The design thinking process provides students the opportunity to work through a non-linear series of steps to develop solutions to problems they see in the world around them. This interactive notebook will guide students through the planning stages of the design thinking process and can be adapted for use with students of multiple grade level or disciplines.
Interactive Workbook Components:
Client Profile:
The Client Profile page of the interactive notebook allows students to identify a client who they will help throughout the design process.
Empathy Mapping:
The Empathy Mapping page of the interactive workbook asks students to pretend that they're the selected client while imagining what the person would say, do, think, and feel as a way to build empathy.
Problem Definition:
On the Problem Definition page of the interactive workbook, students define the problem and identify the type of support would best help their client.
Ideation:
Lastly, the Ideation page of the interactive workbook allows students to start recording specific ways that they would help their selected person overcome the defined problem.
Examples for using this interactive workbook with your students:
English Language Arts: Ask students to identify a character from a text who faced a challenge in the story and complete their interactive notebook aligned to that character’s needs.
Math: Ask students to work through an error analysis for a problem that was solved incorrectly and identify a need for a better understanding.
Science: Ask students to identify an area related to a topic covered where they see a need for improvement and complete their interactive notebook aligned to that area of need.
Social Science: Ask students to identify someone from their school, family, or community who has faced a challenge and complete their interactive notebook aligned to that person’s needs.
Modification:
Teachers can consider providing students with multiple client profiles to choose from if students are having difficulty selecting a client to focus on.
Extension:
Consider providing students with assorted supplies so that they can engineer a rapid prototype of their product idea that would help address the problem they’ve identified. This Makerspace supply list can help assemble supplies for student use. Once students have created, teachers can implement a presentation or feedback process where students can review the effectiveness and impact of their designs.
Attach up to 5 files which will be available for other members to download.