📚Unit Plans→🗣️Design Thinking Unit→📖Lesson 4: Hanga Tauira
Years 7-10 Technology

Hanga Tauira — Prototype: Making Ideas Tangible

Ākonga build low-fidelity physical prototypes to make their design concepts tangible and testable against specifications.

🕘 Lesson at a Glance | Te Hōtaka

Do NowHook — Why build rough models?⏱ 5 min1 · AssumptionsIdentifying what to test⏱ 15 min2 · Build SprintLow-fidelity model making⏱ 35 min3 · Self-AuditTesting against specifications⏱ 15 min4 · Test PrepDrafting user questions⏱ 10 minExitReflecting on the build⏱ 5 min

Lesson Overview | Tirohanga Whānui

A prototype is a question, not a showpiece. In this lesson, ākonga move from abstract sketches to physical models. They learn that in technological practice, we build low-fidelity models to test assumptions quickly and cheaply. Before building, ākonga identify the core assumptions they must test. They conduct a rapid building sprint using basic classroom materials (card, cups, tape, clay) to make their ideas tangible. Finally, they run a self-audit to check their prototype against the measurable specifications established in Lesson 2, and prepare questions for user testing in Lesson 5.

Learning Intentions | Ngā Whāinga Ako

  • Identify core assumptions in a design concept that must be tested before committing to a final build.
  • Construct a low-fidelity physical prototype using card, tape, or clay to explore and communicate a design's form and function.
  • Measure and evaluate a prototype's performance against predefined specifications to identify areas for refinement.

⚡ Do Now

⏱ 5 min

On the board: An image or description of James Dyson's first vacuum cleaner prototype, which was made from cardboard, tape, and a cereal box.

  1. The reasoning (2 min): Write down why the inventor built this out of cardboard instead of plastic and metal.
  2. Cost and speed (3 min): If the prototype failed, what was lost? If a final plastic mold failed, what would be lost?

Teacher: Explain that a prototype is a tool for learning. We build it cheaply so that we can fail fast, learn from it, and improve the design before wasting resources.

Activity 1 · Identifying Core Assumptions

⏱ 15 min

What it is: Prototyping is goal-oriented. Before building, ākonga must define exactly what their model is trying to prove.

Run it

  1. Define assumptions (5 min): In your pair, look at your HMW and chosen concept. What are you assuming about the user or the environment? (e.g. "We assume Year 9s will notice a hanging sign." "We assume cardboard is strong enough to hold a standard drink bottle." "We assume the user will know to push the lever.")
  2. Shortlist (5 min): Select the two most critical assumptions. These are the "riskiest" assumptions — if these are wrong, the whole design fails.
  3. Align with specifications (5 min): Link each assumption to a specification from Lesson 2 (e.g. the bottle-holding assumption links to the spec "must hold 500g weight").

Teacher: Check that students understand that their prototype doesn't need to be perfect — it just needs to test these core assumptions.

Activity 2 · Low-Fidelity Build Sprint

⏱ 35 min

What it is: Divergent building. Ākonga get their hands dirty, using simple materials to translate their 2D sketch into a 3D model.

Run it

  1. Gather materials (5 min): Collect your materials (cardboard boxes, paper cups, masking tape, pipe cleaners, modelling clay, scissors).
  2. Build Sprint (25 min): Construct the model of your concept. Rules: (1) Build fast — don't spend 20 minutes making one corner look pretty. (2) Keep it functional — if it has a door, make it open. (3) If something fails (e.g., glue doesn't hold), pivot immediately and use tape or string instead.
  3. Clean up (5 min): Return unused materials and clean up your workspace.

You'll need: A bin of recycled cardboard, paper cups, masking tape, scissors, clay, and pipe cleaners.

Activity 3 · Self-Audit: Testing the Specs

⏱ 15 min

What it is: Objective evaluation. Ākonga use the specifications from Lesson 2 as criteria to judge their prototype's performance.

Run it

  1. Measure and test (8 min): Perform the tests you defined in Lesson 2. (e.g. Weigh the prototype. Test if it fits in a bag. Drop it from 1 meter to see if it breaks. Put a 500g bottle on it).
  2. Log results (7 min): In your book, write a table: Specification · Expected Criteria · Actual Result · Pass/Fail. Note exactly what happened (e.g. "Bent under 300g weight — Fail").

