Module 4 Human-Centered Design Tools
At a Glance
4.5 Brainstorming techniques using SCAMPER
Essential Question: Are there brainstorming techniques that will help me explore service-learning opportunities within
my community?
Standards
NGSS HS. Engineering Design
Students who demonstrate understanding can:
HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account
for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and
environmental impacts.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy – RST.11-12.7 -Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and
media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
ELA/Literacy- RST.11-12.9 -Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a
coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
Materials
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Video- IDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI3DM_pGH2I
Multimedia presentation
Student Sheets
Brainstorming SCAMPER Cards
Student notebooks
Student Exit Slips
Activities
Activity
Name of the Activity
Photocopies
Materials
1
Preparation for Class - 1.3 and 1.8Teacher Toolbox.
Assigning Team rolls- 1.13 Teacher
Toolbox- Roles and Responsibilities
2
Standards Statement
4.5 Student Sheet
(Option: Unpacking the standards
Teacher toolbox 1.12- Unpacking the
standards)
PowerPoint Presentation
4.5 Student Sheet
3
Introduce Brainstorming with Activity
Student page
Video: IDEO creative thinking
Brainstorming SCAMPER Cards
Notebook
4
Application of Brainstorming
techniques with potential project
information
5
Reflection and Formative
Assessment
PowerPoint Presentation
4.5 Student Sheet
Exit Slips
PowerPoint Presentation
Notebook
Formative Assessment Sheet
Overview
The students have been gathering important information about their community to identify potential needs and
stakeholders that would benefit from a service-learning project. In this activity, the students will be not only brainstorming
© 2015 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association
Advanced Design Applications 2nd Ed.
ideas that will help solidify thoughts, but learning important techniques that are used by engineers to problem-solve and
think creatively.
Major Concepts
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Brainstorming techniques
Metacognition and transfer
Notebook and team building.
Objectives
Students will:
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Learn and apply the brainstorming technique of SCAMPER to identify possible projects in the community.
Analyze their own learning to explore how to problem-solve.
Lesson Preparation
Preparation
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Lesson Preparation: For specific directions on preparing lesson materials, see 1.3 and 1.8 documents in the Teacher
Toolbox.
Instructional Resource: Make sure that you have the PowerPoint presentation and the video-
Procedure
Activity 1: Preparation for the Class
Multimedia Presentation: This lesson will have a multimedia presentation that will help to get the students thinking
about the lesson and walking them through the information. Download the presentation in the folder to have the videos
attached.
Preparing the notebooks- see document 1.3 in the Teacher Toolbox for specific instructions concerning
notebooking.
Line of Learning.
4.5 Brainstorming Techniques
Question: what are some techniques that will help me think
creatively?
Team Roles and Responsibilities- For more detailed information about team roles; use 1.13 Teacher Toolbox
Team Roles and Responsibilities.
Activity 2: Unpacking the Standards
Class Explanation: The students will be exploring how engineering and technology are deeply connected. They will
need to be able to look at different sources of information and synthesize that information into statements that
demonstrate their understandings.
The students will examine the standards to determine what they are going to be learning from this lesson.
Note to Teacher: Here are the standards selected for this lesson.
NGSS HS. Engineering Design
Students who demonstrate understanding can:
HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for
solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
© 2015 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association
Advanced Design Applications 2nd Ed.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy – RST.11-12.7 -Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats
and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
ELA/Literacy – RST.11-12.9 -Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments,
simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting
information when possible.
Application to the lesson: Students will create a list of objectives that will guide their learning through this lesson based on
the above standards. This should include information about synthesizing information from different sources.
Here is a possible Standard Statement: Students will utilize different sources of information and synthesize said
information using problem-solving techniques and critical thinking into possible solutions to a local community needs.
Optional Lesson Component: As an additional component for this lesson, you may use Teacher toolbox 1.12- Unpacking
the standards in a Student Centered Classroom. This gives procedures to help your students create their own standards
statement.
Activity 3: Brainstorming
Note to teachers: To this point, the students have been working to gather information about the needs within their
community. In this activity, the students will be gaining critical skills to help them problem-solve and think
creatively. In EPICS, we use a mnemonic SCAMPER as a brainstorming technique. The students will be using
this to examine projects and think creatively about how they might be improved and or modified.
1.
