Refining Our Designs

Lesson Overview

Lesson Number: 12 of 18
Unit Title: Spice Rack Design Challenge
Lesson Title: Making Adjustments Based on Feedback
Duration: 53 minutes
Target Group: Year 7 & 8
Number of Students: 10
Curriculum: Western Australian Curriculum – Technologies Learning Area
Strand: Design and Technologies – Knowledge and Understanding / Processes and Production Skills
Context: Materials and Technologies Specialisations

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Curriculum Alignment

Year 7 & 8 – Design and Technologies

Knowledge and Understanding:

• Investigate and select from a range of technologies — materials, systems, components, tools and equipment — to design and make solutions (WATPST52)

Processes and Production Skills:

• Critique needs or opportunities for designing, and investigate and select a range of materials, components, tools and techniques to effectively make designed solutions (WATPPS42)
• Develop, modify and communicate design ideas using annotated diagrams and appropriate technical terms (WATPPS44)
• Independently and collaboratively plan, manage and safely produce designed solutions for a range of needs or opportunities (WATPPS47)
• Evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions against comprehensive criteria for success recognising the need for sustainability (WATPPS48)

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Learning Intentions

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand how to apply feedback to improve their spice rack prototypes.
• Refine their designs to increase both function and aesthetic appeal.
• Make informed, design-based decisions about changes to materials, structure or proportions.
• Collaboratively problem-solve and iterate designs through practical modification.

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Success Criteria

Students will demonstrate their learning by:

• Using peer feedback to inform at least two specific changes to the spice rack design.
• Presenting an updated annotated sketch showing the revised design.
• Beginning to apply modifications using appropriate tools and safety considerations.
• Articulating why changes were made and linking them to user needs and design criteria.

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Required Materials

• Student notebooks/design portfolios
• Peer feedback forms (compiled from previous lesson)
• Drawing tools: ruler, pencils, fine liners
• Devices with design software (optional – for digital sketches)
• Construction materials used in prototypes (timber, screws, MDF, acrylic, etc.)
• Tools relevant to individual projects (hand saws, screwdrivers, glue guns, clamps, drills, sandpaper, etc.)
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – safety glasses, gloves, aprons, ear protection

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Differentiation Strategies

• Support: Visual diagrams displayed on board; access to pre-written sentence starters for reflecting on feedback.
• Extension: Students can be challenged to create a 3D mock-up or explore adjustability features (e.g. modular architecture) or aesthetics inspired by local Aboriginal designs using sustainable materials.
• Collaboration: Encourage students to pair up based on complementary skills—builders with sketchers, planners with hands-on learners.

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Lesson Sequence

00:00 – 00:05 | Welcome and Re-cap

• Greet students, take attendance.
• Brief recap of last lesson: peer feedback process.
• Display key phrase: "Design is not what it looks like—it’s how it works."

Teacher Talk: "Today is about making your designs better—not just fixing mistakes, but really listening to feedback and aligning your ideas with user needs."

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00:05 – 00:15 | Reflecting on Feedback

Activity: Feedback Reflection

• Students review peer feedback forms in their design portfolios.
• Use a graphic organiser in their book:
  • Column A: Feedback received
  • Column B: What do I agree with?
  • Column C: Actions I will take

Prompting Questions:

• Does this suggestion improve functionality, aesthetics or safety?
• Is this feasible based on materials and tools?
• Can I action this change in the time I have?

Teacher Role: Rove and support, help students interpret feedback and prioritise critical adjustments.

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00:15 – 00:25 | Updated Sketching

Activity: Annotated Redesign Sketches

• Students use their reflections to draw an updated concept sketch.
• Annotations must explain:
  • What change was made,
  • Why it was made,
  • What materials/tools are needed.

Encourage precise vocabulary: “recessed shelf”, “angled bracket”, “ergonomic grip”.

Optional Extension: For digital-savvy students, sketch can be created in SketchUp or Tinkercad.

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00:25 – 00:45 | Commencing Adjustments (Hands-on Prototyping)

Activity: Begin Modifications

• Students retrieve their physical prototypes and start making adjustments.
• Teacher facilitates tool sharing, applies safety briefings as needed, and checks students’ prep plans before they make irreversible changes.

Mini Checkpoints for Teacher:

• Have materials/tools been selected appropriately?
• Is there a clear sketch or plan for the adjustment?
• Is PPE being worn correctly?
• Are students following correct procedural steps (e.g. marking before cutting)?

Classroom Tone: Creative workshop—students help one another, share ideas, and safely experiment.

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00:45 – 00:50 | Stand-Up Progress Report

Activity: Peer Pair-Share

• Students pair up and give a 60-second rundown:
  • What adjustments they made so far,
  • What’s working,
  • What still feels unresolved.

Encourage design-specific language. Prompt: “Instead of just saying ‘I changed it a bit’, say what you changed and why.”

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00:50 – 00:53 | Close and Reflect

Wrap-up Discussion

• Whole class huddle. Teacher highlights some thoughtful design iterations and effective peer-supported moments.

Exit Reflection: Students complete the sentence in their notebook:

“One design change I’m excited about is ____ because ____.”

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Assessment (Formative)

• Observation of students’ reflection processes and choice of changes
• Quality of updated sketches and annotations
• Safe and appropriate use of tools and materials
• Success in articulating rationale for updates during peer share

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Teacher Notes

• Prepare detailed checklist for tool safety checks
• Photograph prototypes before and after changes for portfolio evidence
• If available, record 5-min time-lapse footage showcasing student iteration for classroom reflection later
• Encourage work ethic mindset: “It’s OK if it’s not perfect yet—it’s in progress, and that’s powerful.”

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Cross-Curricular Links

• Mathematics: Measuring and scaling adjustments
• The Arts: Considering design aesthetics
• English: Justifying arguments through feedback interpretation and annotations

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Reflection for Next Lesson

The adjustments made in this lesson will roll into Lesson 13, where students will continue refining structure and begin preparing for the final presentation and peer testing. Their updated sketches and reflection comments should form the basis of their design folio check-in next week.

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Empowering students not just to build—but to rebuild—is at the heart of design thinking. This lesson helps them discover that design is less about 'getting it right' the first time and more about learning through every improvement made.