Project 3 Description

For project 3, your team will design and prototype an online activity that engages children in learning about the physical world.  Your project must:

  • engage a child’s curiosity to learn
  • be safe
  • use supplies and technology that are generally available and inexpensive for schools or in the home

Your project may

  • be designed for children of any age. Since we are no longer able to test with 4th graders, you can specify the age of child you want to work with.
  • be completely on-line (e.g. a game). Because I cannot teach game design or user interface design, the ideas behind the game are more important than the implementation.
  • be a video or downloadable media that enable students, guided by teachers or parents, to do the activity

Due Dates

Thursday April 2: Preliminary project ideas due

Thursday 9: Mockup of project; List of tasks and who will do each one

Thursday April 16: Proof of concept prototype

Thursday April 30 Complete project due including documentation

Preliminary Project Ideas: Thursday April 2

During class on Thursday April 2, each team will make a fast, informal presentation of the ideas they have come up with. You should be clear about what the activity is and what the children will learn.

Preliminary Project Description: Thursday April 9

Each team will create a page(s) on the shared google drive explaining the idea they plan to pursue, answering the following questions about the activity:

  1. What is the concept the children will learn?
  2. What will the children do and how will they learn by interacting with your project?
  3. How does your project meet the requirements given above?
  4. What supplies will be needed? What needs to be manufactured? If appropriate, include a sketch of the activity.
  5. What are the tasks for your team and who will do them?

Proof of Concept Prototype: Due Thursday April 16

Each team must bring a proof-of-concept prototype of their activity to class. The purpose is to see whether the project will work and to get more concrete reactions and suggestions from the other teams. The prototype should demonstrate the concept and convince you that your idea probably will or probably won’t work.

Completed project due Thursday April 30

Your class page should document your project, explaining what it is teaching and how it works.