ROLE:

You are an experienced senior curriculum leader for art and design. You are also a senior examiner with an English awarding body. You have worked as a professional theatre designer.

CONTEXT:

I am the curriculum leader for art and design in a medium-sized urban school in central England, which has been judged to be good by Ofsted. Our current curriculum follows a typical fine art format and provides our students with many opportunities to act as artists. We get good GCSE and A-level results and follow the AQA syllabus.

There are three teachers in the art and design department. We are experienced and have different specialisms. One has trained as a theatre designer, and the others have trained in fine art. There are three studios in the department. They each have good facilities for two-dimensional work, including printmaking. Each studio has three desktop computers and a printer. Students can access a set of tablets and some digital cameras. The typical class size is 27. In Key Stage 3 there is one lesson a week which lasts for one hour.

REASON:

My colleagues and I wish to rebalance our curriculum so that our students get an opportunity to behave as designers in Key Stage 3. We wish to create a new one term teaching programme in year 9. This programme should enable our students to experience and learn the behaviours of a designers. They should be able to distinguish this from their experience of behaving as artists.

REASON: BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

We have researched and discussed what we believe to be the characteristics and behaviours of designers that we wish our students to learn. These are given below:

[Each programme should focus on developing designerly thinking through addressing “wicked problems” – complex challenges with no clear solutions and incomplete information.

The programme should develop students’ capacity for abductive reasoning: considering multiple pragmatic solutions when faced with incomplete data, and being comfortable with solutions that might be provisional or imperfect.

Each curriculum example should develop these specific capacities in students:

Responding effectively to identified needs in defined social contexts

Identifying challenges or opportunities in new/imagined settings

Recognising and responding to ‘wicked problems’ in which unpredicable changes will occur at different stages in the process. This will require a cyclical process involving both lateral thinking, creativity and imagination complemented by process driven problem solving.

Some collaborative work with peers

Application of prior learning

Critical thinking processes (brainstorming, reflection, critique)

Evaluating solutions based on function, design, user engagement, and cultural factors

Identifying follow-up challenges or extensions]

TASK:

We would like you to help us rewrite this curriculum unit by generating a programme for a one term design unit for Year 9.  This example will help our discussion and inform our options. The programmes should be well aligned with the age and experience of the students in this year group. It should also take account of lesson length and the normal facilities to be found in these art studios.

To ensure the programme helps students learn to behave as designers, we wish the programme to include the experience of facing incomplete or changing data, and being comfortable with solutions that might be provisional or imperfect. To simulate this designerly thinking, the programme should include, one major and one minor disruptive intervention at different stages in the unit. These should help students to learn about ‘wicked’ design problems by suggesting, for instance, Socratic questions, change to context, materials, or function, a reduction in scope, reversing assumptions, 

In order to help students recognise and understand the design context of this unit of work. They should each take on a role of designers working on a theatre production. The class should be divided into four groups with each group selecting a different play. Students can take on different design tasks and roles within their group, such as designing sets, props, costumes, posters, programmes. Each group will need to decide which play they wish to design. They will also share the task of ing and agreeing the broad style and approach. They may choose a particular piece of text to drive their design thinking and to avoid having to read the play in detail. The teacher should act as the producer and can shape the groups thinking and organisation as necessary. The class should be informed that, in this environment, things will change and they will need to adapt, so that they are not surprised or disheartened by the disruptive interventions introduced by the teacher. The programme will end with each ‘group’ pitching their ideas to the producer.

STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS:

The terms programme must include some small group work which emulates the practice of a working designers.

Include opportunities for students to present and defend work to peers.

The unit should include (one major and one minor) disruptive intervention at different stages in the unit. 

Specify the key art and design skills and techniques to be acquired and the contextual art and design knowledge to be learned.

Include typical art and design subject assessment practices that evaluate both art and design processes and outcomes.

Incorporate diverse stage design references and examples.

