Creative Team Design

Here is a link to the pieces of my project in Evernote. (hopefully)

Soda Can Project

If it doesnt work, here's a summary:
Students in a high school Geometry class are placed in "creative teams" and given the attached memo and list of websites, directing them to design the name, packaging, label and slogan for the new product.  The teams need to demonstrate their understanding of how radius and height affect the surface area and volume of the can (right cylinder).  This aligns with the Common Core Standard:
CC.9-12.G.MG.3 Apply geometric methods to solve design problems (e.g., designing an object or structure to satisfy physical constraints or minimize cost; working with typographic grid systems based on ratios).
The students will need to use critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration to come up with their ideas and will present them to the other groups and school staff members.
 As 21st century learners my students would engage in the 4 c's during this project:
Creativity: The students would have to use design tools to create the label for the new type of soda.  If they chose to package the soda in a new type of can they would have to think outside the box as to what the can would look like and why it might sell better than those currently on the market.

Critical Thinking: As this simulates a worksetting, the students would have to critically think about what ideas would best capture the attention of their audiences, both the executives who were their bosses and the consumers who would buy the product.  They would be evaluating current data on soda sales and sizes and using that to predict how to best package their product to maximize consumer happiness.

Communication: As the guest "company execuatives" may be asked to choose the presentation they thought was the best, the students would be charged with creating a presentation that effectively communicated thier ideas as well as persuaded the audience that it was a "best" one.  They would also have to consider what the best medium for their presentation would be to display their knowledge and thought process.

Collaboration: The teams would have to work cooperatively to create a cohesive concept and presentation.  This could be accomplished by delegating different parts of the assignment based on the strengths of the group members or a true team effort with all parties working together on all aspects.


We have talked about turning this project into a interdisciplinary idea within our alternative program with each of the four content teachers in charge of one aspect of the presentation. As a staff we would become the facilitators of our student's vision for their product.  Each teacher began thinking of ways they could help our students create the best product. In social studies we would discuss advertizing and what the current market looked like, in English we would help the students create their copy and presentation, science would discuss the variety of factors manufactures have to deal with to produce soda (heterogeneous mixtures, pH, diffusion, pressure inside a container etc.) and obviously in my math class we would be helping students with their monetary and material calculations.  In this classroom we would have to be more flexible and individualized: driven by our students creativity rather than a set lesson plan.
Attached is also a quick sample of a possible student product.