Posted by: Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
3/3/2008 2:24:04 PM


Title: Education, Design & Empowerment: Part Two
Grade Level: High School
Subject Area: Language Arts
Social Studies
Technology
Lesson Time: One or two fifty-minute class periods
Introduction: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum’ s Design for the Other 90% exhibition demonstrates how design can be a dynamic force in saving and transforming lives, at home and around the world. Of the world’ s total population of 6. 5 billion, 5. 8 billion people, or 90%, have little or no access to most of the products and services many of us take for granted; in fact, nearly half do not have regular access to food, clean water, or shelter. Design for the Other 90% explores a growing movement among designers to design low-cost solutions for this “ other 90%. ” In this two-part lesson, students will explore the relationship between education and poverty, and examine educational design innovations. The first part of the lesson focuses on building background information, and the second part of the lesson focuses on creating a presentation highlighting what the students have learned.
Standards:
Language Arts Reading
Standard 7. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts 1. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational texts (e. g. , textbooks, biographical sketches, letters, diaries, directions, procedures, magazines, essays, primary source historical documents, editorials, news stories, periodicals, catalogs, job-related materials, schedules, speeches, memoranda, public documents, maps)
Writing
Standard 1 . Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process 5. Uses strategies to address writing to different audiences (e. g. , includes explanations and definitions according to the audience's background, age, or knowledge of the topic, adjusts formality of style, considers interests of potential readers)
Historical Understanding
Standard 2. Understands the historical perspective 5. Understands that the consequences of human intentions are influenced by the means of carrying them out
Economics
Standard 10. Understands basic concepts about international economics Understands that increasing international interdependence causes economic conditions and policies in one nation to affect economic conditions in many other nations
Geography
Standard 11. Understands the patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth's surface
Technology
Standard 6. Understands the nature and uses of different forms of technology
Working With Others
Standard 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group
Objectives:

Students will:

•   investigate the Design for the Other 90% exhibition •   explore the connections between education and poverty •   analyze, synthesize, and summarize information from diverse resources •   design a display highlighting what they have learned •   work collaboratively in small groups
Resources: “ Education & Design” handout (attached) Internet Web sites
Materials: Computer with Internet access
Vocabulary: Students in this age group should be familiar with all words used.
Procedures:
Building Background Jigsaw Research
The purpose of this activity is to provide students with an opportunity to explore a solution-oriented Web site focusing on education and poverty.

1. Divide the class into small groups and have them visit the “ A Dollar a Day” Web site that focuses on finding solutions to poverty at https://library. thinkquest. org/05aug/00282/edu_poverty. htm . The Web site is divided into varied sections. Tell each group to investigate the resources listed below its name and take notes. Have the students add these notes to the notes they collected in the first part of the lesson. In jigsaw research, each group shares what it learns with the entire class.

Group One Thinkquest: Education and Poverty https://library. thinkquest. org/05aug/00282/edu_poverty. htm

Group Two Thinkquest: Schools https://library. thinkquest. org/05aug/00282/edu_poverty. htm

Group Three Thinkquest: Getting Kids to School https://library. thinkquest. org/05aug/00282/edu_kids. htm

Group Four Thinkquest: Gender Equality https://library. thinkquest. org/05aug/00282/edu_gender. htm

Group Five Thinkquest: Education Case Studies https://library. thinkquest. org/05aug/00282/edu_cases. htm

Ask each group to share what it has learned with the entire class.

Steps for Learning Education Presentation
The purpose of this activity is for students to design a physical display highlighting what they have learned about education, poverty, and design.

1. Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a copy of the “ Education & Design” handout (attached).

2. After each group has presented its display, lead a class discussion based on the following questions:

•   What did you learn from your classmates’ work? •   What was the most compelling display? Why? •   What could be improved?
Assessment:

Create a class rubric with your students that will help them understand the effectiveness of their work. Use the following guidelines to help create the rubric.

-Rate the effectiveness of your group brainstorming. -Rate how well your research helped you learn about poverty and education. -Rate the quality of your analysis of the components you would need to create your display. -Rate the overall quality of your presentation. -Rate how well you were able to convey a message about education and poverty. -Rate how well your group was able to collaborate. -Rate your creativity.
Enrichment
Extension Activities:
Women & Poverty
Ask your students to conduct additional research that focuses on the role women play in using education to eradicate poverty. A good Web site to use to begin researching is the following:
•   Heifer International www. heifer. org
Teacher Reflection: N/A.
Related
Files: