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Computer Science & Design Thinking Standards

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Computer Science & Design Thinking Standards

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Helpful for setting up some safety measures

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In our classrooms, or in our dedicated MakerSpace on Cohn Campus, students are presented with real-world problems and given a safe space where they use an array of tools and materials to collaboratively develop and build concrete solutions. On any given day, you can see students in the MakerSpace building musical instruments with wood, glue guns, and cardboard, or creating circuits with LED lights and copper strips.

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Design Thinking at Silicon Valley International School (INTL)

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Learn how Silicon Valley International School is embracing the Maker Education and incorporating design thinking into the INTL curriculum.

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Welcome to the Design & Tech @ TKS website where you will find the resources for how to use the tech tools and materials available @ TKS to design and make solutions for any of your needs.

Choose the drop-down links from the appropriate menu above to navigate to where you need help.

Have fun designing and making!

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Welcome to the Design & Tech @ TKS website where you will find the resources for how to use the tech tools and materials available @ TKS to design and make solutions for any of your needs. Choose the drop-down links from the appropriate menu above to navigate to where you need help.

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TKS uses the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices

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TKS uses the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices

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NGSS Science and Engineering Practices (1).pdf

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High School Program of Studies 2023 - 2024

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Taipei American School Upper School Course Catalog | SY23-24

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Read Taipei American School Upper School Course Catalog | SY23-24 by TaipeiAmericanSchool on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on ou...

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This is what I’ve got so far with the different strands being different segments of the pie and the colours being different schools (early years, primary, senior). Any thoughts very welcome!

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This is what I’ve got so far with the different strands being different segments of the pie and the colours being different schools (early years, primary, senior). Any thoughts very welcome! https://t.co/bZzCcwRwNq

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So covid kicked my buuuuttt and I’ve been out for a while!!! But I’m back and ready for a new week. First port of call: trying to do some kind of “what STEAM looks like” poster that shows progression across our whole school… Has anyone put these done anything similar?

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This is what I’ve got so far with the different strands being different segments of the pie and the colours being different schools (early years, primary, senior). Any thoughts very welcome! pic.twitter.com/bZzCcwRwNq
— ˗ˏˋ Amelia King ˊˎ˗‏‏ (@ameliaktech) June 5, 2023

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This is what I’ve got so far with the different strands being different segments of the pie and the colours being different schools (early years, primary, senior). Any thoughts very welcome! https://t.co/bZzCcwRwNq

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So covid kicked my buuuuttt and I’ve been out for a while!!! But I’m back and ready for a new week. First port of call: trying to do some kind of “what STEAM looks like” poster that shows progression across our whole school… Has anyone put these done anything similar?

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This is what I’ve got so far with the different strands being different segments of the pie and the colours being different schools (early years, primary, senior). Any thoughts very welcome! https://t.co/bZzCcwRwNq

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This is what I’ve got so far with the different strands being different segments of the pie and the colours being different schools (early years, primary, senior). Any thoughts very welcome!

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So covid kicked my buuuuttt and I’ve been out for a while!!! But I’m back and ready for a new week. First port of call: trying to do some kind of “what STEAM looks like” poster that shows progression across our whole school… Has anyone put these done anything similar?

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https://dschool.stanford.edu/about

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The d.school's mission is to help people unlock their creative abilities and apply them to the world. It reflects our foundational belief that design should be accessible to all, and that everyone is creative.

We believe design can help create the world we wish for. Design can activate us as creators and change the way we see ourselves and others. Design is filled with optimism, hope, and the joy that comes from making things change by making things real. We believe that diversity leads to better design, and opens up a greater range of creative possibilities.

The nature of design affords people the opportunity and privilege to shape the world that they-and others-inhabit. This is power. In a just world, that power is shared, prioritizing the voices and ideas of people most impacted by the intended and unintended effects of new designs. We aim to actively confront and challenge the mindset that design can only be used by a privileged few.

Given our ideals, we have work to do.
Find out more

Looking for someone?

Our team members are featured in various places throughout the site. Here's how to find us.

Program Teams - Find us by program.
Teaching Teams - See the classes we're currently offering.
Faculty - Professors from across campus collaborate here.
Home Team - We're the folks who keep the hearth fire lit. Find us below.

For a full list, see our directory.

Director, Executive Education

Program Manager, Teaching & Learning

Director, Executive Education

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The d.school's mission is to help people unlock their creative abilities and apply them to the world. It reflects our foundational belief that design should be accessible to all, and that everyone is creative. We believe design can help create the world we wish for.

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On this page...

Alta Vista prepares students to thrive as creative thinkers, innovators, and catalysts for positive change in the world.

These education goals guide students to discover the world and themselves, imagine new possibilities, and act as drivers of change. To this end, curiosity, creativity, and communication are the foundation of our academic program. This is achieved through inquiry-based, hands-on, and experiential curricula that inspire love of learning. Within each subject area, students explore and pursue their unique interest, talent, and voice to further their self-awareness and self-knowledge.

