Learning in Comfort
By Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, September 13, 2006
Grade Level
- Middle School
Category
- Furniture Design
Subject Area
- Arts
- Language Arts
- Social Studies
Lesson Time
Two 50-minute class periods
Introduction
Should classrooms be comfortable spaces? Students spend many hours sitting at their school desks. In this activity students will research school rooms from the past. They will create a design for a school desk that is tailored to the specific needs of today's students.
National Standards
Writing
Standard 1. Level III. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
1. Prewriting: Uses a variety of prewriting strategies (e.g., makes outlines, uses published pieces as writing models, constructs critical standards, brainstorms, builds background knowledge)
5. Uses content, style, and structure (e.g., formal or informal language, genre, organization) appropriate for specific audiences (e.g., public, private) and purposes (e.g., to entertain, to influence, to inform)
Listening & Speaking
Standard 8. Level III. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
6. Makes oral presentations to the class (e.g., uses notes and outlines; uses organizational pattern that includes preview, introduction, body, transitions, conclusion; uses a clear point of view; uses evidence and arguments to support opinions; uses visual media)
Working With Others
Standard 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group
Thinking & Reasoning
Standard 5. Applies basic trouble-shooting and problem-solving techniques
Visual Arts: Artistic Expression & Communication
Objectives
Students will do the following:
- conduct Internet research
- respond to writing prompts
- create a graphic organizer
- analyze and evaluate information
- create a design for a desk
- evaluate group work
- conduct surveys
- create a presentation
Resources
-
"Desktop Musings" handout
-
"Learning in Style Contest" handout
Materials
- computer with Internet access
- clay
- drawing materials
- markers, pencils, crayons, etc.
Procedures
Building Background Seat of Learning
The purpose of this activity is to allow students to explore examples of classroom desks from the past. 1. Divide your class into small groups and ask them to view the following Internet sites, which feature pictures of classroom desks.- What are the differences in design, construction and materials of the old desks and the new desks?
- What can we learn about society's view of education from the way the desks were designed?
Steps for Learning Learning in Style Design
The purpose of this activity is to provide students with an opportunity to use the steps of the design process to create a new student desk.
1. Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a copy of the "Learning in Style Design Contest" handout.
2. After the votes have been counted, host a discussion on the winning desk design.
Assessment
Reflection
Create a class rubric with your students that will help them understand the effectiveness of their design process. Use the following guidelines to help create the rubric.-How effective was your brainstorming in generating ideas?
Excellent Good Adequate Poor-Rate how effectively you analyzed the information you used to identify your problem.
Excellent Good Adequate Poor-Rate the effectiveness of your solution.
Excellent Good Adequate Poor
-Rate how clearly you communicated the problem you wanted to solve.
Excellent Good Adequate Poor
-Rate how clearly you communicated your solution.
Excellent Good Adequate Poor
-Rate your effectiveness as problem solvers.
Excellent Good Adequate Poor
-Rate your creativity.
Excellent Good Adequate Poor
Enrichment Extension Activities
Activity One: Desk Research
1. Have students conduct further research by asking their parents, caregivers, and/or grandparents about the desks they used in their classrooms. Invite students to share what they have learned with the entire class.
2. Investigate desks that are designed for an office and compare those to the desks students designed.
Activity Two: Classroom Seating Arrangements
Ask your students to read the Education World article entitled "Do Seating Arrangements and Assignments = Classroom Management?" at http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr330.shtml and share what they learn with their classmates.
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