Design Thinking
The Lighthouse Project: A Lesson in Design Thinking and Connection
Just before the turn of the millennium, three weeks before the winter break, a scene unfolded in my classroom that remains ingrained in my mind. It was a moment that redefined my understanding of how children approach one of my favorite subjects; "design".
At that time, my students were engaged in a project called, "House By The Sea". What began as a simple lesson on electrical circuits evolved into a comprehensive design challenge: construct a lighthouse with a controllable light, a keeper’s cottage, and a coastal landscape.
I have always been fascinated by the maritime history of lighthouses, but more importantly, I wanted my students to use empathy in design—to imagine the lived experience of those residing on the rugged Canadian coast.
The Design Brief
The constraints were simple but specific:
Location: The lighthouse must be situated along a Canadian coast or the Great Lakes.
Landscape: Students had to construct an elevated landmass above the waterline.
Engineering: The light must be powered by two D batteries, protected by a clear dome (repurposed from a soda bottle), and operated by a functional on/off switch.
Aesthetic: Bonus points were offered for including a realistic sand beach.
Collaboration Through Constraints
Early in the research phase, two girls asked to work as a team. Usually, I required individual projects to ensure every student mastered the construction and circuitry involved. However, I saw an opportunity to make the challenge more interesting.
I gathered the class for a "design conference" and announced a special commission. These two students would work on adjacent properties separated by a high-banked fjord. I challenged them to imagine the opening of that fjord, with twin lighthouses guiding sailing ships toward a seaside village.
As they returned to their desks, I posed one final design problem: "How will you visit each other if you are separated by dangerous water?"
A half-hour later, they returned with their solution: "We’re going to build a bridge."
The Evolution of the Design
Throughout the second week, the girls worked with intense focus. They requested to take the project home over the weekend—a request I usually deny to prevent "over-zealous" parental involvement. They assured me the work would be their own.
When they returned, I didn't see them working on the large landmasses. Instead, they spent their class time on the "micro-details": soldering, painting, and refining small components. I had no idea what was waiting in those final bags.
Design Excellence
On the final morning before the holidays, the class and parents gathered. When it was the girls’ turn, they placed their landmasses at a ninety-degree angle and connected them with a perfectly arched bridge.
The detail was staggering. If Da Vinci had been there, he would have sat down in awe. They hadn't just followed instructions; they had synthesized months of learning into a single installation:
Material Choice: Instead of the coarse classroom sand, they used fine paver sand to create sparkling, realistic beaches.
Scale and Narrative: One beach featured a tiny umbrella and dog; the other, a dory with a lobster trap and net.
Cross-Curricular Synthesis: Most moving were two small, tessellated tetrahedrons tucked away behind a small fence with flowers.
The Power of Student Thinking
The tetrahedrons weren't in the project requirements. They were a connection to a math lesson from September and our class reading of Number the Stars.
Because our school was on an armed forces base, the girls had designed a memorial to those lost at sea, echoing the Remembrance Day ceremonies we had recently attended.
To build those structures, they had to perform complex calculations to halve the scale of the models I had shown them months prior. They didn't just build an object circuit; they imagined and built their own world.
The Lesson for Educators:
Young students are capable of what I call,
“ Design Thinking”. When we provide the right blend of skills, discussion, time and educational freedom, they don't just "complete an assignment"—they make connections between history, math, and empathy that they learn through Osmosis Design.
