Group work: Design Groups
In this Inquiry, students will work in groups of 4 to 5 to market, design, and build their garden box. Additionally, those same groups will research and create an information display about an issue relating to consumerism and quality of life to be showcased at the final sale.
Each group has specific roles that need to be fulfilled by one or two students:
Marketing (1)
This person is responsible for understanding WHO (target market) will be purchasing this product and HOW to sell to that target market.
As the market leader in you team, you need to first:
- Find out what type of garden box is desirable
- Share your findings with the Research and Design team
Then, as part of the marketing team you will need to:
- Find out who will buy your garden box (your target market) and for how much
- Find the most effective way to advertise to your target market
Design (2)
This person is responsible for finding out what type of garden box their group will build. They will be able to explore creative design elements, but they will also need to work closely with the marketer to design a garden box that is functional and meets the needs of the target market, including staying on budget.
Working with the marketer, the designer will need to make decisions on:
- Materials used - including wood, fasteners and finishes
- Size and shape
- Design elements (i.e. bench, trellis, etc)
The designer will need to create a blueprint of their design using Google sketch-up. They will then present their design to the full-class design team and in order to choose which designs will move forward to the development phase.
Research and communication (2)
These people are responsible for researching and promoting larger issues of food sustainability and local consumerism that their group feels is important. They will promote the ethical component of their project and need to explain WHY this project is worthwhile.
Researchers will:
- Work with the marketers to help increase the value of the product
- Investigate the issue chosen by the group
- Create an information display promoting the issue investigated
Group work: Class teams
In addition to the student “design groups,” students will also break out into teams based on their roles in their individual groups within their homerooms.