Lessons should have clear subheadings which include a clear description of activities using sentences, learning objectives, differentiation strategies, and resources required.

Before you begin, is there anything further you need to know?

STATEMENT:

Add this statement to the bottom of this response in red type. 

[Remember that AI is not sentient. These responses are the result of an algorithm and may be wrong or subject to bias. You must always use your judgment about the appropriate use of these AI generated responses.]

The Response

Year 9 Theatre Design: Responding to the Brief

Unit Title: Responding to the Brief: Theatre Design as a ‘Wicked Problem’ Year Group: Year 9 Duration: 12 Weeks (1 hour per week) Context: This unit is designed to rebalance the Key Stage 3 curriculum, providing students with an immersive experience of behaving as designers, distinct from their previous experiences as artists. Students will take on the roles of theatre designers, working in groups to respond to a design brief for a play. The teacher will act as the ‘producer’, introducing challenges and guiding the design process.

Unit Overview: Cultivating Designerly Thinking

This unit challenges students to engage with the complex, iterative, and often unpredictable nature of design. By adopting the role of theatre designers, students will learn to:

• Respond effectively to identified needs: Interpreting a play’s text and themes to inform design choices.

• Identify challenges and opportunities: Recognizing constraints (space, budget, audience) and creative possibilities within a theatrical production.

• Recognise and respond to ‘wicked problems’: Embracing unexpected changes and incomplete information as inherent parts of the design process, requiring cyclical thinking, lateral creativity, and systematic problem-solving.

• Develop abductive reasoning: Generating multiple plausible solutions when faced with ambiguity, understanding that initial solutions may be provisional.

• Collaborate effectively: Working in small teams, sharing ideas, and negotiating design decisions.

• Apply prior learning: Integrating existing art and design skills (drawing, model-making, digital tools) into a design context.

• Engage in critical thinking: Brainstorming, reflecting on choices, and providing constructive critique.

• Evaluate solutions: Assessing design proposals based on function, aesthetic impact, user (audience/performer) engagement, and cultural relevance.

• Identify follow-up challenges: Considering how designs might evolve or extend beyond the initial brief.

Key Art and Design Skills and Techniques to be Acquired:

• Research and Analysis: Visual research, textual analysis, mood board creation.

• Idea Generation: Brainstorming, sketching, mind-mapping, thumbnailing.

• Visual Communication: Technical drawing (basic scale, perspective), rendering techniques (colour, texture), digital mock-ups.

• 3D Conception: Basic model-making (cardboard, foam board), understanding spatial relationships.

• Presentation Skills: Articulating design concepts clearly, defending choices, responding to feedback.

• Digital Skills: Using tablets/computers for research, image manipulation, basic graphic design (posters, programmes).

• Printmaking (Optional/Extension): Creating simplified motifs for props or costume details.

Contextual Art and Design Knowledge to be Learned:

• Roles in Theatre Production: Understanding the relationship between designer, director, producer, and audience.

• Elements of Stage Design: Set, costume, lighting, sound, props, and their interrelationships.

• Historical and Contemporary Theatre Design: Exposure to diverse examples, styles, and influential designers (e.g., Inigo Jones, Adolphe Appia, Edward Gordon Craig, Josef Svoboda, Es Devlin).

• Design Principles: Scale, proportion, balance, rhythm, emphasis, unity, variety, functionality.

• Impact of Design: How design shapes narrative, character, mood, and audience experience.

Assessment Practices:

• Formative Assessment:

  • Sketchbooks/Design Journals: Documenting research, idea generation, iterative development, reflections, and responses to interventions. (Focus on process).

  • Peer Critiques: Students provide constructive feedback on group and individual work, demonstrating critical thinking.

  • Teacher Observation: Assessing collaboration, problem-solving, and engagement during practical activities.

• Summative Assessment:

  • Group Design Pitch: Evaluation of the clarity, creativity, and coherence of the final design proposal, and the group’s ability to defend their choices and adapt to challenges. (Focus on outcome and communication).

