Resource Wizards: Personal Usage Tracking App Design
Created byVicki Burns
2 views0 downloads

Resource Wizards: Personal Usage Tracking App Design

Grade 6Science5 days
★★★★★
5.0 (1 rating)
In the "Resource Wizards: Personal Usage Tracking App Design" project, sixth-grade students tackle global challenges by designing apps that monitor personal resource usage. Throughout the project, students delve into resource management principles and explore how conservation, increased efficiency, and technology can help manage resources like air, water, soil, and energy. Through activities like mind mapping global issues, researching conservation projects, investigating technological solutions, and designing app prototypes, students not only learn about global issues but also apply their knowledge to create innovative technological solutions. The project culminates in a pitch presentation where students showcase their app designs as solutions for resource management.
Resource ManagementConservationTechnologyGlobal ChallengesApp DesignEfficiency
Want to create your own PBL Recipe?Use our AI-powered tools to design engaging project-based learning experiences for your students.
📝

Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we, as resource wizards, design innovative apps to effectively track and manage our personal resource usage in a way that addresses global challenges?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • What are the key reasons for managing resources effectively in today's global environment?
  • In what ways do conservation and increased efficiency contribute to resource management?
  • How does technology play a role in managing natural resources like air, water, soil, and energy?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Students will understand the importance of resource management in reducing global energy consumption, and alleviating issues like poverty, malnutrition, and pollution.
  • Students will be able to explain how conservation, increased efficiency, and technology contribute to managing natural resources.
  • Students will design an app that tracks personal resource usage and incorporates features that promote conservation and efficiency.
  • Students will conduct research on global challenges related to resource management and propose innovative technological solutions.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

6.11(A)
Primary
Research and describe why resource management is important in reducing global energy, poverty, malnutrition, and air and water pollution.Reason: This standard directly aligns with the project by emphasizing the importance of resource management in addressing global issues, which is a key component of the project's objective to design apps for personal resource tracking.
6.11(B)
Primary
Explain how conservation, increased efficiency, and technology can help manage air, water, soil, and energy resources.Reason: This standard supports the project by highlighting the role of technology and efficiency in resource management, which aligns with the project's focus on using apps to track and manage resources.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

The 'Resource Avengers' Challenge

Kick-off the project with a simulated world crisis where they need to become 'Resource Avengers'. Students receive a message from a 'future organization' asking for help to design an app that monitors and improves resource management to save the world from an impending crisis related to air and water pollution, energy wastage, and poverty.
📚

Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Resource Detective

Students will explore and list various global issues related to resource management such as air pollution, water scarcity, energy wastage, and poverty. This activity lays the groundwork for understanding why managing resources is critical in today's world.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Introduce the concepts of resource management, and explain its importance in reducing global energy, poverty, malnutrition, and pollution.
2. Provide students with reading materials, videos, or online resources about global resource challenges.
3. Have students create a mind map to identify and categorize issues like air pollution, water scarcity, energy wastage, and poverty.
4. Facilitate a class discussion where students present their mind maps and collective insights.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA comprehensive mind map showcasing various global resource-related challenges.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with 6.11(A) as students research and describe why resource management is important.
Activity 2

Conservation Innovators

Students will learn how conservation efforts and increased efficiency can aid in resource management. This understanding is critical for designing solutions that incorporate these elements.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Discuss the concepts of conservation and increased efficiency and their roles in resource management.
2. Provide case studies or examples of successful conservation and efficiency efforts globally.
3. Assign students to groups to research a specific conservation project and present how it improves resource management.
4. Each group presents their findings to the class, focusing on key strategies employed in their cases.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityGroup presentations on different conservation projects and their impact on resource management.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with 6.11(B) as students explain how conservation and increased efficiency contribute to resource management.
Activity 3

Tech Wizards in Action

Students will investigate how technology can enhance resource management, which is vital for developing their apps. They will evaluate various tech innovations and integrations that have successfully managed resources.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Introduce students to ways technology has been utilized in resource management.
2. Organize a virtual tour or guest speaker session with professionals working on tech solutions for resource management.
3. Students research different technologies like smart meters, IoT devices, or apps that help manage resources.
4. Have students create poster presentations summarizing their findings on a chosen technology.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityPoster presentations exhibiting various technologies and their role in managing natural resources.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with 6.11(B) by explaining how technology contributes to managing resources.
Activity 4

App Design Planning

This activity guides students to plan their app by applying their knowledge about resource management, conservation, and technology. They will draft their app's purpose, features, and user interface to track personal resource usage.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Facilitate brainstorming sessions where students outline the purpose and goals of their app.
2. Instruct students to sketch the user interface and consider features promoting conservation and efficiency.
3. Guide students through drafting a proposal describing how their app addresses a specific resource management issue.
4. Provide peer feedback sessions to refine and improve their plans.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed app design proposal including sketches and features.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses both 6.11(A) and 6.11(B) by incorporating resource management principles and technology into their app design.
Activity 5

