At a Glance:

Grades:6, 7
Subject:STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
Topic:STEM Challenges
Lesson Length:30 - 40 mins

Standards / Framework:

What will students learn in this activity?

In this lesson, students will develop the idea for an app that will solve a problem they encounter at home or at school.

What should students know before this activity?

Students should be familiar with the design thinking process, in which a product is designed to solve a problem, fueled by empathy for the user.

How can teachers introduce this lesson?

  • Read and discuss the sample comic.
    • Do you think Kaya’s app will work?
    • How would you make the app better? 
  • Brainstorm a list of common problems at home and or school, e.g., completing chores, losing items around the house, being able to focus on homework, time management, sports practice, etc.
  • Evaluate the list as a class, narrowing it down to problems that could potentially be solved with the use of an app.

What will students do?

  • Have students come up with an app to solve one of these problems.
  • Have students sketch a diagram of the app on scrap paper or using a graphic organizer.
  • Using the sample comic as a guide, have students create a three-to-five-panel comic which describes the problem, the app, how the app will solve the problem.
  • Remind students to be creative and have fun!

How can teachers wrap up the lesson?

  • Have students share their amazing app ideas with the class.

How can teachers differentiate this activity?

  • Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
  • Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
  • Allow students to work in pairs or groups as needed.
  • Provide visuals of common problems to help generate ideas.

Related Resources:

  • Comic to print or display