Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum | Education at Cooper-Hewitt

Posted by: Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum 9/20/2007 2:22:42 PM

Title:	Tell Me About it: What is Design? (Part One)
Grade Level:	Middle School
Subject Area:	Arts Language Arts
Lesson Time:	One to two fifty-minute class periods
Introduction:	What role does design play in everyday life? In this two-part lesson, students are introduced to diverse aspects of design. In the first lesson, students will participate in a jigsaw learning activity to learn about specific fields of design that include interior design, architectural design, landscape design, fashion design, theater design, and graphic design. In jigsaw learning activities, students work in small groups to conduct research on a specific topic and teach their classmates what they learn, thus completing the “ Jigsaw puzzle. ”
Standards:	Reading Standard 7. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts Level III. 1. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational texts (e. g. , electronic texts; textbooks; biographical sketches; directions; essays; primary source historical documents, including letters and diaries; print media, including editorials, news stories, periodicals, and magazines; consumer, workplace, and public documents, including catalogs, technical directions, procedures, and bus routes) Writing Standard 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process Level III. 5. Uses content, style, and structure (e. g. , formal or informal language, genre, organization) appropriate for specific audiences (e. g. , public, private) and purposes (e. g. , to entertain, to influence, to inform) Visual Arts: Artistic Expression & Communication Standard 1. Understands and applies media, techniques, and processes related to the visual arts Level III. Benchmark 2. Knows how the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes can be used to enhance communication of experiences and ideas Working with Others Standard 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group
Objectives:	Students will: create a graphic organizer participate in small-group and large-group discussion work collaboratively in small groups conduct Internet research on varied fields of design create a class presentation demonstrating an understanding of one field of design
Resources:	“ Design Graphic Organizer” handout Internet Web sites
Materials:	Computer with Internet access
Vocabulary:	Students in this age group should be familiar with all words used.
Procedures:	Building Background Activity One: Introducing Design Concepts The purpose of this activity is to provide students with an introduction to design concepts. 1. Tell the students that they are going to learn about the world of design and design education. To provide some basic introductory information about design and design learning, share the following paragraphs with the class: Learning through design invites students to be active and reflective learners. Students gain an increased awareness of design in diverse areas of their everyday lives. They may notice how the color, lights, and fabrics in their room create a mood, or how their community was planned with an array of parks, grocery stores, and offices. They may look more closely at the everyday products that surround them, and question the design of a computer mouse, a picture frame, a flower garden, or a pair of sneakers. They may notice the spatial arrangement of windows in a downtown building, the symmetry of a Web page, or the ornamental detail on a balcony. They may think about the structure of buildings, bridges, and walkways across rivers. Design-based learning helps students develop observational skills, and question the way things are created. Creativity is at the heart of design. Design-based learning invites students to solve problems, take risks, support their ideas, critique and evaluate their work, reflect on their learning process, and think about the world in new ways. As a class, view the video entitled “ Cardboard Chair Challenge” at https://ditc. missouri. edu/designTasks/cChair/index. html 2. Tell the class that there are three major components of design. Explain each area of design to your students using the chart (attached). Activity Two: Design Graphic Organizers The purpose of this activity is to help students learn about the three components of design: space and design, graphic and visual communication, and products and things. 1. Divide the class into groups of three students. Tell the students that each group is going to construct a graphic organizer. A graphic organizer is a visuo-spatial representation of information. Give each group a copy of the “ Design Graphic Organizer” handout (attached). 2. After completing the graphic organizers, ask each group to share its work with the entire class. Discuss the different categories of design and the students’ choices from the People’ s Design Award Web site ( www. peoplesdesignaward. org ). 3. Introduce the following steps of the design process to the class: • STEP ONE: Identify the problem. Brainstorm ideas. • STEP TWO: Analyze the elements you will need to solve the problem. • STEP THREE: Create your design plan and presentation. • STEP FOUR: Evaluate your design. Share your design and ask for feedback and discuss how you might make changes and improvements to your design. • STEP FIVE: Communicate. Share your design plan. As a class, visit the People’ s Design Award Web site. Find an example of an entry and try to apply how you think the designer used the steps of the design process. Steps for Learning Activity One: Jigsaw Learning The purpose of this activity is to give students the opportunity to conduct research on a specific design topic and share what they learn with their classmates. 1. Divide the class into groups of five students. Tell the students that they are going to research a specific area of design, and create a presentation to share what they learn with their classmates. Provide the following list of design topics and ask each group to choose one. Try to ensure that each group selects a different topic. Allow students to choose to investigate areas of design that may be of interest to them that are not included in the list below. • Interior Design • Landscape Design • Automotive Design • Lighting Design • Fashion Design • Theater Design • Sound Design • Industrial Design • Graphic Design • Jewelry Design • Fabric Design • Ceramic Design Have the students use Internet resources, library references, and magazines to conduct their research about the varied design fields.
Assessment:	Assessment will be in part two of this two-part lesson.
Enrichment Extension Activities:	Learn More about Design Have your students conduct additional research about the world of design. Create a class Web site with annotated references of Web sites, books, videos, and articles about design.
Teacher Reflection:	N/A.
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