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Post your work from each phase in a blog post on your Learning Log. One post for each phase of the Design Cycle.
Phase 1: Inquiring and Analysing
- explain and justify the need for a solution to a problem for a familiar group of people
- construct a research plan which states and prioritises the research needed to develop a solution to the problem independently
- analyse a group of similar products that inspire a solution to the problem
- present the analysis of the findings from a range of sources relevant to the development of a possible solution, cited appropriately
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Carnival Games!
Have you ever been to a carnival? Try to remember some of the games that you played when you were there. Do brainstorm with
your group into different carnival games that you remember. Try to come up with a list of categories. This will help guide the next
part where you research some DIY game ideas that are out there.
What's already out there?
Explore some online sources to find a broad range of examples of carnival games that people have made. Arrange them into a
concept map using the categories from the previous activity. Include hyperlinks to the webpages where you found them.
Possibilities
For this project, we will be working with PVC pipe as our primary construction material. Choose 3 or 4 of the games from your
brainstorm and present them as possible projects for you to work on for this unit. Consider what criteria you may use to help you
choose. These could include the availability of resources, skill level required, appropriateness for the target audience and more.
For each idea, explain why you picked it and what challenges might be involved and summarise any feedback you got.
Final Choice and Justification
You will begin to share your ideas with the rest of the class. You will form groups (4-5 students) for this project. Each student is
responsible for designing a game, but you will come up with a standard set of parts to work with in your group. This means that one
set of standard pieces can make all of your games. Imagine that this set was available in stores. You might advertise it as "5 Games
in One!"
Now that you have shared your ideas, you need to make your final choice. In addition to the criteria that you listed previously, part of
your decision about which game you want to make will be based on compatibility with the other people in your group.
Explain which idea you selected and why you selected it. Be specific about what made this idea stand out above the others. (1-2
paragraphs)
Guiding Questions
Make a list of questions to help guide the next phase of the project. The answers to these questions will form the basis for your
Design Specifications and will help keep you on track for the rest of the project. They may include things like the sound you are
looking for or the materials you might need. (5-7)
Phase 2: Developing Ideas
- develop a design specification which outlines the success criteria for the design of a solution based on the data collected
- present a range of feasible design ideas using an appropriate medium(s) and annotation, and which can be correctly interpreted by others
- present and outline the reasons for choosing the final design with reference to the design specification
- develop accurate planning drawings/diagrams and outline requirements for the creation of the chosen solution.
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Design Specifications
These will probably come out of the Guiding Questions from the previous phase. They will address specific, measurable characteristics
for the finished product. For example:
"The finished game can be made from a standard set of materials, including ..."
"The finished game will help students in k-2 practice their throwing skills."
Variations
Now that you know what game you want to make, do some more research to try to find different sets of instructions to create a few
different versions. You may end up using one, or combining ideas. You may include some ideas of your own. Present 3-4 variations
here with rough sketches or pictures and descriptions that will help the reader recognise the differences between them.
Final Design
Present a detailed description and justification for your final choice of design idea along with labeled planning drawings (multiple views,
if needed). Include measurements where needed. Be sure to cite sources appropriately.
This phase of the project will have 3 parts:
- a blog post that outlines the steps you went through to build the project
- the finished product
- a clear set of instructions for how to set up the game and how to play
Blog post:
During this phase of the project, you will keep track of the steps that you went through to construct your game. Others will be able to
look at your work for ideas and benefit from your experience.
When you put it on your blog, you can post it as a series of steps. Have a look at the following Instructable to see an example of what you will be presenting:
http://www.instructables.com/id/PVC-Instrument-1/?ALLSTEPS
Notice that each Instructable begins with a picture of the final product. Then, it lists the tools and materials needed. Then it shows
the steps. Most try to break a project down to around 6-8 steps. If you run into any difficulties along the way, be sure to include those
and the solutions that you found for them. These can be 'tips' for the reader, so they don't run into the same problems with their
projects.
Be sure to include a section that explains and justifies any changes from your original design from the previous phase of the Design
Cycle. It is OK to make changes. This is all part of the process. But be sure to explain what you changed and why you changed it. This
is the evidence of learning that we are looking for in your written work.
Also, be sure to take pictures along the way! This will make your process journal easier to follow and will likely save you some writing.
Keep in mind that the reader should be able to understand your steps and create a similar project of their own based on your
information.
Instruction booklet:
The set of instructions will be combined with the instruction booklets for the rest of your group. You will assemble it together into a
single booklet that will be given to the P.E. teachers at the end of the unit along with the pieces for your games.
Phase 4: Evaluating- design detailed and relevant testing methods, which generate data, to measure the success of the solution
- critically evaluate the success of the solution against the requirements based on authentic tests
- explain how the solution could be improved
- explain the impact of the solution on the client/target market.
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In this phase, you will reflect on both the quality of your product and on the process that you went through to develop it.
The Product
Summarise the feedback that you got about the project. What did people like about it? What didn't they like? Do you agree? With
a little more time, how would you change it? If you had some more time to work on it, or were going to build a new version, what
could you do to take it to the next level? How does it play? How easy was it to run the game? To what extent does it fulfil the
specifications that you set at the beginning?
The Process
Consider your work at each phase of the Design Cycle. How well did you manage your time and resources? Did your work at one
step help inform what you had to do in the next? Were the steps that you went through helpful? Where did you do well? Where
could you improve? To what extent were you successful in accomplishing what you set out to do? What steps will you take to
improve the quality of your work on future projects?