Frederick Meijer Gardens Expansion
                                                                      By:  Jillian Duffy 

Project at a Glance :

The students in Geometry/Trigonometry will be collaborating to use their combined skills to design an expansion for Frederick Meijer Gardens, keeping in mind their philosophy. Students will need to use a variety of math standards to create a scale blueprint of their ideas.
       
Driving Question:

How can we design an expansion for Frederick Meijer Gardens, while keeping in mind their philosophy and ideals?             

Standards:

• CCSS.Math.Content.HSG.MG.A.1
• CCSS.Math.Content.HSG.MG.A.2
• CCSS.Math.Content.HSG.MG.A.3

Team / Culture Building:

• Rapid Cycle Design Thinking Activity: Design the Perfect Bedroom​​

​Entry Event:

• Visit Frederick Meijer Gardens for observations and insights.

Stakeholders:

• Frederick Meijer Gardens visitors, employees, and donors.

Empathy Building:

• Empathy Maps ​

• Stakeholder Maps
  
• Set up meeting for students to interview  Stakeholders.​
• Interview community members to gain insights/ideas.

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Field Trip to Frederick Meijer Gardens, observing and documenting information.
• Online Research - what do other botanical gardens include and why.
• Mini Lessons on math content for design work.

Incubation:

• Show Brainstorming Video - link. Discuss the Dos/Don'ts of brainstorming.
• Use the Idea Quota protocol to generate 100 ideas in a short amount of time.​

Checking in:

• Teacher will have weekly checkins with groups.​
• Check-in Board
• Journaling

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Solution Building:

• As students start to build solutions include project goals and constraints based on stakeholders feedback.
• Use the Dot voting strategy to narrow ideas from the 100 Ideas protocol
• $100 Dollar test - to validate solution ideas

Critique and Revision: 

• Incorporate the NUF Test and Elevator pitches to prepare for presentations.

Authentic Audience:

• Frederick Meijer Gardens visitors, employees, and donors
  

Final Presentation:

• ​ Presentation will be made to Frederick Meijer Gardens Education Employees,  hopefully in person, but possibly through Zoom.
• Students will determine how to present their final blueprint and ideas​.

Reflection and Feedback:

• The Authentic Audience with have time to share feedback at the end of each presentation in the form of - I like, I wonder, I have an idea and Pluses and Deltas
• Students will fill out a Reflection/Group survey following presentations.​​

Click here for teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet . . .

Meet the Educators:
​Jillian Duffy teaches Mathematics for the Academically Talented Youth Program (ATYP) for the Kent Intermediate School District.

     "I am passionate about Design Thinking because it takes the students out of the monotony of traditional learning and gets them actually applying the math they are learning to real-life situations in a way that also promotes the practice of life skills and creative thinking."