An interdisciplinary and collaborative approach is emphasized starting in the Lower School within the core subjects of science, mathematics, literacy, and social studies such that a particular topic is considered through multiple lenses and across disciplines to reflect real-world experiences and challenges. This robust STEAM-based educational approach promotes thinking critically, taking multiple perspectives, and solving problems creatively. The core program is enriched with classes in Spanish, garden and sustainability, visual arts, tinkering, drama, music, and physical education.

The curriculum draws on grade-level and grade-next standards that balance planned content and flexibility for creative expression based on students' interests.​ Lessons and units are framed by guiding and essential questions. Specific examples of curricula and learning standards are provided to families weekly through Week Ahead newsletters that are emailed to parents and posted on the school's website, ongoing teacher communications and conferences, and year-round opportunities to visit the classroom during learning celebrations and exhibitions. Informal and formal assessments are ongoing, research-based, and designed to motivate students' growth and learning rather than act solely as evaluative tools.

Learning also extends well beyond the four walls of the school, as the neighborhoods of San Francisco are embraced as an extension of the campus to provide meaningful, relevant, and immersive experiences. To develop students to serve as future thought leaders, innovators, and change-makers, AVS also prioritizes public speaking and presentations, collaboration, community service, and social and emotional learning, which are deeply integrated into rigorous academic practice.

Foundations and pillars

The Lower School version of this graphic shows the foundations of our Junior Kindergarten through 5th-grade program:

STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics)

Social and emotional learning

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Six pillars build on this foundation and support the overall approach to learning at the Lower School:

Community Meetings

Current Events presentations

Science Fair

Research project and presentation

Performances and concerts

Engineering challenge and Rube Goldberg project

The Middle School version of this graphic shows the foundations of our 6th-through-8th-grade program, which include the three from Lower School, with an additional fourth:

STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics)

Social and emotional learning

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Responsibility, independence, and choice

Six pillars build on this foundation and support the overall approach to learning at the Middle School:

Community Meetings and advisories

Student leadership

Intersession-Immersive STEAM experiences

Landmark experiences

Performances and concerts

Maker's Fair

From our division heads

Dear families,

To inspire lifelong love of learning and innovation, curiosity and creativity are the foundational pillars of education at the Lower School. This is achieved through inquiry-driven, hands-on, learner-centric, and experiential curricula.

Rather than tell students what to do and how to do it, learners are guided through provocative questions, provided materials and parameters, and given agency to discover the solutions for themselves. This approach generates original and transformative learning pathways as well as instills self-efficacy.

A hallmark of this pedagogy is the bi-monthly engineering challenges, which are proposed and presented during school-wide assemblies.

AVS's unique STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) program drives critical and creative thinking as well as necessitates the integration of different subject areas. This interdisciplinary and collaborative approach of considering topics through multiple lenses is an exemplary way to educate 21st-century learners and future thought leaders so they can confidently undertake real-world challenges.

In partnership,​

Katie Gibbons
Head of Lower School

Dear families,

What do you remember from middle school?

If you are like me, you remember the emotions you felt, the friendships you had (or wish you had), and the teachers you liked or didn't like. The middle school years are a crucial time in a child's life. It is a time when students make decisions about themselves as learners and as people. It is also a time when children step further away from adults in an effort to assert their own personhood, while still needing the support of their parents and teachers to navigate peer social interactions and make good choices.

At Alta Vista School we consider responsibility, independence and choice as a key part of our program to support students during this time of their lives. We focus on an inquiry approach to learning, which fosters curiosity, allows students to take ownership of their learning, and encourages self-reflection. Our academic program is intellectually engaging for kids, with a STEAM focus that encourages asking questions and making connections. Students meet daily in small groups with an advisor to develop their social emotional skills and ensure that they have a point person they can go to should they need support.

Our goal is to prepare your children to face their future with confidence and the ability to navigate novel situations with a balance of confidence and curiosity. We do that in a small caring community of parents, kids and teachers that I am proud to be a part of.

Warm regards,

Liz Davis
Head of Middle School

Engineering Challenges

Engineering challenges are the hallmark of hands-on and experiential learning at AVS.

A challenge comprises of a problem or provocation and a number of constraints, such as specific materials or lack thereof. A metric (e.g., time, weight, distance) is used to determine the winning design. An example of an engineering challenge is to design a wind dispersed seed that flies the farthest on fan-created "wind." The materials/constraints given include one bean that acts as the seed, adhesive (e.g., tape, glue), flight device/wings (e.g., piece of paper, tissue paper, thin plastic film), and scissors to shape the flight device/wings. A student's model of a wind dispersed seed is then tested by dangling it at the center of a standing fan to simulate a seed hanging from the plan, releasing it to let it be carried by the fan's "wind," and measuring the distance the seed travels once it lands.

Every grade participates in the engineering challenges, which are proposed every month by a teacher throughout the year during monday morning meetings. Students are encouraged to design prototypes, test, and iterate their solutions over a few weeks prior to the engineering challenge presentation and winner announcement, which is held during a monday morning meeting. Through attempting repeated challenges, students learn to not fear mistakes, fail forward, take feedback, celebrate risk-taking, innovate, and become fascinated with how things work and are connected.