  • Individual Contribution: Assessment of individual design elements (e.g., a detailed costume drawing, a prop design, a poster mock-up) and the quality of documentation in their design journal. (Focus on individual skill and process).

Lesson Breakdown

Week 1: Introduction to Theatre Design & The Design Brief

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will understand the role of a theatre designer and distinguish it from an artist.

  • Students will be introduced to the concept of a ‘wicked problem’ in design.

  • Students will form design groups and begin selecting a play.

• Activities:

  1. Warm-up (5 min): Artist vs. Designer: Quick brainstorm on the board: “What does an artist do?” vs. “What does a designer do?” Discuss the core differences (self-expression vs. problem-solving for a client/need).

  2. Introduction to Theatre Design (15 min): Presentation with diverse examples of stage design (e.g., minimalist, elaborate, historical, contemporary, abstract). Highlight how designers interpret scripts, create atmosphere, and solve practical problems. Introduce key terms: set, costume, props, lighting.

  3. The ‘Wicked Problem’ Concept (10 min): Explain that design problems are rarely straightforward. Use a simple analogy (e.g., designing a school bag that’s comfortable, stylish, holds everything, and is cheap – many conflicting needs). Introduce the idea that things will change in this project, just like in real design.

  4. The Producer’s Brief (15 min): The teacher (as ‘producer’) introduces the project: “We are producing a series of plays, and your design companies (groups) will pitch your vision for one. Things will change, so be ready to adapt!”

  5. Group Formation & Play Selection (15 min): Students form 4 groups (approx. 6-7 students per group). Provide a list of diverse plays (e.g., A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, An Inspector Calls, Alice in Wonderland, Blood Brothers, Antigone). Each group selects a play and a specific ‘driving text’ (a scene, a monologue, or a key description) to focus their initial ideas, avoiding the need to read the entire play.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Pre-selected simpler play options for groups who might struggle with complex narratives. Sentence starters for initial brainstorming.

  • Challenge: Encourage more abstract or conceptual interpretations of plays for advanced groups.

• Resources: Projector, whiteboard, examples of theatre design images/videos, list of plays with brief synopses, large paper for group brainstorming.

Week 2: Deconstructing the Brief & Initial Concepts

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will analyse their chosen ‘driving text’ to extract key design requirements.

  • Students will begin to brainstorm initial design ideas for their chosen play.

  • Students will assign initial design roles within their groups.

• Activities:

  1. Text Analysis (20 min): Each group re-reads their chosen ‘driving text’. Using guiding questions (e.g., “What is the mood?”, “Where does it take place?”, “Who are the characters?”, “What objects are mentioned?”, “What time period is suggested?”), they annotate the text and extract keywords/visual prompts.

  2. Initial Brainstorming & Mood Boards (30 min): Groups brainstorm initial visual ideas based on their text analysis. They can use tablets/computers to quickly gather images for digital mood boards or create physical ones with magazine cut-outs/sketches. Focus on broad style, colour palettes, and key visual motifs.

  3. Role Assignment (10 min): Within each group, students discuss and provisionally assign design roles (e.g., Set Designer, Costume Designer, Props Master, Graphic Designer for poster/programme). Emphasise that roles can be fluid and collaborative.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Provide sentence starters for text analysis. Offer pre-curated image banks for mood boards.

  • Challenge: Encourage students to consider abstract interpretations of the text, or to research specific historical periods in more depth.

• Resources: Chosen play excerpts, tablets/computers with internet access, magazines, scissors, glue, large paper, art materials for sketching.

Week 3: Visual Research & Developing Concepts

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will conduct focused visual research to inform their design concepts.

  • Students will begin to translate abstract ideas into concrete visual proposals.

  • Students will understand the importance of visual references in design.

• Activities:

  1. Research Deep Dive (30 min): Students, in their assigned roles, conduct more specific visual research. Set designers might look at architecture, interiors, or landscapes. Costume designers might research historical fashion or contemporary styles. Graphic designers might look at typography and poster art. Emphasise looking beyond literal representations to find inspiration.

