Empathize
Empathize
Students will launch the community garden challenge by comparing healthy food options and listening to community voices about food access, then collect firsthand user evidence through a community partner conversation and create an empathy map with quotes, drawings, and observations to prepare for defining the problem.
Days 1 - 2
Define
Define
Students will sort and synthesize what they learned from community users and class research, identify patterns about healthy food access and plant needs, and turn those insights into a child-friendly problem definition that can guide garden design and poster planning.
Days 3 - 4
Ideate
Ideate
Students will use what they learned from community partners and earlier research to generate many possible garden and outreach ideas, compare them against real community needs, and create a clear concept sketch for the solution they want to prototype next.
Days 5 - 7
Prototype
Prototype
Students will build and improve testable versions of their community garden communication tools and garden layout ideas. They will make a quick first draft, gather feedback from classmates and a community partner, revise with evidence, and prepare a stronger prototype set that connects plant needs, healthy eating, and community access.
Days 8 - 11
Test/Present
Test/Present
Students will test their garden explanations and outreach materials with real community users, revise their poster and class garden story using feedback, and present the final community garden design to families and partners during a public Garden Walk.
Days 12 - 15
Empathize
Days 1–2
Day 1
๐งบ Healthy Food Market Basket
Launch
45m
Day 2
๐บ๏ธ Food Access Empathy Map
Deliverable
45m
Define
Days 3–4
Day 3
๐งฉ Food Access Clues Sort
Knowledge/Skill Building
45m
Day 4
๐ Garden Need Statement
Deliverable
45m
Ideate
Days 5–7
Day 5
๐ฑ Garden Help Ideas Burst
Project Work
45m
Day 6
๐งบ Pick Ideas That Fit Families
Deliverable
45m
Day 7
๐บ๏ธ Garden Concept Storyboard
Deliverable
45m
Prototype
Days 8–11
Day 8
โ๏ธ Garden Map & Poster Mockups
Deliverable
45m
Day 9
๐ฃ๏ธ Two-Friend Feedback Round
Deliverable
45m
Day 10
๐ฉโ๐พ Grocery and Pantry Test Talk
Community Experience
45m
Day 11
๐ชด Revised Prototype Set
Deliverable
45m
Test/Present
Days 12–15
Day 12
๐ฃ๏ธ Garden Walk User Test
Community Experience
45m
Day 13
๐๏ธ Poster & Blueprint Revision Round
Deliverable
45m
Day 14
๐ค Garden Story Rehearsal
Project Work
45m
Day 15
๐ฑ Grand Opening Garden Walk
Assessment
45m
September 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
28
Day 1
Empathize
๐งบ Healthy Food Market Basket
29
Day 2
๐บ๏ธ Food Access Empathy Map
30
Day 3
Define
๐งฉ Food Access Clues Sort
1
Day 4
๐ Garden Need Statement
2
Day 5
Ideate
๐ฑ Garden Help Ideas Burst
October 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
5
Day 6
๐งบ Pick Ideas That Fit Families
6
Day 7
๐บ๏ธ Garden Concept Storyboard
7
Day 8
Prototype
โ๏ธ Garden Map & Poster Mockups
8
Day 9
๐ฃ๏ธ Two-Friend Feedback Round
9
Day 10
๐ฉโ๐พ Grocery and Pantry Test Talk
12
Day 11
๐ชด Revised Prototype Set
13
Day 12
Test/Present
๐ฃ๏ธ Garden Walk User Test
14
Day 13
๐๏ธ Poster & Blueprint Revision Round
15
Day 14
๐ค Garden Story Rehearsal
16
Day 15
๐ฑ Grand Opening Garden Walk