Smart Goal

Independent Creativity Framework (Advanced Edition)

Plan. Design. Build. Evaluate.

🧭 1. PLAN — Define your purpose

Before you start, identify:

• 🎯 Goal: What do I want to accomplish today?
  
  

• ⚠️ Challenge: What problem or limitation do I expect to face?
  
  

• 🔍 Criteria for success: How will I know it works?
  
  

Examples:

• “Design a gear system that increases speed by at least 2:1.”
  
  

• “Build a wooden prototype that balances upright for 5 seconds.”
  
  

• “Create a circuit that triggers a light automatically when it gets dark.”
  
  

• “Program a KODU game where my character collects three objects to win.”
  Or  “Create a Scratch animation that shows cause and effect between two scientific events (like day and night or lunar phases).”
  
  

📘 Think like an engineer: Every project — physical or digital — solves a problem or improves something.

🧩 2. DESIGN — Make a plan before you act

Sketch or outline your idea before touching materials.
Include:

• Steps in order
  
  

• Materials/tools list
  
  

• Safety check
  
  

• Prediction: What do you expect to happen?
  
  

💬 Checkpoint: Share your plan with a partner or teacher. Get one suggestion to improve it before building.

🔧 3. BUILD — Execute your design

Work carefully and purposefully:

• Follow your plan — or adapt it with a reason.
  
  

• Record changes in your notebook: Why did you change this?
  
  

• Test as you go. Don’t wait until the end.
  
  

💡 Pro tip: Real engineers test early, fail fast, and adjust.

📊 4. EVALUATE — Measure and reflect

When you finish (or run out of time):

• ✅ Did your design meet your criteria?
  
  

• ⚙️ What worked better than expected?
  
  

• 🔄 What needs improvement, and why?
  
  

• 📈 How could you redesign it next time for better results?
  
  

Encourage evidence-based reflection:

“My gear ratio worked, but friction from the axle slowed it down.”
“The wood joint was uneven, so I’ll measure twice before cutting next time.”

🚀 5. EXTEND — Push your thinking further

Choose one:

• Optimize: Make your design faster, stronger, or more efficient.
  
  

• Communicate: Create a short presentation or video explaining your process.
  
  

• Connect: Find a real-world example of a similar invention or engineering principle.
  
  

• Mentor: Help a classmate debug or improve their design.
  
  

💬 CLASS GUIDING PRINCIPLES

“Good makers don’t wait for directions — they make decisions.”
“If it fails, you learned something. If it works, prove why.”