9th Grade Iconic Design Lesson Plan

Topic: What is iconic design?

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to define iconic design and identify examples of iconic design in everyday life.

Materials

• Images of iconic design for analysis (e.g. iPhone, Mini Cooper, Nike sneakers, Coca-Cola bottle)
• Handouts with definitions and examples of iconic design
• Colored pencils or markers

Warm-up

• Ask students to think of a product that they use or enjoy using daily. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. iPhone, laptop, toothbrush, coffee maker)
• Ask students to think of a specific aspect of the product that they like or find useful. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. the sleek design of the iPhone, the bright colors of the laptop, the squeaky clean feel of the toothbrush, the satisfying sip of coffee)
• Ask students to think of a product that they do not like or find unuseful. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. the bulky design of the laptop, the prickly feel of the toothbrush, the bitter taste of coffee)
• Ask students if they can think of a specific aspect of the product that they do not like or find unuseful. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. the awkward placement of the keys on the laptop, the rough feel of the toothbrush, the bitter aftertaste of coffee)
• Ask students if they can think of a product that they like but do not necessarily use on a daily basis. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. a favorite t-shirt, a favorite book, a favorite song)
• Ask students if they can think of a specific aspect of the product that they like. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. the comfortable fit of the t-shirt, the interesting story in the book, the catchy tune in the song)
• Ask students if they can think of a product that they do not like but do not necessarily avoid using. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. a disliked t-shirt, a disliked book, a disliked song)
• Ask students if they can think of a specific aspect of the product that they do not like. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. the itchy fabric of the t-shirt, the boring plot of the book, the annoying singer of the song)
• Ask students if they can think of a product that they use on a daily basis but do not necessarily like. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. a necessary pencil, a necessary notebook, a necessary backpack)
• Ask students if they can think of a specific aspect of the product that they do not like. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. the dull tip of the pencil, the plain cover of the notebook, the heavy weight of the backpack)
• Ask students if they can think of a product that they do not use on a daily basis but do not necessarily avoid. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. an unused pencil, an unused notebook, an unused backpack)
• Ask students if they can think of a specific aspect of the

product that they do not like. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. the dull tip of the pencil, the plain cover of the notebook, the heavy weight of the backpack)

Introduction

• Explain to students that the products that they came up with during the warm-up activity are examples of iconic design. Iconic design is a term that describes design that is instantly recognizable by its users. It is design that is not only functional, but also emotional and memorable.
• Ask students if they can think of any other examples of iconic design. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. the Apple logo, the Nike swoosh, the iPhone home screen, the Mona Lisa)
• Explain to students that iconic design is not a new concept. In fact, designers have been designing iconic products for hundreds of years. However, the term "iconic design" was only introduced in the 1990s by the design community to describe the increasing importance of emotional and memorable design in the marketplace.
• Explain to students that they will be learning about three key components of iconic design: inspiration, execution, and impact. These components are important because they help to explain how iconic design is created, how it is sustained over time, and how it can have a lasting impact on users and society as a whole.
• Ask students to open their notebooks and prepare to take notes on the lesson.
• Begin the lesson by discussing the first component of iconic design: inspiration.
• Ask students to think of a product that they use or enjoy using daily. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. iPhone, laptop, toothbrush, coffee maker)
• Ask students to think about the specific aspect of the product that they like or find useful. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. the sleek design of the iPhone, the bright colors of the laptop, the squeaky clean feel of the toothbrush, the satisfying sip of coffee)
• Ask students to think about where they first saw or heard about the product. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. a friend showed them the iPhone, they saw an ad for the laptop, they heard their parents talking about the toothbrush, they saw someone drinking coffee in a movie)
• Ask students to think about where the designer of the product got their inspiration for the product. Write their answers on the board. (e.g. a friend showed them the iPhone, they saw an ad for the laptop, they heard their parents talking about the toothbrush, they saw someone drinking coffee in a movie)
• Explain to students that the inspiration for a product can come from anywhere. It can come from a place, a person, a moment in time, or even a feeling. It can be intentional or accidental. However, the point of inspiration is that it helps to spark creativity and guide the

Guided Practice

• Divide students into small groups and give each group a different product from the list that was written on the board.
• Have each group brainstorm their answers to the following questions:
• Where did the designer of this product get their inspiration?
• What specific aspect of the product do they like or find useful?
• Where did they first see or hear about the product?
• Where did they first see or hear about the designer?
• Have each group share their answers with the class and discuss any differences or similarities between the products and their inspirations.
• Explain to students that while every product is different and every designer has their own unique story, there are some common themes that emerge in iconic design. These themes include innovation, simplicity, utility, and most importantly, purpose.
• Ask students to think about the products that they have listed on their own desks. Can they identify any common themes in the inspiration, execution, and impact of the products?
• Lead a discussion on this topic, asking students for their thoughts and insights on iconic design.
• After the discussion, wrap up the lesson by focusing on the importance of purpose in iconic design.
• Explain to students that every product, no matter how simple or complex, is designed with a specific purpose in mind. Whether the purpose is to solve a problem, to make life easier or more enjoyable, or to connect with others, every product has a purpose behind it.
• Ask students to think about the products that they have listed on their own desks. Can they identify the purpose behind each product?
• Lead a discussion on this topic, asking students for their thoughts and insights on iconic design.
• Wrap up the lesson by discussing the concept of purpose in iconic design and its importance in creating products that users love.
• Ask students if they have any questions or thoughts on the lesson.

Assessment

• Have students complete a short writing exercise where they describe the purpose behind their favorite product.
• Ask students to present their writing to the class and have a discussion on the purpose behind the product.
• Assess understanding by having students identify the purpose behind a given product during a class discussion.
• The purpose behind iconic design is to create products that users love. By the end of this lesson, students should be able to identify the purpose behind a given product and explain why it is important in creating a product that users love.
• If students struggle with identifying the purpose behind a given product, have them work in small groups to brainstorm ideas and present their findings to the class.
• During the assessment, keep a close eye on student engagement and participation. If students are not engaged in the lesson or are having a hard time following along, consider re-teaching the concepts or moving on to a different activity.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose a product that they use on a daily basis and create a presentation on the purpose behind the product.
• Students can use a variety of presentation methods, such as a poster, slide deck, or video, to communicate their findings to the class.
• Encourage students to be creative and use their presentation to share their insights on the purpose behind the product and how it makes their lives better.

Closure

• Ask students to reflect on the lesson and share what they learned about iconic design and how it can make our lives better.
• Encourage students to share any insights or observations that they had while researching their product.

Assessment

• Observe students during the exploratory and explorative stages to assess their understanding of the topic.
• Collect and grade the products that students created during the experimental stage.
• Ask students to reflect on their learning during the closure stage.