Deliverable

🗂️ Wellness Interview Brief

Effective Communication Academic Mindset Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Collaboration Content Expertise Self Directed Learning VA:Cr2.3 9-12.AF.6.5 HS-ETS1-3 Assessment Reflection Core Content Community Partners Essential Question Critique and Revision Submission Required Grading Required

Students use a teacher-provided interview and observation protocol to gather firsthand evidence from classmates and available adults about stress triggers, calming preferences, and how a greenhouse space could be used before school, at lunch, or after class. They synthesize notes with an affinity-map routine, then draft a short user research brief that includes patterns, direct quotes, and early implications for plant zones, seating, sound, texture, and pathway flow. Before submitting, students give feedback to 2 peers, receive feedback on whether claims are grounded in evidence, and revise their brief to separate assumptions from documented user needs.

Plan day

Day 2

Duration

90 min

Grouping

Pair

Steps

7 steps

Lesson plan

7 steps · 90 min

#	What teachers do
1	Launch the task by framing the goal: gather evidence about what helps a greenhouse feel calming, usable, and respectful for different users. Review the interview and observation protocol, model one strong follow-up question, and remind students to separate quotes, observations, and assumptions in their notes. (10 min)
2	Assign pairs or triads and clarify roles for round 1: interviewer, note-taker, and observer/timekeeper. Students quickly review the protocol, choose who they will interview, and identify which design lenses they will listen for: seating, sound, texture, pathway flow, plant zones, safety, aesthetics, and social use. (10 min)
3	Conduct interviews and brief observations with classmates and available adults such as staff or visiting partners if present. Students collect direct quotes, note specific stress triggers and calming preferences, and ask how the greenhouse could be used before school, at lunch, or after class. (20 min)
4	Synthesize findings with an affinity-map routine. Students transfer evidence to sticky notes or a shared board, cluster similar needs and concerns, and label emerging patterns such as quiet space, movement flow, shade, scent, privacy, visibility, cultural respect, or maintenance concerns. (15 min)
5	Draft the wellness interview brief. Students write a concise brief that includes the user groups they heard from, 3-5 evidence-based patterns, at least 3 direct quotes, observed tensions or tradeoffs, and early design implications for plant zones, seating, sound, texture, and pathway flow. (15 min)
6	Run a two-peer feedback round. Students exchange briefs with two peers, use a quick checklist to mark where claims are grounded in evidence, flag assumptions, and suggest one revision that better addresses safety, function, aesthetics, cultural respect, or social impact. (10 min)
7	Revise and submit the brief, then record a short end-of-session reflection. Students make final edits, highlight one assumption they changed based on evidence, and capture a brief video or written reflection naming one listening or synthesis skill used, one insight gained, and one next design question. (10 min)

Preparation (9 items)

Prepare and copy or post the interview and observation protocol with space for direct quotes, observations, inferred needs, and design implications.
Create a concise peer feedback checklist focused on evidence grounding, clarity of patterns, separation of assumptions from data, and attention to safety, aesthetics, function, cultural respect, and social impact.
Set up affinity-mapping materials such as sticky notes, chart paper, markers, or a digital collaboration board with category headers left blank for student-generated themes.
Identify and confirm any available adults for interviews, such as school staff or visiting partners, and brief them on the purpose and time window for student conversations.
Arrange the room or greenhouse area to support quick transitions between mini-lesson, interviews, synthesis, peer feedback, and reflection recording.
Prepare a brief model response that shows the difference between a quote, an observation, an assumption, and a design implication.
Post the essential question and design lenses students should listen for: plant health, seating, sound, texture, pathway flow, safety, belonging, and calm.
Prepare reflection recording tools or alternatives, such as devices for one-minute videos or index cards for written reflections.
Make a submission template for the wellness interview brief so students include all required parts in a concise format.

Student-facing instructions

You will work with a partner or small team to gather user evidence about how the greenhouse could support wellness and plant health at the same time. Use the interview and observation protocol, a note sheet or device, and sticky notes or a shared board for synthesis. First, you will interview classmates and, if available, adults such as staff or visitors. Your task is to listen closely, record direct quotes accurately, notice how people talk about stress, calm, belonging, and use of space, and ask follow-up questions that clarify needs. Then you will sort your notes into patterns with an affinity map and draft a short wellness interview brief. Your brief must show who you heard from, what patterns you found, what evidence supports each pattern, and what those findings might mean for plant zones, seating, sound, texture, and pathway flow. Before submitting, you will get feedback from two peers, revise any claims that are based on assumptions instead of evidence, and complete a short video or written reflection about one skill you used, one insight you gained, and one next design question.

Success criteria

You are done when your team has collected evidence from multiple people, including direct quotes and at least one observation; organized your evidence into clear patterns; and completed a wellness interview brief that identifies user needs for a calming, usable greenhouse space. A strong brief includes the user groups interviewed, 3-5 patterns grounded in notes, at least 3 direct quotes, at least 2 specific design implications tied to seating, sound, texture, pathway flow, or plant zones, and at least 1 tradeoff or tension related to safety, function, aesthetics, cultural respect, or social impact. Your final draft shows revision after feedback from two peers and clearly separates observed evidence from assumptions. You also complete the short end-of-session video or written reflection.

Facilitator notes

Keep the pace brisk so students protect enough time for synthesis and revision, not just interviewing. Model empathetic listening and one strong follow-up question before sending students out. Encourage pairs to split roles clearly so one student is not trying to interview and capture every detail alone. If adults are unavailable, students can still broaden perspectives by interviewing classmates from different grades, staff nearby, or using observations of how people move through and react to the greenhouse area. Common pitfalls include vague notes, unsupported claims such as 'everyone wants,' and skipping tradeoffs; redirect students to cite quotes and observations and to name tensions such as quiet versus social use, beauty versus maintenance, or privacy versus visibility. Differentiate by providing sentence starters, a partially filled note catcher, or a brief bank of possible follow-up questions for students who need structure. Extend learning for advanced students by asking them to compare responses across user groups or identify conflicting needs that may shape later design decisions. During peer feedback, insist that reviewers point to exact lines where evidence is strong or missing. Reserve the final minutes for reflection because that formative evidence will help bridge into the next phase problem statement work.

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