Identify the Problem

LESSON 9: THE DESIGN PROCESS

CHALLENGE 1:
IDENTIFY AND DEFINE THE PROBLEM

THE CHALLENGE 1 MISSION

I can explain how problems lead to invention and innovation.

CHALLENGE 1: IDENTIFY AND DEFINE

Overview of Challenge 1

In Challenge 1, you will learn that inventions and innovations develop as solutions to people's problems. To do this, you will complete three activities in your small groups. These activities will help get you thinking in the right direction about creating your own inventions and innovations.

How to Identify and Define a Problem

IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM: CARDBOARD FURNITURE

Click here to go to the Cardboard Furniture Interactive.

Understanding the problem paves the way for solving it, so be sure to define the challenge before getting started. In this video, teams are challenged to create furniture for the home-goods superstore IKEA—it must be innovative, functional, and made out of recycled cardboard. As you watch, notice how the teams prepare to take on their challenge. What is the problem that these teams are trying to solve and how does each team set out to solve it?

Click the icon on the left to go to the video.

Activity 1: Using What You Know

Inventors are problem solvers. They see problems as puzzles or challenges just waiting for solutions! Although some inventions happen by accident, most inventions come from someone finding and solving a problem. Sometimes the hardest part of inventing is coming up with a real problem to solve.

An invention is something that is so new and original that it's never been seen, used or even thought of before. It is a result of creative thinking and experimentation. An invention is made for the purpose of making life easier, fulfilling a need or a want, or solving a problem. Some things like the television, the telephone and the computer are inventions that have drastically changed the way people live. But many other simple inventions like pencils, Velcro, and coat hangers are everyday items that have become very important to our day-to-day lives as well. Whether you realize it or not, your world is full of inventions, both big and small.

Instructions for Activity 1:

The Courier will come up to the teacher desk and spin the spinner. The spinner will land on the name of a room. The teacher will write the name of the room on a post-it for the Courier. The Courier will take it back to their table.
Your group will have five minutes to login to our Google Classroom and complete the first assignment for Lesson 9 Challenge 1.
For this activity, you will fill out the graphic organizer by coming up with as many inventions in your room as you can think of. The Recorder will type in the group's ideas in the Google Classroom Activity. The Timekeeper will keep an eye on the time.
At the end of the five minutes, the group will then discuss the two most important of these inventions and why they are the most important. The Recorder will type in the group's ideas in the Google Classroom Activity. The Timekeeper will keep an eye on the time.
At the end of the second five minutes, the Speaker will read the 2 most important ones on the list to the class and explain why the group felt these were the two most important ones.
After each group shares, each group will have 5 minutes to talk about all the inventions shared. Groups will discuss the three inventions that they feel are the most important overall and what problems the inventions solved. The Recorder will type in the group's ideas in the Google Classroom Activity. The Timekeeper will keep an eye on the time.
Finally, the teacher will assign all of the inventions that were read in class a number. Students will vote on the top 3 using the online poll. Be ready to defend why these are your top three.
After everyone has voted, we will look at the results and discuss them as a class.

The Lesson Tool Box

design process: an approach for breaking down a large project into manageable chunks

invention: an item, idea, or strategy introduced to people for the first time

innovation: an improvement upon an item, idea, or strategy that has already been invented

collaboration: working with another person or group of people to create, produce, or achieve something

market: to advertise or promote a product

5 Minute Timer

Lesson 9 Challenges

Room Spinner

Google Classroom

Click on the Google Icon below to go to Google Classroom.

Invention Poll

Activity 2: Identify and Define a Problem

Now it is your turn to identify and define a problem. In your groups, you will look at the four components of invention and innovation.

Instructions for Activity 2

Your group will have five minutes to go back to our Google Classroom and complete the second assignment for Lesson 9 Challenge 1. (If you do not have the tab open from before, just go back up to the icons and select your class.)
You will select 1 item from each of the four categories below and create a list of invention ideas using the components of those categories.
Make a list of possible inventions that you could make using the product, process, goal, and audience you chose in the first column. In the second column, explain what problem this invention might help to solve or how this invention will improve life in some way.
The Recorder will type in the group's ideas in the Google Classroom Activity. The Timekeeper will keep an eye on the time. Couriers will ask any questions the group may have.
After the five minutes is up, Speakers will present their group's ideas.

Components Involved in Invention and Innovation