An annual engineering tradition at AVS is building a Rube Goldberg machine -- a contraption that uses a chain reaction to teach the concept of cause and effect. The students carefully observe the cause and effect relationship, make necessary adjustments accordingly, and continually test until the desired outcome is achieved.

This challenge also encourages students to tinker with a variety of simple machines, namely inclined planes, levers, pulleys, and wheels and axles. Building such a machine requires persistence, resilience, flexible thinking, and creative problem-solving. Creating these contraptions in pairs instills teamwork skills, such as listening to and incorporating others' ideas, patience, taking turns, and clearly articulating one's own needs and ideas while meeting those of someone else.

The machines grow in complexity as students advance through each grade. In junior kindergarten through first grade, the process focuses more on exploration and less on the final product. In second through fourth grade, students undergo one to two-weeks of trial and error during the building process before presenting their final machines to parents either in person or through a video compilation.

Science Fair and Expo

Science fairs play an integral role in building students' confidence in finding answers to questions of their interest and developing proficiency in the scientific method.

Science fairs play an integral role in building students' confidence in finding answers to questions of their interest and developing proficiency in the scientific method. Preparing for the fairs also help students to learn how to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing about their scientific process and findings. Students' work on their projects also allows them practice with time management and executive functioning skills.

Lower School

In the Lower School, 1st- through 4th-graders conduct science exhibitions every year. For four to six weeks, the students practice the steps of the scientific method, formulate their testable questions, make prediction/hypothesis, test their hypothesis, perform data collection and analysis, and arrive at their conclusion.

A common question that arises among the audience during the presentations is What is a testable question? A testable question is one that can be answered through hands-on experimentation (e.g., direct observation, measured with scientific tools) by the student. The key difference between a general interest question and a testable question is that testable questions involve changing one thing to observe or measure the effect on another item. This means that a testable question contains two parts: an independent variable (changeable by the student) and a dependent variable (measured by the student in the experiment).

Testable questions follow this format: How does changing the independent variable affect the dependent variable? An example of an untestable question is How do rockets fly? The testable version of this question would be, How does changing the shape of a rocket's payload (pointed nose of the rocket) change its flight? The science fairs are presented to parents, other students, and faculty. Each student makes a display to showcase the steps involved in their experiment and practices explaining these steps to others without reading off of their board.

Middle School

In the Middle School, science, technology, and math departments collaborate during the spring to present the STEM Expo. Students are asked to explore problem solving in the AVS community, in which they consider what community means to them and how to use science, technology, engineering, and math to understand and design solutions for these needs. Students home in on authentic inquiries and design their own experiments, investigations, and engineering solutions that address real-world problems.

Social-emotional learning

Emotions are fundamental and foundational to understanding the human experience and integral to maintaining healthy relationships and community. Emotions drive curiosity, creativity, and decision-making, which all promote optimal learning. At AVS, young learners practice how to recognize, understand, label, and express emotions with care and concern. This practice of developing emotional intelligence (EQ) and literacy supports students to build positive relationships, make helpful choices, and act responsibly.

The three habits that students are continuously asked to practice as caring and contributing community members are be respectful, be kind, and be proud. These "three be's" of behavior are routinely and playfully highlighted with kindness cape, respectacles, and proud pins during school-wide weekly Friday Morning Meetings, which center on social and emotional learning.

Learners develop their EQ skills through the use of a common language (e.g., three be's), shared tools (e.g., mindfulness), and modeling (e.g., restorative justice). These practices are demonstrated regularly during weekly morning meetings, classroom conversations, and recess conflict resolution training. For instance, when a conflict arises at recess, students learn to take the peace path course of action to restore their relationship, such as using I- statements to take responsibility and express needs, listening to each other without interrupting, and apologizing for any wrongdoing.

Overall, the students are guided to develop the following social and emotional skills:

Emotional literacy by using coping strategies that name feelings, navigate frustrations appropriately, and practice positive communication skills.

Empathy and compassion by taking the perspective of others.

Personal responsibility by using I-statements and being aware of one's actions.

Collaboration by cooperating during work and play as well as continuously striving together to resolve conflict.

Empowering the learners with this knowledge, attitudes, and skills support the actualization of the school's vision each day to be a rigorous, safe, and innovative learning environment.

Technology in the classroom

21st century education requires competency in using technological tools to support the learning process. However, technological tools are thoughtfully used to assist the learning process, not to become the process.

Students and teachers at AVS at every level employ a wide variety of software and hardware tools to deepen their learning. Students use Google Drive for writing and editing their own writing as well as collaborating with their peers in multiple subject areas. They learn to use voice-to-text typing and audio recording software to record radio advertisements or interviews for research projects. Some students use Chrome extensions to produce stop-motion animation clips. Computer programming is integrated into various courses, creating cross-curricular projects.

Internet safety is a prime component of whole-group lessons. Through the Common Sense Media program and other resources, students learn how to control their own digital footprint and why it's important. These conversations are onging, and practicing good digital citizenship is a necessary element for continued access to these learning tools

Lower School

In addition to interactive classroom projectors with document cameras and other group teaching tools that are present in every classroom, AVS students dive into a number of projects that help them hone their technological prowess. 1st-graders learn about direction and measurement by programming robots through mazes. 2nd-graders program their own interactive name poems and begin to practice typing and work processing with tools like Google Docs. 3rd-graders use Scratch - developed and run by MIT - to demonstrate their knowledge of the rock cycle. 4th-graders create an interactive math game that uses random number generators. Matific is used to assign differentiated math homework for 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-graders. In 2nd and 3rd grades, students become proficient in typing and using their Chromebooks so that, beginning in 4th grade, technology is more seamlessly integrated into the students' learning experiences. 5th-graders have used 3D-modeling software to deepen their understanding of the human eye in their science classes.

Middle School

All middle school students receive a school issued Chromebook, which is theirs to use at school for all of their coursework. Teachers use the Schoology online learning management system where students and parents can log in at any time to view their assignments and grades. While technology is integrated into the overall Middle School curriculum, students also have the option to take specific elective courses in the area of computer science, podcasting, and broadcasting to further develop technology skills

Current Events presentations

Public speaking is highly valued and encouraged at every grade. One of the regular opportunities to practice this important skill is during current events presentations. From junior kindergarten through fourth grade, students give oral presentations about current events of their own choosing to their peers and parents in class. These presentations encourage students to connect with news from around the world, understand nonfiction text, and translate the information into their own words. Since these presentations are done each year, students become increasingly proficient at finding relevant articles, taking notes on their reading, synthesizing information, and preparing an engaging demonstration to educate others on a topic.

Tuesday through Thursday, each grade conducts current events at the beginning of the school day where one student presents in front of their entire grade with their parents and siblings in attendance. Current events typically start after the second week of school and continue until the end of the academic year. This gives each child multiple opportunities to present.

Students give oral presentations about current events that interest them in Junior Kindergarten through fourth grade. This has been an Alta Vista tradition throughout the history of the school. Current Events presentations encourage students to connect with what is going on in the world around them, to understand nonfiction text, and put it in their own words.

The students' five minute presentation is followed by audience questions and compliments. Students are encouraged to use visual aids (e.g., trifold with pictures, images to project under a document camera, Google Slides) to accompany their talks. Students are also trained to stand with a calm body, speak clearly and loudly, and make eye contact with the audience. Where developmentally appropriate, students may write speaker's notes for themselves and to refer to them when needed during their presentations but discouraged from reading off their notes during the entire event.

Current Events presentations also give students regular practice in public speaking skills. Since presentations are done multiple times each year, students have the chance to become increasingly independent with the process of finding articles, taking notes on what they read, and putting together an engaging presentation.

Research papers and projects

Research projects enable students to pursue in-depth investigations into a topic of their interest. In so doing, they learn how to identify reliable references, take notes, and synthesize information from different sources. Their investigation culminates in writing a research paper, which teaches students how to form an introduction, answer essential questions, frame an argument, support key ideas, and craft a conclusion. In this process, students practice writing in complete sentences, using transition words effectively, and creating well-organized paragraphs. Once the papers are written, the students present their work to others in a clear and innovative way. For instance, the third grade students presented their research projects on famous pioneers by staging a living museum, whereby the student dressed and acted as the explorers they researched, painted a background to provides context for the exploration, and answered questions and gave information to parents and fellow students who visited their stations.

Second through fourth graders conduct their own research projects once a year. Each grade uses a theme that guides their research, which is often based on the science and/or humanities curriculum. Examples of past themes include the California Gold Rush, changemakers, national parks, and San Francisco landmarks. Typically, students will choose from a range of options given by their teachers that fit the grade level theme. Though more than one student may have the same topic, students conduct their research and write their papers independently.

Although research papers are written individually, the project presentations may be performed in groups. That is, students may work independently or in groups to create interactive games based on their topic, create slideshows, dioramas, or other visuals

Assessments and reporting

Assessments continually inform instruction and curriculum development. Pre, post, formative, and summative assessments are scheduled throughout the academic year. Following each assessment, data is collected and analyzed to measure the learning growth of a student, inform differentiated grouping, and support any necessary interventions. An assessment is used to generate a clear narrative of a student's progress within each trimester and across the academic year.

An evaluation scale is used by teachers to determine a student's academic and social performance of various skills within each subject area. Teachers use the evaluation scale when observing and reflecting on a student's output during daily activities, work products, projects, and class discussions. When a trimester ends, teachers gather evidence of a student's progress between the two trimester periods. Throughout the year, teachers closely capture student progress in reading and math fluency through standardized one-on-one assessments, such as reading inventories and math tasks. These assessments are administered three or more times a year to provide clear data on student progress over time and calibrated with national grade level norms.

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Academics - Alta Vista School * JK-8th * San Francisco, Calif.

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On this page... Alta Vista prepares students to thrive as creative thinkers, innovators, and catalysts for positive change in the world. These education goals guide students to discover the world and themselves, imagine new possibilities, and act as drivers of change. To this end, curiosity, creativity, and communication are the foundation of our academic program.

