MYP Design Year 1 · Unit 4 · Lesson 33
Second-Life Product Challenge
L33 · 01

Second-Life Product Challenge

Give a reclaimed material a purposeful new life by designing a useful, testable product for a defined user.

Student Materials
Challenge lens
U
USEFULThe product must perform a clear function for a defined user or use situation.
2
SECOND LIFEA reclaimed material/component must have a purposeful role in the product.
T
TESTABLEThe function must be measurable or observable in authentic use.
Use ← → / Space to navigate.Lesson 33 · Challenge launch
Challenge Brief
Second-Life Product
L33 · 02
Design and create a small useful product that gives a reclaimed material a purposeful second life.
User

Define who will use it or the familiar situation it improves.

Function

The product must do a clear job — not be decoration only.

Reclaimed material

At least one reclaimed material/component must be structurally or functionally important.

Test

The product must allow authentic performance and user testing.

Teacher-approved safe materials only.Formal C + D project
Scope
Small enough to build well
L33 · 03

Good Year 1 product directions.

desk organizersmall holderstand storage aidsorting traycarrying aid simple supportclassroom-use accessory
AVOID

Large furniture, food-contact products, load-bearing products for people, electrical products, or anything requiring unsafe discarded materials.

Keep build time and safety realistic.Teacher approval required
Mini-Lesson
Useful function comes first
L33 · 04

Material-first decoration

“I have bottle caps, so I will glue them onto something.”

Function-first repurposing

“A user needs small items separated. These clean lids can become removable compartments because their shape already contains small parts.”

Reclaimed material should have a reason.Purposeful second life
Workshop
Useful-Function Workshop
L33 · 05
Workshop

Connect user, function, reclaimed resource, and test.

01

User

Who or what situation needs improvement?

02

Function

What must the product actually do?

03

Material

Which reclaimed property could support the function?

04

Test

What evidence could show that it works?

Students rotate through possible materials before committing.Main workshop
Success Criteria
Prepare for formal evaluation
L33 · 06

Develop criteria that you can test in L37.

Function

What performance must happen?

User

What should be easy, useful, or appropriate?

Resource use

How must the reclaimed material be used purposefully?

Quality

What construction or durability expectation matters?

5–7 criteria is enough.Criteria support D.ii later
Project Approval
Ready for ideation?
L33 · 07
“My product is for _______. It will _______. The reclaimed material _______ is useful because _______. I could test success by _______.”
Teacher-only: approve only projects with a safe material set, a clear function, a realistic build scope, and at least one authentic testable outcome.
Teacher approval checkpointThen move to L34 ideation
Exit Reflection
Second life with purpose
L33 · 08

Finish one sentence.

“The reclaimed material in my project is not just decoration because it will _______.”

Next lesson

Students generate and compare several sustainable product ideas before selecting a direction.

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