Students will launch the Math Carnival project by meeting real users, practicing mental math strategies within 20, and conducting firsthand interviews to create an empathy map grounded in real quotes and observations.

Students will synthesize their math game user interviews into clear patterns and define a focused "How Might We" problem statement grounded in real quotes and observed needs about solving addition and subtraction within 20.

Students will generate many possible board game ideas grounded in real user needs, explore multiple creative directions, and select top concepts using user-based criteria before sketching testable game plans.

Students will build and improve testable versions of their addition and subtraction board games, gather real feedback from users, and revise their designs to better help players solve problems within 20 quickly and accurately.

Students will validate their refined board games with new users, make final evidence-based revisions, and present their full design journey at the Math Carnival, clearly explaining how mental math strategies within 20 shaped their game design and improved through feedback.