This lesson is for : Grade 7:
Summary
In this lesson, students collaborate with their peers in order to create and advertise soap that they make in science class. The groups use Google Docs to work towards this collaborative goal; however, each individual within the group has his/her own separate role as well as either the mold designer, website creator, videographer/advertise, or packaging creator. This activity is completed within a chemistry unit, and the lesson reinforces chemistry topics as the students learn about the soap making process. However, this particular assignment focuses on the IB design cycle, in which students research, create design briefs, and evaluate a final product. After each group member has completed a “design” for his/her portion of the final product, students create and package their soap. Each group presents their website, advertisement, mold, and packaging to the rest of the class, and the class decides which group marketed the best product. Students use this class evaluation to reflect on their design choices and also reflect on their roles as communicators and collaborators. The soap made within this assignment is donated to a local homeless shelter and women’s shelter.
TIPC Ratings
Research & Information Fluency
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: In the first question of the individual design journal, students create “research questions” that will help them in their design process. Students use the web resources available to them in order to select, assemble, and organize this information in their individual and group design journals. Students synthesize their research in order to create the final product for their portion of the assignment – either the mold, packaging, video, or web design. The task is authentic because the students create a final product of their choice that will serve a greater purpose to the local community. The soap created during this assignment is donated to a local homeless shelter and women’s shelter.
Communication & Collaboration
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: The digital tools used within this assignment are meant to highlight the skills of communication and collaboration. In the assignment, each student has a specific role and must work independently to finish his/her portion of the assignment. However, each role is equally important in order to sell the final product and the students must communicate and collaborate in order to ensure that they have a unified “message” and/or theme for their soap. Students use their individual design journal to document their personal progress. These documents are shared with the group so that group members can check up on each other both in and outside of the classroom and provide feedback as necessary. Students also use the group design journal to collaboratively set goals in order to complete the final project in a timely manner. At the end of the assignment, the students reflect on not only their design process, but also on their roles as communicators and collaborators.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Rating: Not observed – Explanation: Students use their critical thinking and problem solving skills throughout this lesson, but the digital tools used within this lesson are not necessarily chosen to support this particular skill.
Creativity & Innovation
Rating: Approaching – Explanation: Students use their research to analyze trends and make predictions and then develop their final product accordingly. Depending on their role within the group, students use digital tools to create meaningful work. For example, the videographers/advertisers use a variety of movie recording hardware and movie editing software including Moviemaker and Adobe Premiere. The website creators also use a variety of tools to create their websites, including Weebly and Google Sites.
Lesson Materials