Teacher: Explain that failing a specification is a normal part of technological practice. It is not a bad grade; it is a direct design instruction for what needs iteration.

Activity 4 · Preparing for User Testing

⏱ 10 min

What it is: Preparing for empirical research. Designers must plan how they will gather unbiased feedback from users.

Run it

  1. The Testing Script (5 min): Write down a short script for Lesson 5: "Here is our prototype. We want you to try to [do task]. Please think out loud as you do it. We won't help you, because we want to see how the design works."
  2. Draft questions (5 min): Write 3 feedback questions: (1) What was confusing? (2) What worked well? (3) If you could change one thing, what would it be?

Teacher: Emphasise that in user testing, the designer must watch and listen, not explain or defend. If the user doesn't know how to use it, the design is wrong, not the user.

Exit · The Prototype Check

⏱ 5 min

Answer these three prompts in your book before you leave:

  1. Our prototype tested the assumption that...
  2. One specification it passed was... and one it failed was...
  3. The biggest risk we need to test with our user next lesson is...

Teacher: Ensure every prototype is stored safely. These physical models are the primary resource for Lesson 5's testing and iteration cycle.

🎯 Curriculum Links | Te Hononga ki te Marautanga

This lesson's focus: Ākonga use physical modelling (prototyping) to test their assumptions. They learn that measurable specifications provide the criteria we use to judge if our prototypes are fit-for-purpose.

Technology — Core Connection (Phase 3 | Years 7–8)

"Measurable specifications provide valid criteria for judging how outcomes are fit-for-purpose."

📑 See the Design Thinking Unit overview for the full curriculum alignment → — Technology · Design, Make, and Innovate · Phase 3 · Years 7–8 (statement pulled verbatim from the live Te Mātaiaho curriculum).

📦 Materials & Resources

This is a practical build lesson requiring modelling materials. Access to clean recycled materials is ideal.

  • Specifications from Lesson 2 exit cards.
  • Cardboard bins (small boxes, cereal packets, toilet rolls).
  • Masking tape, scissors, paper cups, string, paper clips, modelling clay.
  • Rulers and weighing scales (if testing weight/size specs).

No video or external sheets are used. The primary resource is the recycled modelling kit.

📊 Assessment Framework

Assessment is formative, focused on technological practice — specifically, whether students build to learn and test assumptions logically.

What to look for, mapped to the learning intentions

  • Assumption testing (LI 1): Can the student articulate what they are testing, or are they just building a model to look good?
  • Low-fidelity execution (LI 2): Did the students spend their time constructing the shape and mechanics (cardboard doors, clay hinges) or colouring in the exterior? Rough and fast is the standard.
  • Specification auditing (LI 3): Did the students measure and record actual results against specifications in their books?
🚀 Extension Activities
  • Multi-material prototyping: Ask students to test two different prototype designs or two different materials for the same part (e.g. card vs folded plastic cup) and record which material meets the specifications better.
  • Functional mechanisms: Have students build a mechanical joint or moving part (like a cardboard slider or clay weight) to make their prototype interactive, testing how users interact with the movement.
🔗 Unit Progression & Next Steps

This lesson produces the testable model. The progression is:

  1. # Lesson 1 — Empathise: Gather insights and identify needs.
  2. # Lesson 2 — Define: Create a POV, HMW, and specifications.
  3. # Lesson 3 — Ideate: Brainstorm and select a concept.
  4. # Lesson 4 — Prototype (this lesson): Build models and test specifications.
  5. # Lesson 5 — Test and Iterate: Gather user feedback and refine.

Hold onto the prototypes and testing scripts, as they are the direct inputs for the peer testing session in Lesson 5.

📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot

Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria

  • ✅ I can identify 2 assumptions we are testing with our model. (LI 1)
  • ✅ I can build a rough, functional prototype using tape and card. (LI 2)
  • ✅ I can measure and record how my prototype performs against specifications. (LI 3)

Differentiation for this lesson

  • Build support: Assist students with cutting thicker card. Offer pre-made template pieces (e.g. pre-folded boxes) to speed up construction for students with motor skill challenges.
  • ELL / Language Support: Focus the testing prep on simple verbs (e.g. "open," "lift," "push") and visual indicators. Pair students with supportive partners for the building sprint.
  • Fail-safe environment: Remind students that prototypes are supposed to fail. If their model collapses, celebrate it as a successful test: "Great, now you know what doesn't work!"