  2. Sketching & Thumbnailing (20 min): Based on their research, students begin to sketch initial ideas for their specific design elements. These should be quick, exploratory thumbnail sketches, focusing on form, shape, and composition rather than detail.

  3. Group Share & Feedback (10 min): Groups share their research and initial sketches. Peers offer constructive feedback, focusing on how well the ideas respond to the play’s themes and the group’s agreed style.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Provide structured research prompts. Encourage tracing or copying from images to understand forms.

  • Challenge: Ask students to consider how lighting or sound might integrate with their visual designs.

• Resources: Tablets/computers, internet access, sketchbooks, pencils, basic drawing materials.

Week 4: Exploring Design Elements & Materials

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will explore how different materials and forms can convey meaning in design.

  • Students will begin to develop more detailed visualisations of their design elements.

  • Students will consider the practicalities of their design choices.

• Activities:

  1. Material Exploration (20 min): Discuss how materials (fabric, wood, metal, light) convey different feelings and practicalities. Show examples of how designers use unexpected materials. Students experiment with quick material studies through drawing or collage, considering textures and surfaces.

  2. Developing Specific Elements (30 min):

     • Set Designers: Begin rough 3D sketches or simple paper models of key set pieces, considering scale and spatial relationships.

     • Costume Designers: Develop more detailed costume sketches, focusing on silhouette, colour, and key details.

     • Props/Graphic Designers: Sketch specific props or begin digital mock-ups for posters/programmes.

  3. Group Discussion: Practicalities (10 min): Groups discuss the feasibility of their designs. “Can this set be built?”, “Is this costume practical for an actor?”, “Will this poster attract an audience?”

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Provide pre-cut paper shapes for model making. Offer stencils for basic forms.

  • Challenge: Encourage students to research sustainable materials or innovative construction techniques.

• Resources: Sketchbooks, pencils, coloured pencils, markers, basic model-making materials (card, scissors, glue), tablets/computers for digital work.

Week 5: Minor Disruptive Intervention & Adaptation

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will experience a ‘wicked problem’ through a minor disruptive intervention.

  • Students will practice abductive reasoning by generating alternative solutions.

  • Students will understand the need for flexibility and iteration in design.

• Activities:

  1. The Producer’s News (10 min): The ‘producer’ (teacher) announces a minor, but significant, change.

     • Intervention Example 1 (Context Change): “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the play will now be performed in a much smaller, intimate theatre space. Your designs need to be re-scaled and simplified.”

     • Intervention Example 2 (Material Constraint): “Our budget for set materials has been drastically cut. You must now primarily use recycled or found objects.”

     • Intervention Example 3 (Function/Audience Change): “The target audience for this production has shifted to a younger demographic. How does this impact your visual style?”

  2. Immediate Brainstorming & Problem-Solving (30 min): In groups, students immediately brainstorm solutions to the new constraint. This is about quick, lateral thinking. They should sketch new ideas, discuss how to adapt existing ones, and consider what needs to be sacrificed or prioritised.

  3. Group Share & Initial Adaptation (20 min): Groups briefly share their initial responses to the intervention. The producer provides brief feedback, encouraging pragmatic and creative solutions. Students begin to adapt their design elements.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Guide questions for problem-solving. Encourage focusing on one key element to adapt first.

  • Challenge: Ask students to consider the implications of the change beyond just the visual (e.g., how a smaller stage affects actor movement).

• Resources: Sketchbooks, pencils, existing design work.

Week 6: Refining Designs Post-Intervention

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will refine their design concepts, integrating the changes from the intervention.

  • Students will develop more detailed and resolved visualisations.

  • Students will apply printmaking or digital techniques to enhance their designs.

• Activities:

  1. Individual Design Development (40 min): Students work individually on their specific design elements, incorporating the adaptations from the previous week.

