1. Students will be
introduced to archaeology and anthropology by the teacher
bringing in an archaeologist to give a presentation.
The presentation will include a comparison of archaeology
to anthropology, a job overview for archaeologists, and a
presentation of various artifacts. Several of the
artifacts should be the same tool, but from different time
periods, or from different geographic regions. This
portion of the lesson will take an entire 45-minute class
period.
2. The next step will be the first step in the
design process, which is to identify the challenge.
Students will be asked to think of the next “
step” in the “ evolution” of the product.
For instance, what problems do we still face in
different regions with a particular product or tool?
Examples of a product might include more advanced
products such as toilets or ovens, or even something as
simple as a cup or pitcher. Students should be
thinking of the people using the product, and what the
needs of that group of people would be. Students
will be shown examples from https://other90. cooperhewitt.
org/Design/q-drum , and https://blog. ted.
com/2009/09/adjustable_liqu. php . The time
that it takes to complete introducing the project and
reviewing examples should take about twenty minutes, as
students will be given the opportunity to ask questions.
3.
The second step of the design process is to research and
brainstorm. Students will be placed into groups of
five. Students will brainstorm together different
products that could be improved upon. The students
will have to choose a region in the world that will be
researched. Two students who have access to the
internet and a printer will do research on two of the
products the group comes up with. One student will
research the two products and bring in the findings, and
the other student will research the region. The
region needs to be researched in terms of resources.
The in-class time for this step will be about twenty-five
minutes. Students are not given a lot of time in
class, as most of the actual research will be done at home.
Students should commit about sixty minutes of
research to the project.
4. Students will meet after
the research is complete to choose one of the two products
which will then be used for the group’ s project.
Students will then brainstorm ideas for a revised
product. Students will be given about twenty minutes
in class to revise different ideas for the product based on
the research given.
5. The third step of the design
process is to design a solution. Students will be
required to design a product using the resources available
in that region. The students will need at least
twenty-five minutes to work on this portion of the project
in class.
6. The fourth step of the design process is to
test ideas. Though this may not be possible due to
limited resources, students will present either a drawing
or a model of the new and improved product and a written
description of how the product works and how it solves a
problem with the current product. The actual
creation of the prototype and/or drawing will completed at
home, and students are expected to spend at least sixty
minutes on this portion of the project.
7. Student groups
will then put together a complete presentation that one
student will present to the class. Students will be
given thirty minutes to put together their group
presentation.
8. The fifth step of the design
process is to evaluate. The students in the class
will evaluate the product based on functionality and total
presentation:
- Does the group present a solid design based
on the needs of the people?
- Is the new product realistic in
its design?
Students will spend one 45-minute
class period listening to presentations, and presenting
their own product ideas.
9. Due to lack of resources,
students will not be required to build their ideas, though
it is the final step of the design process. If a
student has the resources available to them, then they may
do so, but no extra credit will be offered.