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Plan
By Phase By Day Calendar
Empathize
Students will launch the toy design challenge by exploring what makes toys fun, safe, and strong, learning from Poor Richard’s Toy Store, and gathering first evidence about a preschool buddy’s likes and needs through observation, conversation, and early idea capture.
Days 1 - 7
🧸 Toy Stations Safety Hunt
Launch 45m
🏪 Poor Richard's Toy Walk
Community Experience 45m
🗣️ Buddy Interview Question Practice
Knowledge/Skill Building 40m
👀 Preschool Buddy Play Visit
Community Experience 45m
📚 Fun Safe Strong Toy Sort
Knowledge/Skill Building 40m
✏️ Buddy Toy Idea Sketch
Deliverable 50m
✅ Interview Page and Sketch Check
Assessment 45m
Define
Students will sort what they learned about preschool buddies, toys, and safety into clear design needs, then turn those needs into a simple problem statement they can use in the next phase. They will use talk, drawings, toy examples, and feedback from classmates and a community partner to define a toy challenge that is specific, safe, and connected to real user evidence.
Days 8 - 14
🧸 Buddy Likes Picture Sort
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
🛡️ Safe Toy Features Hunt
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
🗣️ Kind Feedback Sentence Stems
Knowledge/Skill Building 40m
📋 My Buddy Toy Need Card
Deliverable 45m
🏪 Poor Richard Problem Talk
Community Experience 45m
✏️ Problem Statement Picture Draft
Project Work 50m
✅ Toy Challenge Share Circle
Assessment 45m
Ideate
Students will turn interview notes, safety observations, and toy examples into many possible toy ideas, then choose one promising direction for a preschool buddy by sketching, talking through feedback, and revising based on user needs.
Days 15 - 23
🎲 Toy Idea Warm-Up
Launch 45m
🛡️ Safe Parts Picture Sort
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
🖍️ Buddy Toy Sketch Burst
Project Work 45m
🧵 Parts and Materials Mini Lab
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
💬 Two-Friend Sketch Feedback
Deliverable 45m
🏪 Poor Richard Idea Review
Community Experience 45m
✏️ Revised Toy Plan Page
Deliverable 45m
🗣️ Pair-and-Share Design Check
Project Work 45m
✅ Buddy Toy Idea Conference
Assessment 45m
Draft
Students will turn selected toy ideas into first prototypes by practicing craftsmanship routines, using teacher-supported tools and materials, getting partner and community feedback, and revising their work so each draft better matches a preschool buddy’s interests and safety needs.
Days 24 - 35
🧰 Safe Tool and Material Stations
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
✏️ Buddy Sketch to Build Plan
Deliverable 45m
🪡 Craftsmanship Mini-Lessons
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
🛠️ First Toy Build Session
Project Work 90m
💬 Two-Peer Prototype Feedback
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
🔧 Prototype Revision Round One
Project Work 90m
🏪 Poor Richard's Prototype Review
Community Experience 45m
📋 Draft Prototype Checkpoint
Assessment 45m
📝 Design Card First Draft
Deliverable 45m
🔁 Build and Share Revision Loop
Project Work 45m
Test
Students will test their toy drafts with classmates, a preschool buddy, and Poor Richard’s Toy Store feedback partners to find out what is safe, fun, and strong. They will practice noticing evidence during play, giving kind feedback to 2 peers, receiving feedback, and making small revisions that prepare them for deeper critique in the next phase.
Days 36 - 44
🧠 Safety and Play Check Moves
Knowledge/Skill Building 35m
🛠️ Test Notes and Picture Labels
Knowledge/Skill Building 40m
👫 Buddy Play Test Round One
Project Work 45m
✏️ Quick Fix Toy Tuning
Deliverable 40m
🏪 Poor Richard's Prototype Review
Community Experience 45m
📋 My Best Next Change
Research 35m
🔁 Buddy Play Test Round Two
Project Work 45m
🧒 Preschool Buddy Tryout
Community Experience 45m
✅ Toy Test Milestone Check
Assessment 40m
Critique
Students will use structured critique to study how well their toy prototype is working for a preschool buddy, gather evidence from peers and a community partner, revise important features for safety, durability, and play value, and prepare to show how feedback changed their design.
Days 45 - 52
🧸 Toy Check Look-Fors
Knowledge/Skill Building 40m
🗣️ Buddy Toy Talk Practice
Knowledge/Skill Building 40m
👀 Two Friends Feedback Round
Deliverable 45m
🛠️ Fix-It Craft Moves
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
🏪 Poor Richard Review Visit
Community Experience 45m
🔧 Revision Build Sprint
Project Work 50m
🎮 Play Test and Revise Again
Project Work 50m
✅ Critique Exit Toy Check
Assessment 40m
Notice & Reflect
Students will look back across interviews, sketches, prototypes, tests, and revisions to explain how their toy changed to better fit a preschool buddy’s needs. They will prepare display materials, practice giving and receiving feedback one more time, present their finished toys to preschool buddies and families, and use evidence from play testing and user responses to decide whether the toy worked.
Days 53 - 60
🧠 Toy Journey Picture Sort
Knowledge/Skill Building 40m
🖍️ Design Card Evidence Board
Deliverable 45m
🗣️ Kind Feedback Practice Cards
Knowledge/Skill Building 40m
🎤 Preschool Toy Talk Rehearsal
Project Work 40m
🏫 Preschool Buddy Toy Showcase
Community Experience 45m
🧸 Poor Richard Celebration Walk
Community Experience 40m
👨‍👩‍👧 Family Toy Museum
Assessment 55m
🌟 Did Our Toy Work
Assessment 45m