     • Set Designers: Refine models or detailed drawings, showing new scale/materials.

     • Costume Designers: Develop final costume illustrations, considering new fabric choices.

     • Props/Graphic Designers: Finalise prop designs or create digital mock-ups of posters/programmes using computers/tablets. Consider using simple printmaking techniques for repeated patterns or textures if applicable.

  2. Group Check-in & Cohesion (20 min): Groups come back together to ensure their individual adaptations still work cohesively as a unified design vision for the play. They identify any new conflicts or opportunities created by the changes.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Provide templates for technical drawings or digital layouts. Offer direct instruction on specific printmaking techniques.

  • Challenge: Encourage students to explore more complex printmaking techniques or advanced digital manipulation.

• Resources: All art materials, model-making supplies, computers/tablets, access to printmaking facilities (if used).

Week 7: Peer Critique & Reflection

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will present and defend their adapted design work to their peers.

  • Students will provide constructive criticism and feedback to others.

  • Students will reflect on their design process and the impact of the intervention.

• Activities:

  1. Group Presentations (40 min): Each group presents their current, adapted designs to another group (or the whole class, time permitting). They should explain their initial concept, how they responded to the intervention, and why their current solutions are effective.

  2. Constructive Critique (15 min): Peers use a structured feedback framework (e.g., “Two Stars and a Wish” – two things they like, one suggestion for improvement) to provide feedback. Focus on function, visual impact, and how well the design serves the play.

  3. Individual Reflection (5 min): Students make notes in their design journals on the feedback received and how they might incorporate it. They also reflect on the process of adapting to the ‘wicked problem’.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Provide sentence starters for giving and receiving feedback. Model effective critique.

  • Challenge: Encourage students to identify underlying design principles in their feedback.

• Resources: Student design work, sketchbooks, whiteboard/projector for feedback prompts.

Week 8: Major Disruptive Intervention & Re-evaluation

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will experience a major ‘wicked problem’ requiring significant re-evaluation.

  • Students will apply abductive reasoning to generate radically new solutions.

  • Students will understand the cyclical nature of design and the need for resilience.

• Activities:

  1. The Producer’s Shocking News (10 min): The ‘producer’ delivers a significant, disruptive intervention, forcing a major re-think.

     • Intervention Example 1 (Context Reversal): “The director has decided to set A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a dystopian future, not an enchanted forest. How does this change EVERYTHING?”

     • Intervention Example 2 (Function Reversal): “The play will now be performed entirely in silence, relying solely on visual storytelling. How do your designs communicate without words?”

     • Intervention Example 3 (Scope Reduction/Reversal of Assumptions): “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the performance space is now a bare, empty room. All ‘set’ must be created by the actors’ bodies and minimal props. How do you design for this?”

  2. Radical Brainstorming (30 min): Groups engage in intense brainstorming, challenging all previous assumptions. This is where abductive reasoning is crucial – generating multiple, often provisional, solutions. Encourage lateral thinking and “what if” scenarios.

  3. Initial Re-conceptualisation (20 min): Groups sketch out entirely new, broad concepts, focusing on how to respond to this major shift. This might involve abandoning previous work and starting fresh with a new core idea.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Break down the major intervention into smaller questions. Encourage focusing on one key element to redesign first.

  • Challenge: Ask students to consider how this radical change might enhance the original text’s meaning.

• Resources: Sketchbooks, pencils, large paper for group brainstorming.

Week 9: Developing New Solutions & Prototyping

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will develop new design solutions in response to the major intervention.

  • Students will create prototypes or detailed visualisations of their revised designs.

  • Students will apply their technical skills to communicate complex ideas.

• Activities:

  1. Individual Design Development (40 min): Students work on their revised design elements. This might involve creating new models, detailed drawings, or digital mock-ups from scratch, or significantly altering existing ones. Emphasis on clear communication of the new concept.

