Lesson Plans

THE CHALLENGE: Green Design

Content: Materials, Improve a design, Create a prototype
Theme: Green

Engineers find ways to improve existing products. One way to make an item better is to use fewer raw materials to make it.

In this hands-on challenge, students consider ways to repurpose materials and invent an environmentally friendly beverage can holder. In the process, they consider what it means to be "green," identify low-impact alternatives for common items, and use the design process to devise a "green" packaging system for beverage cans.

Get more resources about "green" engineering.

IN CLASS

Spark students' thinking about what it means to be "green" by giving them a problem to solve and asking them to build a prototype.

  • Repurpose Four Everyday Objects

    First, get your students thinking creatively about materials and how to use them. Watch this video demonstrating how everyday objects can be "repurposed" into something new.

    Watch


  • Package Design - Jennifer Chua

    Inspire students with this video of Jennifer Chua, a 25-year-old packaging engineer who works at Method, a company in San Francisco that specializes in nontoxic, biodegradable products. Jennifer makes high-quality products that are both good-looking and good for the environment. (2:14)

    Watch | Download

  • Brainstorm

    Discuss the negative effects of plastic six-pack holders on the environment. Challenge students to create a prototype of an environmentally friendly can holder with the Harmless Holder activity, available below. (30min)

  • Harmless Holder

    Invent a holder for six cans that's animal-safe, sturdy, convenient, and easy to carry.

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    Download PDFs: Student Handout (English | Spanish), Leader Notes (English | Spanish)

AT HOME

During this "At Home" challenge, students will search their homes for products that have environmentally un-friendly packaging and then will create a sketch or prototype that improves upon the original design.

  • Improve the Design

    First, students will find examples of products that could be more environmentally friendly. Then, they will create a prototype or sketch their ideas for how the products' design could be improved. Finally, they will bring in their prototypes and sketches to discuss in class the next day.

CLASSROOM WRAP-UP

Explore the examples gathered in the "At Home" challenge, and then discuss students' prototype designs. Follow this up by watching what a professional engineer is doing in this field, and what three students created as a part of the "Trash to Treasure" challenge.

  • Share

    Share examples of products with environmentally un-friendly packaging. Discuss the entire "life-cycle" of the product – from manufacture to disposal. Then discuss the prototypes the students designed. What materials are commonly used? What strategies are used to make the packaging more enviro-friendly? (15 min)

    Optionally, have your students post photo or sketches of their projects to the DESIGN SQUAD website in the Project gallery created for Harmless Holder.

  • Eco-Electronics - Erin Gately

    Industrial engineer Erin Gately creates new environmentally friendly products for Hewlett-Packard by ensuring that HP's computer products are made with fewer non-recyclable materials. (2:37)

    Watch | Download

  • Trash to Treasure (DESIGN SQUAD Nation Season 1, Episode 110)

    Optionally, have students watch the episode "Trash to Treasure" and see how engineering was used to fulfill three students' dreams of creating a special device from recycled materials. (28:40)

    Watch