WHAT IS A CHAIR?

Statement of Inquiry: Questioning identity, form and function reveals that chairs are more than just functional objects.
Global Context: Identities and Relationships
Key & Related Concepts: Identity, form & Function
ATL Skills: Critical thinking, Creative thinking & Organisation

What is a chair? Is an innovative design project taught to Grade 10 that explores the identity of a common product and the relationships that we form with them. The aim of the project is to encourage innovation, inquiry and conceptual thinking. The students begin their project by questioning what it is that makes a chair, a chair. Students then move on to researching existing products and looking at design needs whilst making connections to art, design themes and history so that they might find inspiration for their own ideas. The students digitally document their work for all four IB MYP Design 5 criteria and you can find completed examples of each below.

Throughout this project, the students are encouraged to inquire, work practically and tasks are set as creatively as possible to help inspire, engage and embed information.

INQUIRY

A focus on authentic investigation, collaboration and research.

DESIGN

A combination of sketching and CAD that evidence an iterative and reflective process of development and technical drawings from which the prototype can be made.