Design Thinking, Literature & First Grade Part 3

First Grade Fairy Tale Design Thinking Project: Prototype & Share Out

First grade students moved into the final step of this multi-month project with the prototype and share out stage of the design thinking process. During the previous step, Ideate, students worked in their small groups to come up with different solutions for the problem that they had decided to focus on. Students then determined what was the solution that they were going to focus on or combine their different ideas into one idea. Next first graders started building and creating their prototypes. For prototyping students had access to lots of different materials from cardboard and construction paper to pipe cleaners and playdoh. Student worked in their groups using their collaborator quality norms to make sure everyone was working together and had a voice in the prototyping.

As an added element to the prototyping stage the students were able to design and print an element of their prototype with the library’s 3D printers. First graders had been asking to be able to print something with the library’s printers and this was a perfect opportunity for students to learn how to use Tinkercad, a 3D printing software, and make a 3D object that was connected to a project they were working on. Students collaborated with their groups to decide what each of them was going to design and print that would fit into their prototype. First graders were introduced to the Tinkercad program with a short tutorial on how to 3D design using different shapes. Then they dived into the program figuring out how to manipulate the shapes to create the object. First graders did a great job designing, reworking and rethinking their ideas to create an object for their prototype.

The final step in the project was for the whole first grade to come together and share their prototypes. An all grade share out was hosted in the library where students were able to share their prototypes and see the work of their classmates. Students created signs that explained what the problem was they were trying to solve and a brief description of their prototype. Students were excited to not only share their solutions but see the problems that classmates in other classes worked on see the solutions that were developed. A final reflection was held were first graders shared what they noticed about the prototypes and the whole design thinking process they had engaged in.

This project has become one of my favorites. Students become so engaged in this process. They are excited to dive into different versions of stories and are always making observations that are new each year. The connection to literature is something that my classroom teachers really love about this work and notice the benefits that this project has on their reading and writing work in the classroom. First graders are so engaged in the building process, they are self-reliant and collaborative as they turn their ideas into prototypes. Students are so willing to take their ideas and redesign and rework their plans to create a prototype. First graders are so invested in the idea of creating a solution that will help someone else. I am hoping that I can continue to build on this work with these students as they advance through the grades and continue to engage them in fictional and real world issues using the design thinking process.

Design Thinking, Literature & First Grade Part 2

First Grade Fairy Tale Design Thinking: Define and Ideate

My first grade students had spent several weeks diving into fairy tales. Students studied several different versions of the stories to gain as much empathy and understanding about the characters and the elements of the stories. We document all of our thoughts and thinking on a large board throughout the process. The next step was to take some time to look at our thinking and recalling different elements of the stories to define the issues that the characters were dealing with so they could design a solution.

Students spent time talking through and organizing our notes and thinking to better define the challenges of the characters. Students worked in small groups and we talked about it and sorted the ideas into different categories to help better narrow down the challenges. For the different stories the students noticed and defined many different challenges.

Students in the Goldilocks and the Three Bears group defined the challenges as entertainment, security and manners. Students felt that if Goldilocks has more things to do she would not have broken into the three bear’s house. They also felt if the three bear’s had better security at their house then Goldilocks would not have been able to break into the house. The final challenge that the students identified was manners, they felt that if Goldilocks and the three bears had better manners then they would all have been able to be friends.

The Three Little Pigs class defined three challenges that the characters faced including manners, a food source for the wolf, and security for the pigs. Students felt that if the pigs and wolf had better manners they would have been able to be friends. First graders defined access to food as an issue they believed that the wolf had a right to eat food and if he had an alternative food source then the wolf and the pigs could live in harmony. The final challenge the students defined was security for the pigs, students felt that if the pigs had been security at their houses they would be protected from the wolf.

First graders in the Little Red Riding Hood group defined five challenges for the characters including a safer route for Little Red, an alternative food source for the wolf, friendship and community for Little Red, meditation for the wolf and the wolf and Little Red needed better listening skills. Students felt that Little Red needed a safer route to get from her house to grandma’s house. They also decided that if the wolf had another food source he would leave Little Red alone. They also decided the if Little Red and the wolf had a chance to be friends and live in the community together they could live in peace. Students also felt that if the wolf was calmer and practiced meditation he would not try to eat Little Red and her grandmother. Finally they felt that Little Red needed to work on her listening skills because if she had listened to her mother and stayed on the path she would have arrived at grandma’s house safely.

The next stage was the Ideate step. Students were organized in small groups and picked a challenge that they wanted to focus on to solve. Students were reminded of our collaborator qualities that we defined at the beginning of the school year so that they would work as a team. First graders were given time to sketch out, draw, and write out ideas to solve their challenge. The next step was for students to share out their ideas with their group, talk about their plans, merge their ideas and find a solution to focus on as a group.

First graders did a wonderful, focused job defining the challenges that the characters were facing in the stories. Students recalled details from all the different versions of the stories that we read and were thoughtful about defining and determining the challenges that the characters faced based on their understandings. They did a great job ideating their solutions and working as collaborators to combine their ideas to focus on one solution to prototype.

Next step; Prototyping!