MYP Design Curriculum · MYP Year 1

Grade 6

Building the design vocabulary. Students learn what a design cycle is, practice every strand in a scaffolded way, and produce four small projects. No electronics this year — all software and paper-based.

Unit 1 · Sep–Oct

"Who I Am" — Personal Identity Poster

ABCD
Key Concept
Communication
Related Concepts
Form, Perspective
Global Context
Identities and Relationships
Statement of Inquiry
Effective communication uses visual form to reveal personal perspective to a chosen audience.
Inquiry Questions
Factual: What is a design cycle? What makes a poster "read" well? Conceptual: How do visual choices communicate identity? Debatable: Can an image lie?
Skills / Tools
Krita or Photopea (browser). Color theory basics. Typography fundamentals (serif vs sans, hierarchy). Composition (rule of thirds). Design journal setup in Google Docs or OneNote. Intro to the design cycle vocabulary.
AI Integration
Introduction to AI as a design aid. Students use DeepSeek or Doubao to: (1) explain unfamiliar design vocabulary ("what does typography hierarchy mean?"), (2) suggest words that describe their own identity for poster content, (3) explain why one font family might suit a theme. First AI Use Log is a guided worksheet — teacher scaffolds each field. Discussion point when it arises: the AI doesn't know you; you have to decide what's true about yourself.
Summative Assessment
A4 personal identity poster + design folder sections on Criterion A (problem + research into 3 existing posters) and Criterion B (3 ideas + design specification + chosen design) + AI Use Log.
Budget Note
0 RMB. Free software only.
Unit 2 · Nov–Jan

"Playable Thing" — Paper Game for a Client

ABCD
Key Concept
Development
Related Concepts
Function, Innovation
Global Context
Scientific and Technical Innovation
Statement of Inquiry
Designers develop solutions by planning, prototyping, and testing with real users.
Inquiry Questions
Factual: What makes a game fair? What is a prototype? Conceptual: How does testing change a design? Debatable: Is a fun game always a good game?
Skills / Tools
Planning and Gantt-style timelines. Cardboard / paper prototyping. Playtesting protocols. Gathering qualitative and quantitative feedback. First experience with test → iterate → retest.
AI Integration
AI for ideation and rule-checking. Students use DeepSeek to: (1) brainstorm variants of a basic game mechanic ("give me 10 ways to make a dice game more strategic"), (2) test whether their written rules are clear ("read these rules and tell me what's confusing"), (3) generate imaginary playtester feedback before real playtesting. Discussion point: AI playtesters are not real playtesters — after real playtests, students compare what AI predicted vs what happened.
Summative Assessment
Working paper game with full rules + design folder sections on Criterion C (plan + technical making + changes) and Criterion D (playtesting data + evaluation against specification + improvement suggestions) + AI Use Log.
Budget Note
\~50 RMB for card stock, dice, markers. Reusable next year.
Unit 3 · Feb–Apr

"Campus Problem" — Wayfinding Solution

ABCD
Key Concept
Communities
Related Concepts
Communication, Culture
Global Context
Orientation in Space and Time
Statement of Inquiry
Communities use visual systems to help people navigate shared spaces across cultures.
Inquiry Questions
Factual: What is wayfinding? What symbols are culturally universal? Conceptual: How do signs create inclusion or exclusion? Debatable: Should all school signs be in English, Chinese, or both?
Skills / Tools
Field observation and user interviews (ATL research skill). SWOT analysis of existing signage. Icon design principles. Scratch or block-coded digital mockup of a signage system.
AI Integration
AI for comparative research. Students use DeepSeek to: (1) find examples of wayfinding systems from airports, hospitals, and parks around the world, (2) explain symbol conventions in different cultures, (3) suggest questions to ask in user interviews. Students must verify any AI-provided facts (e.g., "this symbol means X in Japan") by finding a second source. First real encounter with the idea that AI can sound confident while being wrong.
Summative Assessment
Proposed wayfinding system (set of 3+ coordinated signs) + design folder sections on Criterion A (authentic campus problem + user research) and Criterion B (design specification + 3 ideas + chosen design with annotated drawings) + AI Use Log.
Budget Note
0 RMB. Printing costs absorbed by existing department budget.
Unit 4 · Apr–Jun

Intro to Code — A Simple Interactive Story in Scratch

ABCD
Key Concept
Systems
Related Concepts
Logic, Function
Global Context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Statement of Inquiry
Systems of logic allow designers to create interactive experiences that express ideas.
Inquiry Questions
Factual: What is a loop / conditional? What is a variable? Conceptual: How does logic structure a story? Debatable: Is code a language?
Skills / Tools
Scratch: events, loops, conditionals, variables, broadcasts. Storyboarding. User testing with a younger audience (if available — e.g., Grade 4 buddies).
AI Integration
AI as a debugging helper. Students use DeepSeek to: (1) explain what a block of Scratch code does in plain English, (2) suggest why their code isn't working ("my sprite won't move when I press space — here's my code, what might be wrong?"), (3) generate test scenarios. Students must try to solve problems themselves for 5 minutes before asking AI. Discussion point when it arises: AI will sometimes confidently suggest a fix that doesn't work — you still have to test.
Summative Assessment
Playable Scratch interactive story + design folder emphasis on Criterion C (logical plan, coding skill, changes made) and Criterion D (testing with real users, evaluation, improvement plan) + AI Use Log.
Budget Note
0 RMB. Scratch is free and accessible without VPN (scratch.mit.edu has a mirror).
IB compliance

Strand Coverage

Every strand of every criterion is assessed at least twice per year — summatively in the emphasis units (●) and formatively elsewhere (○).

Strand U1 PosterU2 GameU3 WayfindingU4 Scratch
A.i Explain/justify need ●○●○
A.ii Prioritize research ●○●○
A.iii Analyze existing products ●○●○
A.iv Develop design brief ●○●○
B.i Design specification ●○●○
B.ii Range of feasible ideas ●○●○
B.iii Present/justify chosen design ●○●○
B.iv Planning drawings/diagrams ●○●○
C.i Logical plan ○●○●
C.ii Technical skills ○●○●
C.iii Follow plan / functioning solution ○●○●
C.iv Justify changes to plan ○●○●
D.i Testing methods ○●○●
D.ii Evaluate against specification ○●○●
D.iii Explain improvements ○●○●
D.iv Impact on client/audience ○●○●