These units are designed to align with Lenny Dutton’s IB curriculum MYP by Concept 1-3: Design published in 2021. The structure of teaching Design Thinking strategies remains a constant for all units 6th - 8th grade, while the units, or “Design Challenges”, provide a project based and collaborative learning experience. Some additional mini units from various other sources are also implemented throughout the year to provide additional variety of STEM concepts.

Overland Trail Middle School is the only IB school in 27j Schools District, however district resources are still applicable and are integrated into student’s project based learning. For example, Gizmos and Discovery Education provide students with the scientific background and digital experiments needed in 7th grade’s Water Crisis unit, 8th grade’s Skatepark Design mini-unit, and 6th grade’s Athletic Shoe Design project.

Classroom Poster

Driving Question: What role might our classroom walls play in our learning environment?

Statement of Inquiry: We must evaluate parts of the systems we belong to, if we hope to improve them.

Inquiry Questions: Factual - What is the third teacher? What posters exist in our current learning environment? How do we use our classroom posters? Conceptual - How might the appearance of the space we learn in change the way we learn? How do visuals help us learn? Debatable - Does an effective learning environment need effective displays?

Design Situation: Your school has decided to update some of its classroom displays and has asked the students to help. The school wants to redesign its displays to transform the learning environments; the budget is zero. You should choose a learning space to work with and different users of that space (teachers and students) to design posters to enhance learning.

Integration: Visual Art - visual communication through the elements of Art, Graphic Design - visual communication through the principles of Design, Technology - students use graphic design programs like Canva or Google Drawing and a large format poster printer

Toys For Refugees

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Assistive Technology

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Athletic Shoe

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Ethical Entrepreneurs

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Light Pollution

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International Emojis

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Fundraising Stickers

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Water Crisis

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Cell Architect

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Tifos

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Vacant Lot

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Collectables

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Flag for a T.C.K.

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Monuments & Memorials

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Skatepark

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Living Spaces

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Food Insecurity

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