Prototype & Pitch Day

Students bring their app designs to life by creating prototypes using digital tools or sketches. They will pitch their app concept to the class, demonstrating their innovative solutions for managing resources.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Instruct students to use digital tools or software to create a basic prototype of their app or detailed sketches.
2. Guide students in preparing a pitch presentation highlighting their app's unique features and impact on resource management.
3. Organize a 'pitch day' where students present their prototypes and receive constructive feedback.
4. Encourage reflection on the feedback to consider further development and refinement.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA functional app prototype or detailed sketches and a successful pitch presentation.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCompletes standard goals by demonstrating applied knowledge of resource management and technology to design innovative solutions.
🏆

Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Resource Wizards Project Rubric

Category 1

Understanding of Resource Management

Assesses the depth of student understanding of resource management and its importance in addressing global challenges.
Criterion 1

Research and Explanation

The ability to research and articulate the importance of resource management in reducing global energy use, poverty, malnutrition, and pollution.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates comprehensive research and provides a detailed explanation of the importance of resource management, including all specified areas of impact.

Proficient
3 Points

Conducts thorough research and provides a clear explanation covering most specified areas of impact related to resource management.

Developing
2 Points

Shows a basic understanding through limited research and an explanation that covers some, but not all, areas of resource management impact.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to provide a clear explanation of the importance of resource management with minimal research and incomplete coverage of impact areas.

Criterion 2

Mind Map Development

Create a comprehensive mind map identifying and categorizing various global issues related to resource management.

Exemplary
4 Points

Mind map is comprehensive, well-organized, and clearly identifies and categorizes a wide range of global resource issues.

Proficient
3 Points

Mind map identifies and categorizes most relevant global resource issues, is well-organized, and mostly clear.

Developing
2 Points

Mind map shows some organization and categorization but misses several key resource issues.

Beginning
1 Points

Mind map is poorly organized, with minimal categorization and identification of relevant global issues.

Category 2

Application of Conservation and Efficiency Concepts

Evaluates how well students explain and apply conservation and efficiency concepts in resource management.
Criterion 1

Group Presentation on Conservation Efforts

Assesses the depth and clarity of group presentations on specific conservation projects and their impact.

Exemplary
4 Points

Presentation is highly informative, thoroughly explains conservation efforts, and demonstrates significant impact on resource management.

Proficient
3 Points

Presentation clearly explains conservation efforts and demonstrates their impact on resource management effectively.

Developing
2 Points

Presentation provides basic information on conservation efforts with limited explanation of impacts.

Beginning
1 Points

Presentation lacks clarity and depth, with minimal explanation of conservation project impacts.

Category 3

Technology Use in Resource Management

Evaluates understanding of technology's role in resource management and its practical applications.
Criterion 1

Technology Research and Presentation

Ability to explore and present technological solutions for managing natural resources.

Exemplary
4 Points

Research and presentation demonstrate a deep understanding of various technologies in resource management, with innovative insights.

Proficient
3 Points

Presentation adequately covers technological solutions and shows clear understanding of their application.

Developing
2 Points

Research and presentation are basic, showing limited understanding of technology's role.

Beginning
1 Points

Minimal research with a shallow presentation that lacks clear understanding of technology use.

Category 4

App Design and Innovation

Assesses creativity and application of resource management principles in designing an app.
Criterion 1

App Design Proposal

The depth, creativity, and practicality of the proposed app for tracking personal resource usage.

Exemplary
4 Points

App design proposal is original, well-documented, and includes practical features for managing resources effectively.

Proficient
3 Points

App design proposal is clear, includes relevant features, and addresses resource management effectively.

Developing
2 Points

Proposal includes basic app design with limited features related to resource management.

Beginning
1 Points

App design proposal is vague, lacks practical features, and shows minimal understanding of resource management.

Criterion 2

Prototype and Presentation

Evaluates the quality of app prototypes and effectiveness of pitch presentations.

Exemplary
4 Points

App prototype is functional or thoroughly detailed; pitch is compelling and demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of resource management.

Proficient
3 Points

App prototype is clear and detailed; pitch effectively communicates purpose and features.

Developing
2 Points

Prototype and pitch are basic, showing partial understanding of resource management concepts.

Beginning
1 Points

Prototype is rudimentary and pitch lacks clarity, offering minimal evidence of understanding.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

Reflect on the overall process of designing your resource management app. What were the most significant challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?

Text
Required
Question 2

How did your understanding of resource management evolve throughout this project?

Text
Required
Question 3

How effectively did your app design incorporate the principles of conservation, increased efficiency, and technology?

Scale
Required
Question 4

What are the potential real-world applications of your app, and how could it contribute to addressing global resource challenges?

Text
Required
Question 5

If you were to continue developing your app, what improvements or additional features would you implement?

Text
Required