Humpty Dumpty and Design Thinking

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling

• Tell your class that the first step as a designer is to develop empathy. Define developing empathy as being able to understand where another person is coming from. In design thinking, it's important to understand what people want and need, and what they believe could help them.
• Display chart paper with 3 columns. Label each column with one of the following questions: Humpty Dumpty, why do you think you fell off of the wall? What do you think would help you keep from falling? What do you think could protect you if you did fall?
• Explain that now your students will have a chance to pretend that they're Humpty Dumpty. After they get their giggles out, remind them that fun projects also require serious work and that you'll be on the lookout for the most believable Humpty Dumpty.
• Ask your class the question: Humpty Dumpty, why do you think you fell off of the wall?
• Allow students to answer this question from the perspective of Humpty Dumpty. Record their answers on the enlarged chart paper.
• Tell students to be creative as they think of reasons for why Humpty Dumpty fell. Encourage them to get into the space of the character.

Guided Practice

• Next, ask your students what they think might be helpful in this situation. Have them turn to a partner and discuss the questions: What do you think would help you keep from falling? What do you think could protect you if you did fall? Remind your class that they should be answering these questions from the perspective of Humpty Dumpty.
• Have students share one idea they (or their partner) had and record the ideas on the enlarged chart paper.

Independent working time

• Tell your students that now they'll have the opportunity to build a prototype of something that would prevent Humpty Dumpty's fall, or protect him after he falls. Define a prototype as the first version of something that is made and that is used to make additional improved versions later.
• If this is your students first time using recycled objects for prototyping, explain how you have set up the materials area, what is available and how they can use the materials appropriately.