digital).
Arrange the classroom to facilitate small group testing and a gallery walk.
Instructional Sequence
1
Do Now: Set Feedback Goals
5 Min
"Welcome, innovators! Today, we're taking our prototypes to the next level by getting real feedback and perfecting our pitch. Let's start by thinking about *how* we'll get good feedback."
Distribute the Do Now Feedback Goals worksheet.
Instruct students to individually write down 1-2 goals for receiving feedback.
Briefly discuss a few student examples, emphasizing constructive and actionable feedback.
2
Test: Quick User Tests
10 Min
"Now it's time to put your prototypes to the test! You'll work with a partner to gather crucial feedback."
Pair students up (or groups of 3).
Distribute the Test Script and Feedback Form .
One student presents their prototype while the other uses the form to guide feedback.
Each student gets 5 minutes for testing and feedback collection.
3
Revise: Rapid Iteration
5 Min
"Based on the feedback you just received, quickly choose *one* significant change you can make. This isn't about perfection, but about showing you can iterate."
Students spend 5 minutes making a quick, meaningful revision based on feedback.
Emphasize that this is rapid iteration, not a complete overhaul.
4
Pitch: 60-Second Demo
5 Min
"Time to shine! You've tested, you've revised, now it's time to convince us why your idea matters."
Distribute the Pitch Rubric .
Explain the structure: Problem, Solution, Unique Feature, Next Steps.
Students deliver pitches to partners or small groups, using the rubric for peer assessment.
5
Exit Ticket: Define Next Step
5 Min
"Great pitches, everyone! Before we wrap up, let's think about what's next for your incredible ideas."
Distribute the Exit Ticket Next Step .
Students independently define their very next step based on the day's activities.
Slides Try It Out Presentation Test and Pitch
Try It Out!
TEST
REVISE
PITCH
Today's Goal
Test your prototype with peers.
Gather valuable feedback.
Make a quick, meaningful revision.
Deliver a compelling 60-second pitch!
Do Now
Set Your Feedback Goals
05:00
What do you want to learn from testing?
Think about 1-2 specific goals for receiving feedback.
Write them down on your worksheet.
Be specific!
Time to Test!
User Testing Process
1
Pair Up
Find 1-2 partners to work with.
2
Present
Show your prototype and explain the problem.
3
Gather
Partners use the feedback form.
4
Switch
Take turns being the presenter.
Goal: Collect honest, actionable feedback!
Revise
RAPID ITERATION
05:00
Look at your feedback notes.
Choose ONE meaningful change.
Spend 5 minutes making that change.
"This is a quick iteration, not a complete redesign!"
The 60-Second Pitch
The Structure
1 PROBLEM
2 SOLUTION
3 UNIQUE FEATURE
4 NEXT STEPS
Peer Feedback
Use the Pitch Rubric to assess your partners. Focus on clarity, delivery, and confidence!
Share and Discuss
What was the most surprising feedback you received?
What was the most impactful revision you made?
What makes a pitch persuasive?
Exit Ticket
What's Your Next Step?
On your Exit Ticket worksheet, write down one concrete "next step" for your prototype.
"What will you do to continue improving or developing your idea?"
Do Now Feedback Goals Warmup Do Now: Feedback Goals
Test and Pitch • Session 1
Name:
Date:
Instructions
Before you test your prototype, think about what you want to learn. Write down 1-2 specific goals for the feedback you hope to receive today. What parts are you most uncertain about?
1 Feedback Goal One
2 Feedback Goal Two
Tip: Good feedback goals are specific! Instead of "is it good?", try "can they find the 'Start' button?".
Test Script and Feedback Form Worksheet User Test & Feedback
Session Record Form
Internal Record
Revision Iteration v1.0
Part 1: Prototype Presenter Script
Use these prompts to guide your tester:
"Hi! Thanks for helping me test my prototype. My prototype is designed to solve _________________________________________________________________."
"I'd like you to _________________________________________________________________. While you're interacting with it, please think out loud – tell me what you like, what you find confusing, and any ideas that come to mind."
Observation Tips & Follow-ups:
"What are you thinking right now?"
"What did you expect to happen there?"
"How does this make you feel?"
"If you could change one thing..."
Tester's Name
Presenter's Name
Part 2: Feedback Giver Form
1. What did you observe the tester doing? (Be specific!)
2. What did you hear the tester say? (Direct quotes are best)
What worked well? (Strengths)
What was confusing? (Areas for improvement)
The One Big Thing
If you could give ONE actionable piece of feedback for revision, what would it be?
Pitch Rubric Pitch Rubric
60-Second Prototype Pitch
Total Score
/ 20
Instructions: Use this rubric to assess your peer's 60-second prototype pitch. Be honest, be specific, and provide helpful comments to help them grow.
Criteria 4 - Excellent 3 - Good 2 - Developing 1 - Needs Imp. Problem Statement Clearly and compellingly identifies a relevant problem. Clearly identifies a problem. Attempts to identify a problem, but it's unclear. Does not clearly identify a problem. Solution Clarity Clearly and concisely explains how prototype solves it. Explains how the prototype solves the problem. Explanation of solution is somewhat unclear. Does not clearly explain the solution. Unique Feature Effectively highlights a unique/innovative aspect. Identifies a unique feature, but low emphasis. Mentions a feature, but it's not clearly unique. Does not identify a unique feature. Next Steps Clearly articulates a logical/actionable next step. Mentions a next step, but could be more specific. Next step is vague or disconnected. Does not mention any next steps. Pitch Delivery Confident, engaging, eye contact. Within time. Mostly confident and engaging. Within time. Somewhat hesitant or not engaging. Lacks confidence or engagement.
Feedback & Comments
What was most effective?
One area for improvement:
Presenter Name
Evaluator Name
Gallery Walk Demos Discussion Guide Gallery Walk Demos
Discussing Our Innovations
Reflective Discussion
As you move around and observe other prototypes (or discuss in small groups), use these questions to guide your conversations and reflections. Innovation happens when we learn from each other!
1
What was the most interesting or surprising prototype you saw or heard about today? Why?
2
Think about the feedback process. What was one piece of feedback you heard that was particularly insightful or helpful?
3
How did seeing other pitches or prototypes inspire your own thinking? Did you get any new ideas for future development?
4
What made a particular pitch stand out to you? What elements were most effective in convincing you of the idea's value?
5
If you had more time, what kind of additional feedback would you seek for your prototype?
Observe Discuss Iterate
Exit Ticket Next Step Cool Down Exit Ticket
Your Next Step
Instructions: Based on today's activities (testing, feedback, revision, and pitching), what is the single most important next step for your prototype?
My Very Next Step Is...
Why is this the priority?
Name
Date