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Flipsnack is a digital catalog maker that makes it easy to create, publish and share html5 flipbooks. Upload a PDF or design from scratch flyers, magazines, books and more.

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Flipsnack is a digital catalog maker that makes it easy to create, publish and share html5 flipbooks. Upload a PDF or design from scratch flyers, magazines, books and more.

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Flipsnack is a digital catalog maker that makes it easy to create, publish and share html5 flipbooks. Upload a PDF or design from scratch flyers, magazines, books and more.

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https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/55286549.pdf

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Student-Run Booth at Maker Faire each year (SAS)

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Student-Run Booth at Maker Faire each year (SAS)

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Welcome to Maker Faire Shanghai 2023, a celebration of creativity, innovation, and collaboration. Join us for hands-on workshops, inspiring talks, and unique exhibits that showcase the best of the maker movement. | 欢迎来到2023年Maker Faire上海，这是一个庆祝创意、创新和合作的盛会。加入我们，参加实践操作的工作坊、鼓舞人心的演讲以及展示创客运动最佳成果的独特展览。

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KIS (High School course offerings) Design & Innovation

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KIS (High School course offerings) Design & Innovation

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Stanford Design School (Design Thinking)

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Stanford Design School (Design Thinking)

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Get Started with Design Thinking — Stanford d.school

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Design thinking is a methodology for creative problem solving. You can use it to inform your own teaching practice, or you can teach it to your students as a framework for real-world projects. The set of resources on this page offer experiences and lessons you can run with your students. This gives

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Innovation Institute at Shanghai American School is a transformational approach to education in which students are empowered to solve real-world problems through collaborative and creative processes. The Institute is a two-year program (grades 9 and 10) that places learners at the center of the educational experience and challenges them to think critically and apply their learning to open-ended, complex questions that address contemporary issues. Students are required to stretch themselves beyond the traditional learning framework by engaging in interdisciplinary project-based learning that requires the use of 21st century skills.

In an increasingly globalized and technological world, leaders in all areas acknowledge that mastery in critical and creative thinking, collaboration, and communication are essential to our ability to successfully respond to current and future challenges.

The Innovation Institute (I ²) emphasizes:

academically rigorous interdisciplinary tasks and projects;

collaborative work;

critical thinking, creativity, and communication;

connections between disciplines;

experience in the design thinking processes;

interactions with experts in various fields;

flexible schedules (when appropriate) for grouping students according to needs and tasks.

Our goal is that students leave I ² confident in their ability to:

identify and respond to complex problems and issues

effectively communicate their ideas about the world in many ways

be comfortable with uncertainty

be vulnerable to share ideas and accept criticism

take risks

effectively collaborate

make connections between classes and the 'real world'

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Innovation Institute - Shanghai American School

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Innovation Institute at Shanghai American School is a transformational approach to education in which students are empowered to solve real-world problems through collaborative and creative processes. The Institute is a two-year program (grades 9 and 10) that places learners at the center of the educational experience and challenges them to think critically and apply their learning to open-ended, complex questions that address contemporary issues.

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EdTech & Design | International School of Beijing

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EdTech & Design - ISB is home to students in Early Years - Grade 12. Celebrating 50+ nationalities, an IB curriculum, and Chinese language program.

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ISS Partnership- Community workshops & PD opportunities

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LEVEL 5 is a nonprofit that hosts creative experiences and workshops for students, educators and the wider community.

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ISB- Beijing (Edtech & Design Curriculum)

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ISB- Beijing (Edtech & Design Curriculum)

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EdTech & Design | International School of Beijing

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EdTech & Design - ISB is home to students in Early Years - Grade 12. Celebrating 50+ nationalities, an IB curriculum, and Chinese language program.

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And how is it different from Making?

The NIST Maker Space is aimed at developing skill levels along a continuum within a guided, structured environment, leading toward purposeful creation, design, prototyping and innovation.

This process initially involves the development of specialized skills, gradually applying those skills using models such as, Design Thinking.

This process may be stand-alone, outside normal instructional time, however, the larger aim is to gradually see the Maker Space used as part of classroom integration authentically linked to the Units of inquiry.

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The NIST Maker Space is aimed at developing skill levels along a continuum within a guided, structured environment, leading toward purposeful creation, design, prototyping and innovation. This process initially involves the development of specialized skills, gradually applying those skills using models such as, Design Thinking.

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BC, Canada

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Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies | Building Student Success - BC's New Curriculum

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The ISTE Student Standards guide educators toward student-driven learning practices that prepare students to thrive in an evolving technological landscape.

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Bridging the Gap Between PYP and MYP With Design

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It’s a tough job to allow our final year students of PYP to practically interact with one of the MYP learning frameworks. I find the best way is through Design and the MYP Design Cycle. After

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A PYP coordinator narrates how grade 2 students used the MYP design cycle and command terms in working on their unit of inquiry task.
Inquiry involves an active engagement with the environment in an effort to make sense of the world, and consequent reflection on the connections between the experiences encountered and the information gathered. Inquiry involves the synthesis, analysis and manipulation of knowledge, whether through play or through more formally structured learning throughout the PYP ( Making the PYP happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education (2009)).

