Unit Plan Brainstorm for CS&E

Title of Unit   Problem Solving in Teams 

Unit Duration  8 Days (4 Weeks) 
Curriculum  Computer Science and Entrepreneurship 
Area and 
Grade 
Developed  Kanwal Sumnani 
By: 
 

Stage 1 – Purpose  
Essential Question 
How do we go about solving problems and how can we play on the strengths of others to find solutions? 
Guiding Questions 
-What makes a successful team?  
-How can we repurpose resources?  
-What are the steps of the Design Thinking process? 
 
TEKS (Unavailable)/General Unit Vocabulary  Skills
Foci
The Design Thinking Process Empathize, Define (the problem), -Students will work independently and in groups, cycling through the
Ideate, Prototype, and Test process as they perform different engineering challenges
Collaboration and Ways To Create Empathy, Resonance -Students will demonstrate patience and empathy with one another
Spaces For Inclusion -Students will actively seek out ways to draw parallels with one another as
they communicate their ideas
Google Slides Basics Font, Hyperlink, Contrast, Hex -Appropriate use of font selection, font size, and color
Code -Integration of inserting photo and video
-External hyperlinks
-Readable/Coherent Layout (size, overlap, and color/contrast)
-Integrate original photo
Conduct Surveys and Record Data Excel, Cell, Row, Column, -Submit a spreadsheet with survey questions typed, one per row
on Spreadsheet  -Record each vote in columns
-Total votes as final column
-We have both the qualitative survey at the beginning and then the
quantitative (yes/no/vote questions) at the end-- whether or not the final
product effectively conveys the problem
 Unit Plan Brainstorm for CS&E
Ability to collect information URL (Uniform Resource Locator), -Find relevant news sources
(search tools)   Domain (.edu vs .org vs .gov vs -Appropriately cite news sources (APA Format)
.com), Citation

Ability to present a pitch for their Pitch, Scanning, Persuasion, -Basic public speaking skills (eye contact, body language, audience
issue  Logos, Pathos, Ethos consideration)
-How well-written the pitch is (content)
-Use of final product in presentation
-Be a good audience member (what does this mean?)

Stage 2- Assessment 
Culminating Task   
End of Unit Assessment  
Persuasive PowerPoint or other method of Representation 
 
Individual Task: Students will design and construct one thing that could be added to the town 
they live in to increase happiness. This does not need to be a “realistic” invention. For example, if 
one thinks pizza brings happiness, they could invent a pizza dispenser that is on every street 
corner that spits out fresh pizza at the press of a button. 
 
Group Task: As a group, students will combine all of their individual inventions into one single 
town that will have the happiest citizens of all time. They will need to collaborate to decide the 
layout of the town - ​Does the town have streets? Buildings? Trees? Where will all the happy 
inventions go throughout the town? 
 
Rubric: Peer-to-Peer and Group-to-Group Grades utilizing a standard DT rubric and additional 
comments section:  
 
 Unit Plan Brainstorm for CS&E

 
 
*Learning Plan notes in progress in Coaching meetings as part of the curriculum development process  

Planned Learning Plan Activities:  

Week 1: Marshmallow Towers- Problem Solving in Teams  

Week 2: Origami- Problem Solving as Individuals  

Week 3: Exquisite Creatures- Problem Solving in Teams without Collaboration  

Week 4: Happy Town- Embracing Differences as Strengths in Teams