In this Grade 7 MYP Design unit, students will explore the role of toys in promoting equitable early childhood development, focusing on hand-eye coordination skills for children aged 3-6. Through research, design thinking, and practical application, students will investigate how access to developmentally appropriate toys can enhance human capabilities and foster fair opportunities for growth. The unit will challenge students to create innovative, inclusive toy designs that not only improve hand-eye coordination but also consider factors such as cultural adaptability, accessibility, and sustainable production.
Equitable access to developmentally appropriate toys can enhance human capabilities and promote fair opportunities for early childhood growth.
Development
Innovation, Ergonomics
Fairness and development
Human Capability and Development
What are the key developmental milestones for hand-eye coordination in children aged 3-6?
What safety regulations must be considered when designing toys for young children?
How do different materials affect the durability and functionality of toys for early childhood development?
How does the design of a toy influence a child's cognitive and physical development beyond just hand-eye coordination?
In what ways can toy design contribute to reducing developmental disparities among children from different socioeconomic backgrounds?
How can the principles of inclusive design be applied to create toys that support equitable development opportunities for all children?
To what extent should technology be incorporated into toys designed for developing hand-eye coordination in young children?
Is it more important for a hand-eye coordination toy to be culturally adaptable or to focus solely on its primary function?
Should toy designers prioritize affordability over innovative features to ensure fair access to developmental toys?
Hand-eye coordination is a critical skill to develop, especially at an early age. Your challenge will be to understand what it is and why it is important, research how you can create a toy to support the development of hand-eye coordination and create a solution that will be used by children aged 3-6.
What to do:
Clearly explain what hand-eye coordination is and why it is important for children aged 3-6.
Justify the need for toys that develop this skill, considering issues of fairness, accessibility, and early childhood development.
How to achieve 7–8:
Provide a detailed explanation of hand-eye coordination, supported by research and examples.
Analyze why this skill is crucial for young children’s development and future learning.
Justify the need for equitable access to toys that support this skill, referencing global or local issues where relevant.
Use a range of reliable sources and connect your explanation to the unit’s statement of inquiry and global context.
What to do:
Identify what you need to find out to design an effective, inclusive toy for hand-eye coordination.
Distinguish between primary research (e.g., interviews, surveys, observations) and secondary research (e.g., articles, books, reports).
How to achieve 7–8:
Clearly list and prioritize both primary and secondary research questions, explaining why each is important.
Show critical thinking in deciding which research is most valuable for your design challenge.
Justify your choices by linking them to the needs of your target users (children aged 3-6) and the unit’s key concepts.
Thoroughly address the research questions with detailed and referenced answers and summaries
What to do:
Research and analyze at least three existing toys designed to improve hand-eye coordination or that helps to support your ideas for creation such a solution.
Consider aspects such as cultural adaptability, accessibility for diverse users, ergonomics, and sustainability.
How to achieve 7–8:
Provide detailed, comparative analysis of each product, using clear criteria (e.g., effectiveness, inclusivity, safety, materials, cultural relevance or ACCESSFM).
Identify strengths and limitations of each product, using evidence from your research.
Make connections to innovation and development, and suggest how your findings will inform your own design.
What to do:
Write a design brief that summarizes your findings and clearly states the requirements for your toy design.
Ensure your brief addresses the needs of children aged 3-6 and incorporates considerations of fairness, accessibility, and sustainable development.
How to achieve 7–8:
Produce a detailed, well-structured design brief that synthesizes your research and analysis.
Clearly state the intended user, purpose, and essential features of your toy.
Justify your design direction by referencing research, analysis, and the unit’s statement of inquiry.
Demonstrate how your solution will support equitable development and human capability.
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(3 or more of)
i. states the need for a solution to a problem
i. outlines the need for a solution to a problem
Outline the need for a solution to the problem for a specific client or target audience.
Show some understanding of why hand-eye coordination is important for young children, but explanations may lack detail or depth.