As part of our recent inquiry into How we organize ourselves, grade 2 students were investigating the transportation of fragile cargo.

"How can we protect an egg dropped from the balcony?" invited the teachers.

It is a well-known task, we know. Could grade 2 students tackle it? Of course! Motivated by the challenge and armed with their ATLs and their iPads, they got right to work.

Students rummaged through the boxes of materials: squeezing styrofoam, shaking cardboard, stretching rubber bands. This investigation of materials was play-based. The lack of teacher-imposed structure allowed the students to listen, and respond, to each other's spontaneous comments as they analyzed the available materials.

To facilitate the design process, teachers then stepped in and asked each student to design and sketch a prototype. Once planned and explained, the designs were constructed with the available materials. Students launched their prototypes from the balcony. They filmed the tests with iPads and took still photos of the results.

"What happened? Evaluate your prototype. Analyze its design." prompted the teachers.

Students recorded their video reflections on the iPads. This provided students who are not fluent writers to fully engage in the thinking processes and document thorough, accurate reflections.

Students redesigned and constructed their second prototypes, testing them again to see if their innovations improved performance. The process of reflection was repeated, and students began looking at each other's designs for what worked and what did not. This unplanned collaboration demonstrated the importance of relationships in a learner's construction of knowledge.

In the end, we must admit, not all prototypes succeeded in protecting their fragile cargo. Reflecting on this learning experience, the teachers identified areas for improvement. The specific challenge could be more authentic, rooted in a real-world problem relevant to grade 2 students. The investigation of materials at the beginning of the design cycle should be documented so students can refer to the properties and benefits of the materials when redesigning their prototypes. Overall, though, there was consensus that this learning engagement was very successful. Students further developed higher-order thinking skills. They used technology successfully to facilitate and improve their reflections. Creativity and innovation were applied celebrated. The process, more than the product, was valued and assessed.

Using the design cycle and some of the MYP Command Terms encouraged higher-order thinking. Requiring individual prototypes and reflections allowed each student to fully engage, and this approach provided teachers with valuable observations of the ATLs in action.

Now we have another question to ponder: Is there a place for the MYP command terms in the PYP?

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Sara has been working in IB schools for more than fourteen years. She is a PYP workshop leader and is currently working as the PYP Coordinator at Dwight School Seoul in South Korea. Fabrice Saenger and Kathryn Harjula are PYP Grade 2 teachers at Dwight School Seoul.

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A PYP coordinator narrates how grade 2 students used the MYP design cycle and command terms in working on their unit of inquiry task. Inquiry involves an active engagement with the environment in an effort to make sense of the world, and consequent reflection on the connections between the experiences encountered and the information gathered.

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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Why Design Thinking Should Be Taught in Primary, Elementary & Middle Schools | Makers Empire

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn,"
Alvin Toffler, author of Future Shock.

At Makers Empire, we recognise the key role that schools and teachers have in preparing students with the essential skills, mindsets and dispositions that will help them thrive in the future.

But 85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven't been invented yet . So how can we best prepare our students for this unknown future? How can we teach our children to be creators, innovators and problem solvers who can adapt and pivot when necessary to flourish in a rapidly changing world?

Design Thinking is a way of thinking and working that helps us to define and solve problems. It is a non-linear, iterative and human-centred process that helps us to reframe problems as opportunities.Mandi Dimitriadis, Director of Learning, Makers Empire

Benefits of Learning Design Thinking

Benefits for young people who engage in design thinking include:

* Being able to identify problems and reframe them as actionable opportunities;
* Understanding the value of collaboration and feedback;
* Viewing setbacks and failures as valuable learning moments;
* Appreciating the value of hard work and persistence;
* Developing self-belief as problem solvers;
* Developing empathy;
* Developing a growth mindset;
* Developing stamina and resilience; and
* Developing entrepreneurial and community-minded behaviours.
* A focus that is both future and solutions-oriented.

What are 21st-century learning skills?

21st Century Learning and Innovation Skills are skills that will be essential for students to possess to thrive in the increasingly complex life and work environments in the 21st century. These include:

* Creativity and Innovation
* Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
* Communication
* Collaboration

With technological advances driving automation and industry-wide disruption in many sectors, it's the people who can identify and solve new problems in new ways that will be in great demand.

3D design and printing is an ideal way to help young people develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours needed to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.

Makers Empire: Better Learning by Design

Developed in consultation with Australian and American educators, Makers Empire's 3D Solutions for Schools give young people the opportunity to start understanding and experiencing design thinking and prototyping from the very start of their school careers.

This video highlights the need to teach design thinking using 3D design and printing in schools.

Featuring key social trends and compelling statistics, this video illustrates the need for an all-in-one 3D solution for schools to maximise effectiveness and efficiency for school leaders, to save educators valuable time, and to improve student learning, engagement and performance.

Why become a Makers Empire School?

