Grade 8 Design

2014-2015
MYP 3
AIS School Mission
AIS Kuwait inspires students to become critical thinkers and contributing world
citizens through rigor and balance in a nurturing educational environment.
I.
Course Description:
The Grade 8 (MYP 3) Design course implements the full Design Cycle to provide students
with the opportunity to inquire and analyze, Develop ideas, Create a solution, evaluate the
learning and the outcome as well as providing hands on projects.
This year we will be offering a number of assignments in Design: our first assignment will
be to create a Blog website, which our students can record all their other assignments on.
The second assignment will be the self sustaining futuristic City assignment as part of this
assignment they will have the opportunity to build it using recycled products or they can
chose create it virtually using a computer program.
Thirdly we will be completing a NXT Rescue Robotic Assignment which will basically be
designing, building and programming a robot that will be able to enter a building and put
out a fire.
To do this assignment our students will be use a Lego Mind Storms for schools. Our
students work with concepts such as prototyping, budgeting and inventory to produce
complete solutions, while robotics skills focus progressively more sharply on purposedesigned programming. All of which will be uploaded onto the Blog website which was
their first assignment.
II. The AIS standards that will be addressed in the course.
Standard 1
Identifies the problem to be solved.
Standard 2
Develops the Design Brief.
Standard 3
Formulates a Design Specification.
Standard
3 possible Designs of the product.
4&5
Standard 6
Uses appropriate techniques and equipment.
Standard 7
Follows the plan.
Standard 8
Creates the product or solution.
Standard 9
Evaluates the product or solution.
Standard 10 Evaluates use of the Design Cycle.

III. The Purpose of MYP Assessment

The purpose of assessment is to collect data to measure student progress to improve
academic achievement and instructional practices. In order to achieve this, the teacher:
Provides opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding of content and
application of concepts.
Measures and communicates the students' progress.
Provides feedback for the growth and improvement of student learning.

 Reflects on data to guide and strengthen their instructional practices.

IV. Types of Assessment

Assessment is categorized into two forms, both having an equally important role in
measuring student progress.
Formative Assessment
A tool used to measure student progress for the purpose of identifying specific
areas for growth and measuring proficiency.
Data collected for the purpose of guiding and adjusting instruction to meet students
needs.
Formative assessments occur formally and informally often throughout the unit of
study.
Summative Assessment
Summative assessments mirror the skills, content, MYP, and expectations of earlier
formative assessments.
Summative assessments are tools used to measure students' level of achievement
as measured by the MYP subject specific criterion/rubrics at the end of a unit or
taught concept.
The summative assessment is written collaboratively before the beginning of the
unit.
Rubrics are provided to students and explained when the summative assessment is
assigned (normally when the unit begins).
V. Subject Specific Criteria and Moderation
Criteria

Grade

Summative

Formative

Criterion A

Inquiring & Analyzing

Maximum 8

Multiple times

Multiple times

Criterion B

Developing Ideas

Maximum 8

Multiple times

Multiple times

Criterion C

Creating the solution

Maximum 8

Multiple times

Multiple times

Criterion D

Evaluating

Maximum 8

Multiple times

Multiple times

Boundary
0
15
69
10 14
15 18
19 23
24 27
28 - 32

Final
Grade
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

After a summative has been completed, all teachers who have given the summative meet
to moderate, or determine the levels of student achievement based on the rubric provided
for the criteria assessed.
VI. The Units and Timeline
Design Cycle Unit The Blog
Website
Area of Interaction:
Globalization and Sustainability
IB Learner Profile:
Thinkers, Communicators, Reflective
Students will have the chance to create
a Blog Website, where they will need to
show evidence of inquiry & analyst,
developing Ideas, creating a solution
and evaluating their site using the
Design Cycle.

NXT Unit Building & Programming

Area of Interaction:
Globalization and Sustainability
IB Learner Profile:
Thinkers, Reflective, Knowledgeable
Students will have the chance to learn
the NXT Robots and further their
knowledge of building and
programming using the new design
cycle for Design.

Design Cycle Unit Sustainable

Futuristic City
Area of Interaction:
Globalization and Sustainability
IB Learner Profile:
Thinkers, Communicators, Reflective
Student will be able to design and
create a sustainable city for the
future.

Suggested due dates for the Assignments are:

1. The Blog Website Due: within the first week of November
2. The Sustainable city of the future Due: the last week in January
3. The NXT Rescue Robotics assignment is due: last week in April

VII. Texts and resources

Students will use a variety of online resources and software programs provided in class.
VII. Referencing Other Handbooks and Technologies
Classroom Expectations:

Arrive promptly to class with a willingness to learn.

Exhibit a positive attitude.
Show respect to yourself, your classmates, teachers and facilities.
Refer to your Agendas regarding Middle School policies.
Use Edmodo as a means of communication.

Contact Information:
Mr. Mark Davie
Phone Extension/Room: 401/249
email: mark.davie@ais-kuwait.org