Making & Design

Imagining, planning, and building things with purpose, craft, and care.

K–12 objective ladder

• K D07.S4.K.01 Build or make something from available materials and explain what it does.
• 1 D07.S4.01.01 Build something with a simple plan in mind and tell what it is for.
• 1 D07.S4.01.02 Test what they made and change one thing to make it work better.
• 2 D07.S4.02.01 Plan a making task by choosing materials and saying the steps before starting.
• 2 D07.S4.02.02 Compare two ways to solve a making problem and choose one, explaining why.
• 3 D07.S4.03.01 Follow a simple design process of imagine, plan, make, and improve to build something that meets a need.
• 3 D07.S4.03.02 Explain how the materials available shape what can be made, using an example from their own making.
• 4 D07.S4.04.01 Design and make something for a specific user and need, and gather feedback to improve it.
• 4 D07.S4.04.02 Explain how an object from another culture reflects that culture's materials, needs, and ideas.
• 5 D07.S4.05.01 Design and build something that solves a real problem in their class or community, and explain the choices they made.
• 5 D07.S4.05.02 Compare designs made for different climates or resources and explain how the environment shapes design.
• 6 D07.S4.06.01 Use a full design cycle, including research, prototypes, and testing, to make something and document the process.
• 6 D07.S4.06.02 Evaluate a product or building on how well it works, who it leaves out, and its effect on the environment.
• 7 D07.S4.07.01 Design something with accessibility in mind so more kinds of people can use it, and test it for barriers.
• 7 D07.S4.07.02 Explain how a design choice trades off cost, materials, function, and environmental impact.
• 8 D07.S4.08.01 Design and make a working prototype that solves a defined problem, and revise it through testing and feedback.
• 8 D07.S4.08.02 Critique a design using evidence about its function, materials, fairness, and environmental footprint.
• 9 D07.S4.09.01 Use digital or fabrication tools to design and make an object, and reflect on how the tools changed what was possible.
• 9 D07.S4.09.02 Analyze how technology and design shape everyday life and the environment, using examples from more than one context.
• 10 D07.S4.10.01 Design and make something that serves a community need with attention to sustainability and fairness, and document the decisions.
• 10 D07.S4.10.02 Distinguish responsible and sustainable design from design that harms people or the environment, citing examples.
• 11 D07.S4.11.01 Design a solution to a social or environmental problem, building and testing a prototype and explaining its intended impact.
• 11 D07.S4.11.02 Evaluate the full life cycle of a designed object, from materials and making through use and disposal, and propose improvements.
• 12 D07.S4.12.01 Design and realize a substantial project that demonstrates craft and a coherent purpose, presenting it with a written rationale.
• 12 D07.S4.12.02 Evaluate design across cultures and eras with insight, honoring diverse traditions while forming and defending an independent judgment about good design.

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