Veggie Patch Playground

Empathize

Students will engage with a local farm to interview farmers, gathering insights on agricultural practices and plant growth, while documenting their findings and reflecting on how these insights might guide their own raised vegetable garden project.

Days 1 - 5

265 min over capacity (225 min available across 5 days)

Meet the Farmers

Launch 60m

Farm Life Sneak Peek: Watch and Sketch

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Question Cards for Farmers: Empathy Interview

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Farmer Insight Journal

Deliverable 75m

Community Helpers: Invite a Guest

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Empathize Circle: Sharing Understandings

Knowledge/Skill Building 35m

Ethical Empathy: Respectful Observing Practices

Knowledge/Skill Building 35m

Community Case Study: Simple Scenario

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Empathy Summary: Our User Profile

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Milestone Prep: Empathize to Design Plan

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

Define

Students will collaboratively combine insights from a local farm visit and soil tests to develop a shared problem statement that addresses the environmental and community impact of their raised vegetable gardens.

Days 6 - 10

Garden Perspectives Mapping Across Viewpoints

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

How Might We for Garden POV

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Garden POV and HMW Studio

Deliverable 45m

Identifying Garden Roles and Plant Needs

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Ideate

Students will brainstorm and sketch diverse design ideas for their raised vegetable gardens, utilizing collaborative group discussions and imaginative thinking to explore various planting strategies, and will integrate learnings from field visits and soil experiments to refine their plans, ensuring all ideas align with their essential question and community impact goals.

Days 11 - 17

75 min over capacity (315 min available across 7 days)

Mind Mapping Garden Ideas Together

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Soil, Sun, Water: Garden Science

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Observe Local Gardens and Collect Data

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Mini-Lessons on Soil, Sun, and Water

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Brainstorm Garden Ideas and Sketch Concepts

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

Prototype Plan with Roles and Materials

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Gallery Walk: Final Concept Drafts

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Garden Concept Studio

Deliverable 60m

Prototype

Students will focus on building and testing model garden structures, experimenting with various designs to optimize plant health and growth, while documenting their findings and refining concepts through feedback from peers and local farmers.

Days 18 - 26

110 min over capacity (405 min available across 9 days)

Clarify Audience Needs and Goals

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Generate Design Ideas with Criteria

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Sketch Concepts and Storyboard Solutions

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Build Quick Paper Prototype Models

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

Peer Testing and Feedback Reflection

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Paper Prototype Iteration

Deliverable 60m

Plan Roles and Scenarios for Testing

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Practice Observation Logs and Data Recording

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Create Visual User Test Report Drafts

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

User Testing Documentation

Deliverable 60m

Test/Present

Students will showcase their multimedia presentations and interactive garden map exhibit to parents, peers, and community members, inviting them to participate in garden-inspired activities, sample recipes from the 'Garden Recipe Book,' and contribute to the collaborative mural while engaging with feedback from local farmers to refine their garden projects.

Days 27 - 35

70 min over capacity (405 min available across 9 days)

Plan Garden Exhibit Roles and Rubrics

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Measure Plant Growth with Simple Tools

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Create Exhibit Posters and Labels

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Practice Presentations and Peer Feedback

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Set Up Practice Exhibit and Reflect

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

Refine Garden Models with Evidence

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Practice Public Speaking for Exhibit

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Science Inquiry: Testing Garden Results

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Design Session: Final Exhibit Layout

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

Peer Review and Revision Before Showcase

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Final Garden Exhibit

Assessment

Empathize Days 1–5

Day 1

Meet the Farmers

Launch 60m

Farm Life Sneak Peek: Watch and Sketch

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 2

Question Cards for Farmers: Empathy Interview

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 3

Farmer Insight Journal

Deliverable 75m

Mind Mapping Garden Ideas Together

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 4

Garden Perspectives Mapping Across Viewpoints

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 5

How Might We for Garden POV

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Define Days 6–10

Day 6

Garden POV and HMW Studio

Deliverable 45m

Soil, Sun, Water: Garden Science

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 7

Identifying Garden Roles and Plant Needs

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 8

Observe Local Gardens and Collect Data

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 9

Mini-Lessons on Soil, Sun, and Water

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 10

Brainstorm Garden Ideas and Sketch Concepts

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

Ideate Days 11–17

Day 11

Prototype Plan with Roles and Materials

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 12

Gallery Walk: Final Concept Drafts

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Day 13

Garden Concept Studio

Deliverable 60m

Community Helpers: Invite a Guest

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Day 14

Clarify Audience Needs and Goals

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 15

Generate Design Ideas with Criteria

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 16

Sketch Concepts and Storyboard Solutions

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 17

Build Quick Paper Prototype Models

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

Prototype Days 18–26

Day 18

Peer Testing and Feedback Reflection

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 19

Paper Prototype Iteration

Deliverable 60m

Empathize Circle: Sharing Understandings

Knowledge/Skill Building 35m

Day 20

Plan Roles and Scenarios for Testing

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 21

Practice Observation Logs and Data Recording

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 22

Create Visual User Test Report Drafts

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

Day 23

User Testing Documentation

Deliverable 60m

Ethical Empathy: Respectful Observing Practices

Knowledge/Skill Building 35m

Day 24

Plan Garden Exhibit Roles and Rubrics

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 25

Measure Plant Growth with Simple Tools

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 26

Create Exhibit Posters and Labels

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Test/Present Days 27–35

Day 27

Practice Presentations and Peer Feedback

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Day 28

Set Up Practice Exhibit and Reflect

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

Day 29

Refine Garden Models with Evidence

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 30

Practice Public Speaking for Exhibit

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Day 31

Science Inquiry: Testing Garden Results

Knowledge/Skill Building 50m

Day 32

Design Session: Final Exhibit Layout

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

Day 33

Peer Review and Revision Before Showcase

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 34

Community Case Study: Simple Scenario

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 35

Final Garden Exhibit

Assessment

Empathy Summary: Our User Profile

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 36

Milestone Prep: Empathize to Design Plan

Knowledge/Skill Building 60m

August 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

24 Day 1

Empathize

Meet the Farmers

Farm Life Sneak Peek: Watch and Sketch

25 Day 2

Question Cards for Farmers: Empathy Interview

26 Day 3

Farmer Insight Journal

Mind Mapping Garden Ideas Together

September 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

31 Day 4

Garden Perspectives Mapping Across Viewpoints

1 Day 5

How Might We for Garden POV

2 Day 6

Define

Garden POV and HMW Studio

Soil, Sun, Water: Garden Science

7 Day 7

Identifying Garden Roles and Plant Needs

8 Day 8

Observe Local Gardens and Collect Data

9 Day 9

Mini-Lessons on Soil, Sun, and Water

14 Day 10

Brainstorm Garden Ideas and Sketch Concepts

15 Day 11

Ideate

Prototype Plan with Roles and Materials

16 Day 12

Gallery Walk: Final Concept Drafts

21 Day 13

Garden Concept Studio

Community Helpers: Invite a Guest

22 Day 14

Clarify Audience Needs and Goals

23 Day 15

Generate Design Ideas with Criteria

28 Day 16

Sketch Concepts and Storyboard Solutions

29 Day 17

Build Quick Paper Prototype Models

30 Day 18

Prototype

Peer Testing and Feedback Reflection

October 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

5 Day 19

Paper Prototype Iteration

Empathize Circle: Sharing Understandings

6 Day 20

Plan Roles and Scenarios for Testing

7 Day 21

Practice Observation Logs and Data Recording

12 Day 22

Create Visual User Test Report Drafts

13 Day 23

User Testing Documentation

Ethical Empathy: Respectful Observing Practices

14 Day 24

Plan Garden Exhibit Roles and Rubrics

19 Day 25

Measure Plant Growth with Simple Tools

20 Day 26

Create Exhibit Posters and Labels

21 Day 27

Test/Present

Practice Presentations and Peer Feedback

26 Day 28

Set Up Practice Exhibit and Reflect

27 Day 29

Refine Garden Models with Evidence

28 Day 30

Practice Public Speaking for Exhibit

November 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

2 Day 31

Science Inquiry: Testing Garden Results

3 Day 32

Design Session: Final Exhibit Layout

4 Day 33

Peer Review and Revision Before Showcase

9 Day 34

Community Case Study: Simple Scenario

10 Day 35

Final Garden Exhibit

Empathy Summary: Our User Profile

11 Day 36

Milestone Prep: Empathize to Design Plan

Edit Phase

Edit Phase

Edit Phase

Edit Phase

Edit Phase

August 2026

September 2026

October 2026

November 2026