Our first step was to collect the animals that matched each home so they could be used in the planning and creation of the homes. They have to fit inside the homes of course! 

After collecting their animals and photos of their chosen animal home, the children got to work!  

Before touching the materials, the children have to understand who they are building for. By looking at pictures of real habitats and discussing what the animals need to be comfortable and survive, the children develop empathy for the creature’s needs—shelter, safety, and comfort. The children took their picture and looked through the piles of materials, and begin to see possibilities. At this age, a solo cup isn't just a cup; it's a roof or a bed!

Once materials were collected the building began. Throughout this hands-on process the children used trial and error to build and rebuild their structures. Specifically they practiced skills such as:

• Structural Thinking: They figured out that a heavy box won't stay on top of a flimsy cup without help.

• Material Science: They learn that masking tape works better on cardboard than a glue stick does, or that plastic tops can create a slanted roof.

In Design Thinking, failure is data. For a preschooler, this looks like their animal home collapsing or being too small for the toy animal to fit inside.  Instead of getting discouraged, they are encouraged to "fix" it and refine their structure to make it work. This stage builds resiliency. They learn that the first version is rarely the final version.

The final products in their specific places on the farm:

The Power of Collaboration: The "Team" Build

We had two homes left to develop, so we broke into teams and got to work. After identifying as a whole group what color of materials we needed, one group went to work on the pig pen while the other went to work on the duck and goose pond. At this age, children are moving from parallel play (playing near each other) to cooperative play (playing with each other). Design Thinking accelerates this shift. The children shared their ideas, worked together with materials and developed a shared vision for what their assigned home needed to be. They moved from the rug where they collected the parts and used trial and error to put them together to the table where they put the final product together. Through collaboration and communication, each group constructed their ideal home for the specific animal(s).

What do we need to keep the animals inside the farm??

One last building task for the class as a whole was to build a fence around the farm. We began with a discussion about the importance of the animals' safety and that they had to stay inside the farm. But farmers have to be able to get in and out of the farm and the animals have to get out into the field when they need to. We agreed that they aren't just building a wall; they are creating a secure environment based on the specific needs of the animals. As a collaborative group they turned their abstract ideas into a physical 3D model. If they run out of long blocks, they pivot and use two small ones—this is resourcefulness, a core design mindset. 

What transpired was an active and collaborative experience where the children used many different types of blocks to build the farm's fence. The negotiated, collaborated and problem-solved as they added blocks to different areas of the fence. When blocks fell they picked them up and tried again. When a space was open they decided what block would fit and why. We are happy to report that our animals are all safe and secure in our farm!