SPIKE™ Prime Set

Design for Someone

Use the complete design process to solve a real-world problem linked to prostheses.

120+ min.
Intermed.
Grades 6-8
lesson-header

Lesson plan

1. Prepare

  • Read through the student material in the LEGO® Education SPIKE App.
  • Plan accordingly, this project is designed to be run over multiple sessions.

Part A

2. Engage (15 Min.)

  • Use the ideas in the Ignite a Discussion section below to engage your students in a discussion related to this lesson.
  • Use the video to explain the lesson.

3. Explore (30 Min.)

  • Allow your students time to brainstorm.
  • Have them work in pairs to choose 2 ideas they'd like to try.

Part B

4. Explain (45 Min.)

  • Have each pair of students build and test their 2 chosen solutions.
  • Make sure they can create their own tables to collect data about their testing method.

Part C

5. Elaborate (45 Min.)

  • Facilitate a sharing session with each team presenting their results.

6. Evaluate

  • Give feedback on each student's performance.
  • You can use the assessment rubrics provided to simplify the process.

Ignite a Discussion

Start a discussion about prosthetics and what your students would do if they had to replace someone's hand with a new function.

  • Have them think about someone who's missing a limb and what they'd most like to do with a prosthesis.
  • Ask them to get crazy and think about reinventing a hand. What would a chef, mechanic, or even a student like them like to have instead of a hand?
teacher-ignite-discussion

David Aguilar Amphoux

Building Tips

Open-Ended Solutions
This project is designed so that every student or team can have a unique solution.

Example Solution
Give all of your students the same starting point by having them build this arm. Ask them to make it their own by designing a specific function such as grabbing fairly big objects.

Here's an idea you can use as a proof of concept.

teacher-example
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Coding Tips

Main Program

SPIKE Invention-Squad Design for Someone Teacher Solution - en-us

Differentiation

Simplify this lesson by:

  • Using the suggested example solution as the starting point for all students
  • Narrowing the task to something very specific such as picking up a piece of fruit or turning a door handle.

Take this lesson to the next level by:

  • Inviting a specialist from the prosthesis department at a college, hospital, or university to speak to your class.
  • Pairing up with a specialist to try to design a real-life solution for someone.
  • Using 3D printed or laser cut parts, if you have those tools available.

Assessment Opportunities

Teacher Observation Checklist
Create a scale that matches your needs, for example:

  1. Partially accomplished
  2. Fully accomplished
  3. Overachieved

Use the following success criteria to evaluate your students' progress:

  • Students can identify the key elements of a problem.
  • Students are autonomous in developing a working and creative solution.
  • Students can clearly communicate their ideas.

Self-Assessment
Have each student choose the brick that they feel best represents their performance.

  • Blue: I've successfully created a new hand.
  • Yellow: I've successfully created a new hand that has a creative way of performing the desired function.
  • Violet: I've successfully created a new hand that has has a creative way of performing the desired function and I've presented my ideas in a way that's clear and easy to understand.

Peer-Assessment
Encourage your students to provide feedback to others by:

  • Having one student score the performance of another using the colored brick scale above.
  • Asking them to present constructive feedback to each other so that they can improve their group's performance during the next lesson.
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Language Arts Extension

To incorporate language arts skills development:

  • Have your students use text, images, videos, sketches, etc. to record their design process, creating an invention notebook to document their project.
  • Have them present their project to a wider audience (e.g., during a science fair).

Students who enjoyed this lesson might be interested in exploring these careers pathways:

  • Health Science (Biomedical)
  • Health Science (Medical & Health Careers)
  • Health Science (Medical Assistant)
  • Manufacturing And Engineering (Pre-Engineering)

Teacher Support

Students will:

  • Use the design process to create a solution to a real-life problem

NGSS
MS-ETS1-2
Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Common Core
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4
Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Student Material

Student Worksheet

Download, view, or share as an online HTML page or a printable PDF.