Design Thinking and Maker on a Budget - Big Ideas and Resources!
If we are missing a resource that you are looking for - please email Nadine at [email protected]
Using Story to Cultivate EmpathyAs Bush et al. (2018) concluded empathy for middle school students is difficult and as such it is a process that needs to be deliberately implemented in to classroom practice and lesson planning. Story is the most powerful way in which students learn about the shared human struggle and infusing deliberate lessons around exercising this skill does not become ‘one more thing’ instead it is done by looking at how we teach story and purposefully choose stories to help students gain deeper perspective on the human experience. Ultimately, this helps them understand how to approach the design challenge of life, through a lens where the multiple perspectives are heard and understood.
Coffee Filter Challenge |
The Coffee Filter Challenge is one of our favourite low budget design ideas. We are always amazed at the new and different creative ideas students come up with!
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Character Wallet |
Low Budget Project Ideas! |
This assignment is structured through the Design Process.
First, students need to EMPATHIZE with the character and then DEFINE what will best represent the wallet contents of this character. They need to then IDEATE by first generating some ideas for what the wallet would look like. They need to then get feedback from their peers. I Next they need to IDEATE/ PROTOTYPE the contents. Prototypes don't need to be physical objects - in a classroom and school with common language - Prototypes become replaced with first drafts and rough copies. I love this assignment because it encourages students to think from the perspective of the characters in the novel. Please adapt this free download to meet your own needs. This particular one is written for Refugee - a great novel for building empathy and perspective. |