Time: 45-60 minutes
The 5 Chairs activity encourages students to design models of chairs based on design principles they pull from user profiles. This activity also encourages students to iterate on their designs and practice using different materials.
Difficulty: Intermediate Group Size: Groups of 3-4 working individually and in groups
Lesson Plan
Materials:
- Markers
- Paper
- Scissors
- Corrugated Cardboard
- Plasticine
- Tape
- Pipe Cleaners
- Toothpicks
Instructions:
#1: Students get into their groups
#2: Each group will read the "Story Card" and choose one profile from the list. Encourage students to highlight important information.
#3: Each student will complete the Design Thinking graphic organizer individually. They must complete Empathize, Define and Ideate.
#4: Students share their ideas within their group (5 minutes).
#5: Build 5 chairs:
Group Discussion:
#1: Students get into their groups
- Each student is provided with a Design Thinking graphic organizer
- Each group is provided with a "Story Card".
#2: Each group will read the "Story Card" and choose one profile from the list. Encourage students to highlight important information.
#3: Each student will complete the Design Thinking graphic organizer individually. They must complete Empathize, Define and Ideate.
#4: Students share their ideas within their group (5 minutes).
#5: Build 5 chairs:
- Draw a Chair: 3 minutes
- Choose your favourite idea and draw it in the Prototype section of your graphic organizer.
- Cut a Chair: 5 minutes
- Using ONLY your scissors and the sheet of corrugated cardboard, make a standing representation of your chair
- Bend a Chair: 5 minutes
- Using as many or as few of the provided pipe cleaners, make an expression of your chair
- Mold a Chair: 5 minutes
- Using the provided clay, make a model of your chair.
- Assemble a Chair: 5 minutes
- Using tape and toothpicks, build your chair.
Group Discussion:
- What was it like to build your chairs using the design principles you identified?
- What was it like to create different iterations of your design?
- What did you change along the way? What did you learn from your prototypes?
- Did anyone get stuck at any point? What was that like? What did you do to get unstuck?
- Which material did you enjoy working with the most? Why?
- Which material did you like the least? Why?
- Which material best expresses the essence of the chair your drew?