Engaging prior knowledge- What techniques do you use to think creatively? Do you listen to music,
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Have students share out how they “get the creative juices flowing”
Watch the video – IDEONote to Teacher- IDEO is one of the most creative and innovative think tank
engineering firm in the world. They work with countless business and community organizations to
rethink product development and projects using Design thinking which explores how people use
products.
In Groups Discussion:
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What is Design Thinking?
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Why does IDEO employ designers from different backgrounds?
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Discuss the meaning of the statement “Find the confidence in your creativity” What does that
mean to you?
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Discuss the design of a student desk. What student needs were examined?
Note to teachers: Circulate among the teams as they discuss Design Thinking. Watch to make sure
that all of the students in the group have a voice and explain that this is central to creative thinking
and problem solving.
1.
Whole Group: Share out: Have the groups share out their understandings of Design thinking and
“Finding the confidence in your creativity”
Activity 4: Using the mnemonic devise SCAMPER
Introduction: Think about a devise that you to remember information.
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An example would be MVEMJSUN
My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos
What tools have you used to help remember information?
Have the students share out information.
These devises help us remember information.
© 2015 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association
Advanced Design Applications 2nd Ed.
In Design there is a devise will help us remember tools that can be used to improve or redesign a product
or project.
SCAMPER Brainstorming Activity
Note to Teacher: This activity is designed to help students learn and use a brainstorming creative thinking
tool using the mnemonic SCAMPER. Students will be given an everyday household item that is going to
be the focus for a redesign. They will brainstorm the current uses and through the use of the mnemonic
SCAMPER will create a new use. They will then apply this knowledge to their own ideas of a servicelearning project.
Instructions:
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Pass out cards- 1 for 3-4 people.
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Read the mnemonic SCAMPER and what it represents.
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Give each of the groups a different household item. (this can be anything from a paper clip to a rolling pin)
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What was this item designed to do?
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Each of the groups will be given a card with one of the 7 strategies for brainstorming and design.
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Using the questions on the back, brainstorm your item and how your strategy could change the use of the item.
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Sketch the modification to your item in the notebook.
Whole Group share
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What was your item and what was your brainstorming strategy? Share what you did with the group.
Next round:
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Pass your item to the group to your right, and pass your SCAMPER card to the group on your left.
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Repeat the process with the next item and strategy.
Group Discussion:
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What did you discover about using this strategy with just two of the components?
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Did it help you look at the item in a different way?
Application to Community:
Instruction: You have gathered information about your community and stakeholders. You have explored
Inclusive design and accessibility to all people in your school.
Brainstorm:
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Using the brainstorming strategy of SCAMPER, explore one project or product that you have
identify and determine if it can be altered in some way to be more useful for the community.
Determine which of the strategies would be most effective and describe and draw your new design
in your notebook.
Note to Teacher: Circulate among the teams as they discuss and draw their sketches of the redesign that
they are thinking for a potential project. Remind students to look at their cards for ideas of how they would
be able to think about the potential project in another way.
Activity 5: Wrap-Up: Reflection and Formative Assessment
1) Back to the Standards:
Go back to the original class document about the standards.
Ask the students did they:
o Use the SCAMPER mnemonic as a way of brainstorming?
o Use the tool as a way of examining a problem in the community and exploring it
in a different way?
© 2015 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association
Advanced Design Applications 2nd Ed.
2) Formative Assessment and student reflection: Last 5 minutes of class
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Pass out the Exit slips. This will give you an idea of what they have learned in the lesson.
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Make sure that they students have their notebooks open with their two sheets taped in their
books.
Notebook check:
As the students are filling out the slips, walk around the room and check to make sure that the
student have the following information in their notebook:
 Completed the 4.4 student sheet.
 Completed a sketch that would be a redesign of a possible need within the
community?
 Have the students turn in the exit slip.
3) Teacher Reflection: Look at the student’s exit slips and the student notebook. The teacher reflection sheet is helpful
to reflect on the day’s learning. It is also helpful as an artifact for the class and how they are progressing through the learning
experience.
Questions:
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Have the students expressed an understanding of the SCAMPER mnemonic as a tool for creative thinking?
How are the students reflecting in their notebook?
Are the students showing self-efficacy when reflecting on their own learning in the class?
Resources:
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NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. Washington, DC: The
National Academies Press. For more information see http://www.nap.edu/NGSS/
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers.
(2010). Common Core State Standards for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies,
science, and technical subjects. Washington, DC: Authors.
© 2015 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association
Advanced Design Applications 2nd Ed.