Price Check: What is the True Cost
Author: | Sonja McKay |
Level: | Middle School |
Content Area: | Environment Science, Biology |
Author: | Sonja McKay |
Level: | Middle School |
Content Area: | Environment Science, Biology |
Working on teams guided by MWV mentors, students embraced the design process to create a packaging solution that was sustainable, innovative, convenient, and protective. Students’ solutions were assessed by MWV employees.
During this project, students were challenged to create a package that could hold 100 pounds of vertical pressure. We were fortunate enough to have access to a compression testing machine through our mentors’ company, MWV. However, there are other methods for determining how much weight a package can hold. If your school has an active Odyssey of the Mind club you may choose to inquire about borrowing their device for testing weight bearing abilities. Or, you can simply create a way to stack heavy textbooks on top, using “textbooks” as your unit of measurement. While working in class we had students carefully (by initially supporting their weight on a table or counter) try standing on their package. Using logical reasoning, the students figured that if they weighed more than 100 pounds and they could stand on their package without it crushing, then their package could hold 100 pounds.
Approximately halfway through the design process have students pitch their packaging prototypes to one or two adults. If not trained in packaging innovation or the design process, these adults should simply press student groups to make specific improvements in each of the areas of the rubric. Typically at this phase groups are pushed to make their design more sustainable (weigh less) and more innovative (not just a box, something more). The student groups that are willing to adopt the advice of these adults often create the strongest projects. This typically means that students have to abandon aspects of their current prototype and start over with the inclusion of these new ideas. This process is an important step of the design process that is used in the real world.
Because many students have completed some type of design challenge before, we had to continuously push our students to think about the solution in an innovative manner. The video clips from the lessons and the adult feedback were tools that we used to lead our students in new directions.
Project work will take longer to complete than teaching a series of content based lessons. Also, the design process can be messy, loud, and emotional. Students will ride a roller coaster of emotions as they work through their frustrations to solve a creative problem. The role of the teacher is to keep everyone focused and kind. It is not our job to offer solutions which is challenging because so often we see potential answers when students are extremely stuck.
In group projects it can also be a challenge to monitor whether each group member is equitably pulling his or her weight. Using regular group assessments forms will keep the group members accountable to each other and provide the teacher with a helpful tool to monitor progress.
Additionally, provide an agenda for each class period and specific homework assignments. This will help students maximize their time both in and out of school with focused and clear goals.
Creating time for students to share their work with a larger audience motivates students to polish their work and put forth greater effort. Each group created a two minute presentation that highlighted the group’s sustainable, convenient, image appealing, and innovative decisions. Projects were shared at “MWV Day” and during a web-conference with our partner school in Hyderabad, India.
Invite parents and mentors to the presentations. If possible, have audience participation sheets that lets them assess each group and vote on a favorite design.During the process, student groups had one designated mentor from MWV. This mentor met with each group twice. Once to kick-off the project and once halfway through the process to offer feedback on the groups’ prototypes.
The mentors played a key role in the success and excitement of this project. MWV mentors came to our school on the first day of the project for a kick-off lesson. They got students excited about participating by sharing current examples of innovative packaging and explaining their jobs. Then the mentors presented the Design Brief, Rubric, and a homemade video of the vertical compression table at work. Mentors then met with their teams and got them started on the brainstorming process. Later the mentors met with each team individually to offer feedback and suggestions on the groups’ prototype. Each group meeting took 5-10 minutes.
Upon completion, mentors assessed each team’s design and written work using the rubric provided. The mentors enlisted the help of other MWV employees as well. For example, the mentors contacted three MWV employees from the marketing department to evaluate each package for its “image” or shelf-appeal.
The mentors also made an outstanding PowerPoint presentation that went through the scoring of each package in each category on the rubric. The PowerPoint revealed the top three teams. These top three teams then prepared to present their package design in front of parents, students, mentors, and MWV employees during our culminating MWV day. At the end of the three presentations the winning team was announced.
Students at our partner school in Hyderabad , India also completed this project. During a web conference all groups from both schools gave their two minute presentation to one another. At the end of the presentations seminar questions were asked and students from both schools took turns discussing their insights about each other’s projects and designs.
The lessons and projects in the thematic unit “Price Check: What is the True Cost?” address objectives in both the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and the 21st Century Learning Goals. Correlations with each are listed below.
The 21st Century Learning Goals were adopted by the state of North Carolina in 2005. These learning objectives are particularly useful for assessing student learning in the areas of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity/innovation. For a complete list of the 21st Century Learning Goals please go to http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/.
As students complete work in this section of the thematic unit “Price Check: What is the True Cost?” they will meet the following 21st Century Learning Goals objectives:
Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate an understanding of technological design.
Objectives 2.01, 2.02, 2.03, 2.04
Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate an understanding of technological design.
Objectives 2.01, 2.02, 2.03, 2.04
Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate an understanding of technological design.
Objectives 2.01, 2.02, 2.03, 2.04
Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives in response to personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
Objectives: 1.03, 1.04
Goal 3: The learner will refine the understanding and use of argument.
Objective: 3.02
Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of application of grammar and language usage.
Objectives: 6.01, 6.02
Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives in response to personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
Objectives: 1.03, 1.04
Goal 2: The learner will synthesize and use information from a variety of sources.
Objectives: 2.01, 2.02
.
Objective: 6.02
Goal 1: The learner will understand important issues of a technology-based society and will exhibit ethical behavior in the use of computer and other technologies.
Objectives: 1.03, 1.15, 1.16
Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
Objectives: 2.04, 2.05
Goal 3: The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, apply, and communicate information.
Objectives: 3.01, 3.08, 3.09, 3.11
Goal 1: The learner will understand important issues of a technology-based society and will exhibit ethical behavior in the use of computer and other technologies.
Objectives: 1.03, 1.15, 1.16
Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
Objective: 2.06
Goal 3: The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, apply, and communicate information.
Objectives: 3.01, 3.06, 3.07, 3.08, 3.10
Goal 2: Measurement - The learner will understand and use measurement involving two- and three-dimensional figures.
Objective: 2.02
Goal 3: Geometry - The learner will understand and use properties and relationships in geometry.
Objective: 3.01
Depending on the location of the partner school and the grade level being taught, it is possible to meet several Social Studies objectives.