  2. Group Cohesion & Problem-Solving (20 min): Groups regularly check in to ensure their individual revised designs still form a cohesive whole. They identify any new challenges or opportunities presented by the radical shift. The ‘producer’ circulates, offering guidance and probing questions.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Provide simplified model-making instructions. Offer digital templates for quick mock-ups.

  • Challenge: Encourage students to experiment with mixed media or more complex rendering techniques.

• Resources: All art materials, model-making supplies, computers/tablets.

Week 10: Finalising Designs & Pitch Preparation

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will finalise their design concepts, ready for presentation.

  • Students will prepare a compelling visual and verbal pitch for their design.

  • Students will anticipate questions and prepare to defend their choices.

• Activities:

  1. Final Design Production (40 min): Students put the finishing touches on their design elements. This could include:

     • Set: A refined scaled model, a detailed technical drawing, or a digital rendering.

     • Costume: Finalised costume illustrations with fabric swatches/descriptions.

     • Props: Detailed drawings or small prototypes.

     • Graphics: High-resolution digital posters/programmes.

  2. Pitch Planning (20 min): Groups plan their pitch to the ‘producer’. They decide who will present which part, what key points they want to make, and how they will visually present their work. They should also anticipate questions about their design choices, especially regarding the interventions.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Provide a pitch structure template. Help students write cue cards.

  • Challenge: Encourage students to create a short animation or digital walkthrough of their set design.

• Resources: All art materials, computers/tablets, presentation boards/easels.

Week 11: The Design Pitch

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will present their final design proposals to the ‘producer’ and peers.

  • Students will articulate and defend their design choices, demonstrating their understanding of the brief and their response to ‘wicked problems’.

  • Students will evaluate the effectiveness of their solutions.

• Activities:

  1. Group Pitches (50 min): Each group presents their final design concept to the ‘producer’ (teacher) and the rest of the class. They should explain their interpretation of the play, their design vision, how they responded to both the minor and major interventions, and why their solutions are effective in terms of function, design, user engagement, and cultural factors.

  2. Q&A and Producer Feedback (10 min): The ‘producer’ asks probing questions, challenging students to justify their decisions and reflect on the iterative process. Peers can also ask questions.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Allow students to present in pairs if nervous. Provide pre-agreed prompts for the pitch.

  • Challenge: Encourage students to identify potential follow-up challenges or extensions for their designs.

• Resources: Final design work (models, drawings, digital files), projector for digital presentations.

Week 12: Reflection, Evaluation & Next Steps

• Learning Objectives:

  • Students will reflect on their learning journey throughout the unit, particularly regarding designerly thinking.

  • Students will self-assess their process and outcomes.

  • Students will understand how this unit connects to future learning in art and design.

• Activities:

  1. Individual Reflection (20 min): Students complete a written reflection in their design journals, addressing:

     • “What did it feel like to behave as a designer compared to an artist?”

     • “How did the ‘wicked problems’ (interventions) challenge your thinking?”

     • “What did you learn about abductive reasoning and adapting to change?”

     • “What was your biggest success and biggest challenge in this project?”

     • “How might you approach a design problem differently in the future?”

  2. Peer Feedback & Self-Assessment (20 min): Students review each other’s design journals and provide brief written feedback on the completeness and thoughtfulness of the documentation. Students also complete a self-assessment rubric based on the unit’s learning objectives.

  3. Unit Debrief & Future Connections (10 min): Class discussion on the overall experience. The teacher highlights how the skills learned (problem-solving, adaptability, collaboration) are transferable to other areas of art and design and beyond.

• Differentiation:

  • Support: Provide sentence starters or a structured template for reflection.

  • Challenge: Ask students to propose a new ‘wicked problem’ for a different design context.

• Resources: Design journals, reflection prompts, self-assessment rubrics.

[Remember that AI is not sentient. These responses are the result of an algorithm and may be wrong or subject to bias. You must always use your judgment about the appropriate use of these AI generated responses.]