Reference the context or statement of inquiry, but connections may be basic or general
i. explains the need for a solution to a problem
Clearly explain the need for a solution, showing understanding of why it matters for the target audience.
Provide reasons, supported by some research, for why toys to develop hand-eye coordination are needed.
Make relevant connections to the statement of inquiry and global context
i. explains and justifies the need for a solution to a problem
Thoroughly explain and justify the need for a solution, using detailed research and multiple perspectives.
Analyze why hand-eye coordination is crucial for early development and support your points with evidence.
Explicitly connect your justification to the statement of inquiry, key concepts, and global context
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ii. states the research needed to develop a solution to the problem, with some guidance
Outline a research plan that identifies some primary and secondary research needed, with some guidance.
List basic research questions or topics, but prioritization may be unclear or limited.
Show some awareness of what information is needed to design an effective toy
ii. constructs a research plan, which states and prioritizes the primary and secondary research needed to develop a solution to the problem, with some guidance
Construct a research plan that identifies and prioritizes primary and secondary research needed, with some guidance.
Provide a clear list of research questions and explain why certain research is more important.
Justify your choices and show understanding of how this research supports your design challenge
ii. constructs a research plan, which states and prioritizes the primary and secondary research needed to develop a solution to the problem independently
Construct a detailed research plan independently, identifying and prioritizing all primary and secondary research needed.
Clearly justify the importance of each research area for the target audience.
Demonstrate critical thinking in prioritizing research and connect your choices to the unit’s concepts and context
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iii. outlines one existing product that inspires a solution to the problem
Analyse one existing product that inspires a solution to the problem.
Describe some features of the product, but analysis may be basic or lack depth.
Make some attempt to connect the product to the design challenge
iii. describes a group of similar products that inspire a solution to the problem
Analyse a range (at least two or three) of existing products that inspire a solution.
Compare features such as effectiveness, inclusivity, or materials.
Identify some strengths and limitations, showing understanding of how these inform your own design
iii. analyses a group of similar products that inspire a solution to the problem
Analyse a range of existing products in detail, using clear criteria (e.g., ergonomics, sustainability, cultural adaptability).
Provide comparative analysis with evidence, identifying strengths and limitations.
Explicitly connect findings to innovation, development, and how they will inform your own design
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iv. states some of the main findings of relevant research
iv. develops a basic design brief, which outlines some of the findings of relevant research
Develop a design brief that outlines the analysis of relevant research.
Summarize some findings, but the brief may lack detail or clear structure.
Address the basic needs of the target audience
iv. develops a design brief, which outlines the findings of relevant research
Develop a design brief that explains the analysis of relevant research.
Clearly state the intended user, purpose, and main features of your toy.
Justify your decisions with reference to research and the unit’s context
iv. develops a design brief, which presents the analysis of relevant research
Develop a detailed design brief that synthesizes and summarizes your research and analysis.
Justify your design direction with strong evidence and explicit links to the statement of inquiry and global context
For Criterion B, your task is to create a poster.
As part of criterion B1, Developing Design Specifications, you need to identify the key features that your toy will have. Consider the criteria you used to analyse products in criterion A. These features should be highlighted on your poster and linked to your sketches as annotations, where appropriate.
Your poster must include 3 distinct design ideas, each of which you develop incrementally. You will show these ideas with sketches and each idea will have multiple parts to it. Remember that Developing Design Ideas means taking an idea and improving on it bit by bit.
Make sure to highlight the design you have chosen. Your poster will contain a few ideas and sketches, and you need to identify and then justify your choice of one of them. You will Present the Chosen Idea and this will be the toy that you create in criterion C. Highlight the chosen design and provide a short written justification for why this choice meets the design brief you created in criterion A.
Finally, as part of criterion B4, where you Develop Planning Drawings, you must include at least one 3D render of your chosen idea. You should use TinkerCad to create this and take a screenshot of your 3D model to place it in your poster.
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What to do:
Break down your design process into clear, manageable tasks.
