Ways to approach the task

This is a fantastic challenge for the beginning of a new school year or term. It is a great way to foster student voice and self-responsibility as well as allowing students think metacognitively and discuss how they learn best.

If you decide to tackle the design challenge in smaller groups you may need to consider how you will decide on the final design for the class.

Some suggestions for ways you might do this are:

 
 

  • Making it a competition

Have groups present their ideas to the whole class on completion and have a class vote on a favourite design. Alternatively the teacher could choose a winner.

  • Give all the designs a chance to be tested

    You might think about testing a new design every week, or couple of weeks, and have that group explain their design. At the end of the testing period you might allow the class to give feedback based on how they found the space.

  • Outside choice

You could invite the principal, another class or even parents to come in and listen to presentations about group designs. This would be a great opportunity for your students to talk about their learning in a more formal setting and have others give them feedback.  

 

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