A Makers Empire School achieves the following:

* Design and Technology Curriculum - Teachers cover design and technology standards and curriculum using Makers Empire's library of 130+ lesson plans aligned to US Common Core standards, Next Generation Science standards and the Australian Curriculum
* The E in Engineering - Teachers can easily and confidently teach the often neglected 'E' i.e. Engineering in STEM using Makers Empire.
* Age Appropriate Tools - Makers Empire was designed specifically for grade K-8 students. So even your youngest students can learn how to design in 3D in minutes.
* Resources for Teachers - Teachers are encouraged to integrate design thinking, growth mindset, differentiated instruction and inquiry learning into their daily teaching in an intentional way with the support of Makers Empire's resources.
* Professional Development for Teachers - Through Makers Empire's pioneering professional development and training, educators become confident teachers of design thinking, technologies and 3D design and printing.
* Increased Confidence to Teach STEM subjects - Teachers who have used Makers Empire reported increased levels of confidence in their ability to teach STEM subjects after using Makers Empire.
* Active Learning - The school promotes active learning communities that support sustainable school approaches to design thinking education for their students, staff and wider community.

The Makers Empire Difference for Students

* Students As Creators - Students are positioned as creators, inventors, innovators and problem solvers.
* 21st-Century Ready - Students are equipped with the skills, tools and resources they need to develop as resourceful and optimistic people.
* Resilience - Students learn how to bounce back from setbacks and develop persistence as they work through the design process.
* Collaboration - Through collaboration on their designs, students learn how to give constructive feedback to their peers and to also receive it.
* Citizenship - By teaching them how to identify and solve problems, students can become useful and productive global members of society.

Become a Makers Empire School today

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Why Design Thinking Should Be Taught in Primary, Elementary & Middle Schools | Makers Empire

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Why Design Thinking Should Be Taught in Primary, Elementary & Middle Schools | Makers Empire "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn," Alvin Toffler, author of Future Shock.

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Books that inspire students to turn materials like cardboard, wood, and fabric scraps into feats of engineering and resourcefulness.

A long time ago in a '70s kitchen far away, there was a cabinet, and in that cabinet was a large brown paper bag filled with treasure. Upon closer inspection of that bag, you might say, "Hey, that's not treasure. That's just toilet paper tubes, a shoebox, and some corks."

We both would be correct in our assessments.

The kitchen cabinet was in my childhood home, and our family referred to that treasure trove as "good junk." Good junk could best be defined as items that no longer served their original purpose but were too interesting to throw away. These objects were perfect for investigating, assembling, and transforming into one-of-a-kind toys, facilitating hours of play.

Construction activities are a standard in early childhood classrooms. Each day, children build with blocks, assemble puzzles, and explore manipulatives. Most construction sets, however, are not designed for fully open-ended investigations; as a teacher, I felt that good-junk exploration could potentially create that opportunity. When I began to see students transform craft materials (like pom-poms and foam pieces) and recyclables (like a masking tape ring and cardboard strips) into such creations as "a baby chick with an elevated hot tub and diving board," I knew I was on the right track.

To facilitate open-ended inquiry with unconventional materials, a teacher should set the stage and make sure materials are organized and child accessible. Teachers must also be available for consultation or construction help, like using a glue gun, for instance. As students explore, evaluate, and select materials, they can utilize maker tools-such as glue, tape, scissors, and markers-to assemble and create objects inspired by the materials as well as their imaginations.

When a child constructs a unique object from unconventional materials like cardboard boxes, plastic containers, or wood scraps, they learn engineering fundamentals as well as elements of the creative process. Children who repeatedly and vigilantly work at designing new objects learn persistence and elevate their resilience level. The uniqueness of each piece they create offers students the opportunity to celebrate the process and product.

The 12 picture books below feature tinkerers, inventors, and makers; each book is likely to prompt STEM/STEAM discussions. Characters demonstrate initiative, resourcefulness, and 3D problem-solving strategies as they utilize good junk and other available items to inspire and enhance their inventions.

12 Picture Books to Foster a Maker Mindset

Gus's Garage by Leo Timmers. Gus the pig is a resourceful mechanic who always comes through with the right junk for the right fix. (Preschool-grade 1)

Mr. King's Things by Geneviève Côté. Mr. King loves to shop. But when he brings something new into the house, he throws an older thing into the pond. This is a recipe for disaster, but it's also the beginning of a tale of resourcefulness. (Preschool-grade 2)

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires. A little girl intends to make "the most magnificent thing in the world." Fortunately she has a faithful assistant, vast resources, and determination. (Preschool-grade 2)

With My Hands: Poems About Making Things by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, illustrated by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson. Twenty-six poems to inspire all young makers-painters, knitters, potters, and even cookie bakers. (Preschool-grade 3)

Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay by Susan Hood, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. This nonfiction picture book features a "trash to treasure" tale, in which items from a junkyard are transformed into musical instruments for young musicians from Paraguay. (Preschool-grade 3)

by Katey Howes, illustrated by Elizabet Vuković. The call of this book is "today, what will you make?" With each turn of the page, a child proposes and considers a possible maker activity. (Preschool- grade 3)

by Shanda McCloskey. Charlotte is interested in all things technology and is mystified when her mother gives her a doll that seemingly does... not much. (Preschool-grade 3)
Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press
The Color Collector by Nicholas Solis, illustrated by Renia Metallinou. This story features a curious boy, a mysterious girl, and a beautiful found-object mosaic. (Grades K-3)

Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, illustrated by David Catrow. Inspired by her grandmother's sage advice, some "thingamabobs," and her imagination, Molly Lou Melon can make anything. Molly's new neighbor Gertie is "bored, bored, bored." Molly to the rescue! (Grades K-3)

by Pip Jones, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie. Izzy is an engineer in heart and deed. Her greatest challenge yet is to make new wings for her injured pet crow. (Grades K-3)

by Hazel Hutchins and Gail Herbert, illustrated by Dušan Petričić. A lonely boy, a patch of mud, and a stick soon become the beginnings of a town. With the help of some new friends, and assorted pieces of junk, Mattland is a bustling community. (Grades K-3)

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts. Rosie is a collector, a dreamer, and an engineer. She faces disappointment time and time again but is able to rally with the love and support of her family. (Grades K-3)

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12 Picture Books to Motivate Young Makers

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Books that inspire students to turn materials like cardboard, wood, and fabric scraps into feats of engineering and resourcefulness. A long time ago in a '70s kitchen far away, there was a cabinet, and in that cabinet was a large brown paper bag filled with treasure.

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Design Thinking in the Elementary School Classroom

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Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase, I may receive a small percentage of the sale, at no extra cost to you. Design thinking is a process for cr…

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Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies K-9 – Big Ideas 

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Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies K-9 – Big Ideas 

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From BC, Canada

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Design & Technologies (Australian Curriculum)

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Design & Technologies (Australian Curriculum)

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Learning in Design and Technologies builds on concepts, skills and processes developed in earlier years, and teachers will revisit, strengthen and extend these as needed.

By the end of Year 8 students will have had the opportunity to create designed solutions at least once in the following four technologies contexts: Engineering principles and systems, Food and fibre production, Food specialisations and Materials and technologies specialisations. Students should have opportunities to design and produce products, services and environments.

In Year 7 and 8 students investigate and select from a range of technologies − materials, systems, components, tools and equipment. They consider the ways characteristics and properties of technologies can be combined to design and produce sustainable designed solutions to problems for individuals and the community, considering society and ethics, and economic, environmental and social sustainability factors. Students use creativity, innovation and enterprise skills with increasing independence and collaboration.

Students respond to feedback from others and evaluate design processes used and designed solutions for preferred futures. They investigate design and technology professions and the contributions that each makes to society locally, regionally and globally through creativity, innovation and enterprise. Students evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of design ideas and technologies.

Using a range of technologies including a variety of graphical representation techniques to communicate, students generate and clarify ideas through sketching, modelling, perspective and orthogonal drawings. They use a range of symbols and technical terms in a range of contexts to produce patterns, annotated concept sketches and drawings, using scale, pictorial and aerial views to draw environments.

With greater autonomy, students identify the sequences and steps involved in design tasks. They develop plans to manage design tasks, including safe and responsible use of materials and tools, and apply management plans to successfully complete design tasks. Students establish safety procedures that minimise risk and manage a project with safety and efficiency in mind when making designed solutions.

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https://utahloy.cn/gz/student-life/steam-learning-in-action/

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Utahloy International School Guangzhou (UISG)

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At UISG, we engage and inspire our students around STEAM subjects. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.

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From NSW, Australia

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We are making the NESA online experience better for you

NESA content will soon be improved and moved to a new location on the NSW Government website so it is easier to find and read.Content will be moved in stages. Users will be redirected to nsw.gov.au when content has been moved.

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Technological and Applied Studies | NSW Education Standards

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We are making the NESA online experience better for you NESA content will soon be improved and moved to a new location on the NSW Government website so it is easier to find and read.Content will be moved in stages. Users will be redirected to nsw.gov.au when content has been moved.

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https://www.birdbraintechnologies.com/products/hummingbird-bit-robotics-kit/

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Working with robotics teaches more than just coding and digital fluency. Projects with the Hummingbird Kit help students to develop soft skills like problem solving, resiliency, and creativity in an engaging, hands-on way. Students will develop into stronger critical thinkers, collaborators, and leaders - all while having fun!

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Hummingbird Bit Robotics Kit - BirdBrain Technologies

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Working with robotics teaches more than just coding and digital fluency. Projects with the Hummingbird Kit help students to develop soft skills like problem solving, resiliency, and creativity in an engaging, hands-on way. Students will develop into stronger critical thinkers, collaborators, and leaders - all while having fun!

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A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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MYP Design. EdTech resources for IB MYP Design and ICT teachers and students. Cool Education Technology stuff - unit planners, class tasks, tech tips, tech tools. Digital Design, Product Design, ICT and Computer Science subjects. Mr Luke Cameron Watson.

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Design Thinking & Skill Building What a great combo! At UNIS, we follow a blended design approach that incorporates aspects of both digital and product design projects. Our main goal is to equip our learners with a design thinking mindset while teaching them a robust set of fundamental design