Estimate the time needed for each task and identify the resources required.
Present your plan as a timeline using the GANTT chart format.
How to achieve 7–8:
Develop a highly detailed plan that includes all necessary tasks, accurate time estimates, and a comprehensive list of resources.
Create a clear, well-organized GANTT chart that visually represents your timeline and dependencies between tasks.
Show evidence of independent planning and logical sequencing of steps.
Justify your choices for task order, time allocation, and resource selection.
What to do:
Create your toy according to your plan, using appropriate tools and materials.
Document each step of your making process in your process journal (with photos, sketches, and written reflections).
Show evidence of your technical skills, such as measuring, cutting, assembling, and finishing.
How to achieve 7–8:
Demonstrate a high level of competence and precision in using a variety of tools and techniques.
Provide detailed, step-by-step documentation of your process, including challenges and how you solved them.
Use your process journal to highlight your skill development and problem-solving abilities.
Show initiative and independence in your approach to making the product.
What to do:
Use your plan to guide the creation of your toy.
Regularly refer to your GANTT chart and adjust your actions as needed.
Document any deviations from your plan in your process journal.
How to achieve 7–8:
Follow your plan closely, making only necessary adjustments based on real challenges or improvements.
Clearly document how you stayed on track and managed your time and resources effectively.
Reflect on your ability to follow the plan and provide evidence of self-management and organization.
Ensure your final product closely matches your design specifications and requirements.
What to do:
Reflect on any changes you made to your original plan or design during the making process.
Clearly explain why you made these changes.
Justify how these changes improved your process or final product.
How to achieve 7–8:
Provide thorough, well-reasoned justifications for all changes to BOTH your plan and your ideas, supported by evidence from your process journal.
Include visual comparisons
Explain the impact of each change on your timeline, process, and final solution.
Demonstrate critical thinking and a clear understanding of how adaptation led to a better outcome.
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For Criterion D, you will create a visually engaging infographic that evaluates your toy solution for developing hand-eye coordination in children aged 3–6. Your infographic must clearly address all four strands of Criterion D, using both text and visuals to communicate your findings and reflections at a high level of detail and critical thinking.
What to do:
Clearly describe the methods you used to test your toy’s success (e.g., observation, surveys, performance tests).
Show how these methods generate both qualitative and quantitative data relevant to your design specifications.
Include who tested your toy, what was measured, and how you ensured the tests were fair and reliable.
How to achieve 7–8:
Present a variety of well-designed, detailed testing methods that directly measure each aspect of your design specifications.
Use visuals (charts, icons, diagrams) to illustrate your testing process and the types of data collected.
Explain why each method was chosen and how it helped you evaluate your solution
What to do:
Present the results of your testing, using both data and direct feedback from users.
Evaluate how well your toy met each design specification (e.g., effectiveness, safety, fun, durability).
Use evidence from your tests to support your evaluation.
How to achieve 7–8:
Critically analyze your results, discussing strengths and weaknesses for each specification.
Use visuals (tables, graphs, user quotes) to make your evaluation clear and engaging.
Make explicit connections between your evidence and your conclusions about the success of the solution
What to do:
Identify specific areas where your toy could be improved, based on your testing and user feedback.
Suggest realistic changes or enhancements.
How to achieve 7–8:
Provide thoughtful, well-justified suggestions for improvement, supported by evidence from your evaluation.
Use visuals (callouts, before/after diagrams) to illustrate your proposed changes.
Explain how these improvements would better meet the needs of your target audience and the design specifications.
What to do:
Reflect on how your toy affected the children who used it (e.g., development of hand-eye coordination, enjoyment, inclusion).
Consider both positive impacts and any limitations.
How to achieve 7–8:
Clearly explain the impact of your solution, using evidence from your tests and user feedback.
Use visuals (infographic icons, testimonials, summary boxes) to highlight the key impacts.
Connect your reflections to the unit’s statement of inquiry, key concepts, and the global context
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