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The Design Process

Eighth graders learn the design-thinking process — empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test — the human-centered method that engineers and app makers use to build things people actually need.

Grade 8Design50 minutes1 class periodUse → Modify → CreateExplicit teaching4 StandardsCSTA
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain the design process.
  • ✓Empathize with users.
  • ✓Prototype and test.
  • ✓Design for people.
Essential Question

Great apps and gadgets don’t start with code — they start with understanding people. That’s design thinking. What are the steps of the design process?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Design Process Explorer

Project this and tap each step. Have students learn the human-centered design-thinking process.

🛠️ Explore the design process — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Use → Modify → Create (a coding progression with Unplugged practice)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — Start With People

5 min

Great tech starts with understanding people — that’s design thinking. How?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a well-designed app.
  • Ask how it was made.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Predict.
2

Unplugged — Unplug It

11 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Empathize with a user.
  • Define their problem.
  • Feel the process.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Empathize.
  • Define it.
  • Feel it.
3

Use — Explore the Process

15 min

Students use.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Design Process Explorer.
  • Note each step.
  • Explain them.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note them.
  • Explain.
4

Modify — Prototype It

14 min

Students modify.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Ideate solutions.
  • Sketch a prototype.
  • Plan a test.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Ideate.
  • Sketch it.
  • Plan it.
5

Create — Create

5 min

Students conclude.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a design step.
  • Explain empathizing.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards and ISTE Standards for Students.

CSTA
2-AP-13

Decompose problems for design.

CSTA
2-AP-17

Systematically test and refine.

CSTA
2-AP-15

Use an iterative design process.

ISTE
4

Innovative Designer.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Design-step cards.
  • Sentence frame: “First I ___.”
  • Use a design example.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with empathize and test.
  • Use a simple problem.
  • Name one step.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Run a full design cycle.
  • Build a paper prototype.
  • Iterate on feedback.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🛠️Design-thinking template
  • 💻The Design Process Explorer
  • ✏️Sketch paper
  • 📋Feedback forms
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

design processa method for creating solutionsdesign thinkinghuman-centered problem-solvingempathizeto understand users’ needsdefineto state the problemideateto brainstorm ideasprototypea rough test versiontestto try it with usersiterateto improve through cycles
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is a good FIRST step in design thinking?
Empathize — understand the people you’re designing for.
QUESTION 2
What is a prototype?
A rough version of your idea, built to test it out.
QUESTION 3
Why do designers test with real users?
To get feedback and improve their design.

Create: design it.

Have students pick a problem, empathize with who has it, and sketch one prototype idea. A printable design-process sheet is in the Computer Science library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 The Design ProcessFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 The Design ProcessQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ The Design ProcessPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: define, design process, design thinking, empathize, ideate, iterate, prototype, test
  1. to brainstorm ideas
  2. to improve through cycles
  3. to state the problem
  4. to understand users’ needs
  5. a method for creating solutions
  6. human-centered problem-solving
  7. a rough test version
  8. to try it with users

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a good FIRST step in design thinking?
  2. What is a prototype?
  3. Why do designers test with real users?
Answer key — Part A: 1) ideate · 2) iterate · 3) define · 4) empathize · 5) design process · 6) design thinking · 7) prototype · 8) test
Part B: 1) Empathize — understand the people you’re designing for. 2) A rough version of your idea, built to test it out. 3) To get feedback and improve their design.