How do you turn a big idea into something real and impactful?
In this lesson, students begin building their first prototype—whether it’s a campaign, visual, or digital tool—designed to address a social media challenge. Through exploration, design, and feedback, they’ll bring their solutions to life in a way that resonates with their audience.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Collaboratively select a final solution format based on feasibility, engagement, and impact using structured comparison tools.
- Create a low-fidelity storyboard to visually map out the narrative structure, content, and audience interaction of their chosen solution.
- Give and receive peer feedback on their storyboard, identifying areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.
- Reflect on their planning process and articulate next steps to guide their transition into prototyping in the next lesson.
What You’ll Need
Minds-on
Skills for the Future:
- Perseverance
- Reasoning
Project Word Wall:
- Storyboarding
- User feedback
- Audience engagement
- Design constraints
- Call to action (CTA)
Bringing an idea to life requires creativity, strategic planning, and the right tools. Now that students have identified a problem and brainstormed solutions, it’s time to develop the first draft of their team prototype. Whether designing a social media campaign, an infographic, a website, or an interactive tool, students will explore digital storytelling techniques, refine their messaging, and create compelling content to engage their target audience. By analyzing real-world examples, experimenting with design tools, and gathering peer feedback, students will take their first step in transforming their ideas into impactful solutions.
In this lesson, students enter the prototype phase of the design thinking process, transforming their ideas into tangible first drafts. They’ll apply digital storytelling techniques and explore design tools to begin building a solution that communicates their message clearly and effectively.
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Standards and Practices
Common Core Standards: Grades 9–10
- W.9–10.1: Write arguments to support claims with reasoning and evidence.
- SL.9–10.1: Participate effectively in collaborative discussions.
- W.9–10.4: Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate for task, purpose, and audience.
- SL.9–10.5: Integrate digital media into presentations to enhance understanding.
Common Core Standards: Grades 11–12
- RI.11–12.7: Evaluate multiple sources of information to address a question or problem.
- W.11–12.6: Use technology to produce, publish, and collaborate on writing.
- W.11–12.1: Write arguments to support claims using valid reasoning and evidence.
- SL.11–12.1: Engage effectively in collaborative discussions.
Next Generation Science Standards
- HS-ETS1-1: Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions.
- HS-ETS1-3: Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs.
- HS-ETS1-4: Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex problem.
International Society for Technology in Education
- Computational Thinker: Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems using computational thinking.
- Global Collaborator (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d): Students use digital tools to broaden perspectives and enrich learning by collaborating with others.
- Innovative Designer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d): Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems.