Purpose
Students investigate, “How can we use Canva to document and communicate how to build a safe web shooter?” Teams begin with launch-and-aim stations, then measure range, accuracy, and consistency as they collaboratively plan, program or construct, test, critique, and revise prototypes using safe classroom projectiles. With support from the media/technology teacher, students research focused questions, keep a digital build journal, use feedback, and create a concise explanation of how their design works, changed, and responded to frustration. The project culminates in a Web Shooter Showcase where students demonstrate their final prototype and present their learning to classmates, teachers, and invited staff.
Learning goals
Students will investigate, “How can we use Canva to document and explain how to build a safe, effective web-shooter prototype?” Teams will research ideas from several sources, develop a simple program using inclusive collaboration practices, and measure range, accuracy, and consistency during launch-and-aim trials with safe classroom projectiles. After each trial, partners will identify one strength and one improvement, revise their design and digital writing, and document changes, feedback, and responses to frustration in a build journal with support from the media/technology teacher. Students will demonstrate their final prototype at the Web Shooter Showcase and publish a concise explanation of how it works, the evidence behind their revisions, and what they learned.
Products
Teams will create launch-station observations, a self-generated research question, and a digital build journal with source notes, sketches, measurements, and shared roles. The journal will compare range, accuracy, and consistency across trials, recording partner feedback, one strength, one improvement, and each resulting design change. Each team will collaboratively develop a simple program to track or display test data and build a working, low-force web shooter prototype using teacher-approved materials and a safe classroom projectile, with guidance from the media/technology teacher. At the Web Shooter Showcase, teams will demonstrate their prototype and share a polished digital explanation and reflection describing how it works, revisions made, learning gained, and strategies used to handle frustration.
Launch
Begin with a Web Shooter Kickoff Challenge featuring three launch-and-aim stations made from safe classroom materials, with projectiles directed only at fixed targets in a controlled area. In teams, students rotate through stations, measure range and accuracy, and record observations in a shared digital build journal. After each trial, partners identify one strength and one improvement, then make and test one small design change. Close by asking, “How can we design, test, and clearly document a safe web shooter that launches accurately and consistently?”
Exhibition
Host a Web Shooter Showcase where teams demonstrate their final prototypes by launching soft classroom projectiles at fixed targets, never at people. Classmates, teachers, invited staff, and the school media/technology teacher can view digital build journals showing measurements, trial results, feedback, and design revisions. Each team briefly explains how its prototype works, how changes improved range, accuracy, or consistency, and how members collaborated and handled frustration. Visitors provide one specific compliment and one question, followed by a short team reflection.
