Wild Homes for Thriving Animals

Launch

Students will launch the enclosure design challenge by analyzing habitat clues, building shared science vocabulary about animal survival needs, and gathering early user-centered evidence from a community expert before defining an initial enclosure problem.

Days 1 - 3

🕵️ Habitat Clue Match Quest

Launch 45m

📚 Survival Needs Evidence Sort

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

🎥 Ranger Needs Notes

Deliverable 45m

Research & Plan

Students will gather firsthand and text-based evidence about one animal’s habitat needs, traits, and group behaviors, then turn that evidence into an empathy artifact and a list of assumptions and constraints to guide enclosure design.

Days 4 - 8

🦴 Animal Needs Field Notes

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

🧬 Trait-and-Behavior Evidence Cards

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

🎥 Ranger Questions and User Quotes

Community Experience 45m

🗺️ Empathy Map and Constraint Sort

Project Work 45m

🔎 Problem Statement Peer Tuning

Assessment 45m

Define & Synthesize

Students will sort and synthesize their research, define the enclosure problem with evidence and user needs, and create a feedback-informed design brief that lists measurable habitat requirements before moving into idea generation.

Days 9 - 13

🧩 Evidence Sort for Survival Needs

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

📋 Design Brief with User Needs

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

📊 Needs-and-Evidence Matrix Build

Research 45m

💬 Matrix Feedback and Revision

Deliverable 45m

✅ Habitat Design Brief Checkpoint

Assessment 45m

Ideate & Choose

Students will generate several evidence-based enclosure ideas, compare them with a simple decision tool, gather peer and expert feedback, and choose one habitat direction to carry into prototyping.

Days 14 - 18

🧭 Habitat Layouts That Fit Evidence

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

✏️ Three Enclosure Sketch Ideas

Project Work 45m

🗣️ Animal-Need Feedback Carousel

Deliverable 45m

📋 Choice Rubric and User Check

Community Experience 45m

📝 Chosen Habitat Concept Brief

Assessment 45m

Prototype & Present

Students will turn their enclosure ideas into testable prototypes, gather feedback from peers and a community partner, revise their blueprint and model at least twice, and prepare a short evidence-based presentation about how their design supports animal survival and group behavior.

Days 19 - 23

🧩 Habitat Model Materials Lab

Knowledge/Skill Building 35m

✏️ Blueprint to Prototype Build

Project Work 45m

💬 Animal-Need Feedback Round

Deliverable 45m

🦒 Zoo Educator Validation Visit

Community Experience 45m

🎤 Evidence Talk Rehearsal Check

Assessment 45m

Showcase

Students will present their finished habitat blueprints and 3D enclosure models to an authentic audience, explain how evidence and feedback shaped their designs, answer questions about animal survival and group behavior, and capture final feedback from visitors and peers.

Days 24 - 25

🦊 Critter Conservation Showcase

Assessment 45m

📝 Sticky-Note Revision Check

Deliverable 45m

Launch Days 1–3

Day 1

🕵️ Habitat Clue Match Quest

Launch 45m

Day 2

📚 Survival Needs Evidence Sort

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Day 3

🎥 Ranger Needs Notes

Deliverable 45m

Research & Plan Days 4–8

Day 4

🦴 Animal Needs Field Notes

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 5

🧬 Trait-and-Behavior Evidence Cards

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Day 6

🎥 Ranger Questions and User Quotes

Community Experience 45m

Day 7

🗺️ Empathy Map and Constraint Sort

Project Work 45m

Day 8

🔎 Problem Statement Peer Tuning

Assessment 45m

Define & Synthesize Days 9–13

Day 9

🧩 Evidence Sort for Survival Needs

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Day 10

📋 Design Brief with User Needs

Knowledge/Skill Building 45m

Day 11

📊 Needs-and-Evidence Matrix Build

Research 45m

Day 12

💬 Matrix Feedback and Revision

Deliverable 45m

Day 13

✅ Habitat Design Brief Checkpoint

Assessment 45m

Ideate & Choose Days 14–18

Day 14

🧭 Habitat Layouts That Fit Evidence

Knowledge/Skill Building 40m

Day 15

✏️ Three Enclosure Sketch Ideas

Project Work 45m

Day 16

🗣️ Animal-Need Feedback Carousel

Deliverable 45m

Day 17

📋 Choice Rubric and User Check

Community Experience 45m

Day 18

📝 Chosen Habitat Concept Brief

Assessment 45m

Prototype & Present Days 19–23

Day 19

🧩 Habitat Model Materials Lab

Knowledge/Skill Building 35m

Day 20

✏️ Blueprint to Prototype Build

Project Work 45m

Day 21

💬 Animal-Need Feedback Round

Deliverable 45m

Day 22

🦒 Zoo Educator Validation Visit

Community Experience 45m

Day 23

🎤 Evidence Talk Rehearsal Check

Assessment 45m

Showcase Days 24–25

Day 24

🦊 Critter Conservation Showcase

Assessment 45m

Day 25

📝 Sticky-Note Revision Check

Deliverable 45m

September 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

21 Day 1

Launch

🕵️ Habitat Clue Match Quest

22 Day 2

📚 Survival Needs Evidence Sort

23 Day 3

🎥 Ranger Needs Notes

24 Day 4

Research & Plan

🦴 Animal Needs Field Notes

25 Day 5

🧬 Trait-and-Behavior Evidence Cards

28 Day 6

🎥 Ranger Questions and User Quotes

29 Day 7

🗺️ Empathy Map and Constraint Sort

30 Day 8

🔎 Problem Statement Peer Tuning

1 Day 9

Define & Synthesize

🧩 Evidence Sort for Survival Needs

2 Day 10

📋 Design Brief with User Needs

October 2026

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

5 Day 11

📊 Needs-and-Evidence Matrix Build

6 Day 12

💬 Matrix Feedback and Revision

7 Day 13

✅ Habitat Design Brief Checkpoint

8 Day 14

Ideate & Choose

🧭 Habitat Layouts That Fit Evidence

9 Day 15

✏️ Three Enclosure Sketch Ideas

12 Day 16

🗣️ Animal-Need Feedback Carousel

13 Day 17

📋 Choice Rubric and User Check

14 Day 18

📝 Chosen Habitat Concept Brief

15 Day 19

Prototype & Present

🧩 Habitat Model Materials Lab

16 Day 20

✏️ Blueprint to Prototype Build

19 Day 21

💬 Animal-Need Feedback Round

20 Day 22

🦒 Zoo Educator Validation Visit

21 Day 23

🎤 Evidence Talk Rehearsal Check

22 Day 24

Showcase

🦊 Critter Conservation Showcase

23 Day 25

📝 Sticky-Note Revision Check