Rapid Prototyping & App Development Sam Rosenfeld 7th Grade CS Teacher, GCDS

Why Prototype Apps? Today’s students will become tomorrow’s inventors. They will need skills to solve problems not yet discovered, with tools not yet invented. Prototyping is a fun and easy way to get kids interested in the intersection between entrepreneurship and engineering, as well as build the skills they will need in a highly automated future.

Materials Code.org App Lab Need to create an account Biz Kids Business Plan Open this PDF up in a tab Materials

What does it take to make an app? Customer/ Market Research Solve a problem or fill a need Story Why are YOU making this app? Business and Financial Literacy Fill out your business plan Prototyping Paper & Rapid Digital Prototyping Be willing to fail Learning from mistakes and breaking things is how engineers, and everyone else, improve skills

Step 1. Customer/Market Research

Step 2. Brainstorm/ “Your Story” Case Study: Love Your Melon, Pediatric Cancer Research Ex. “Love Your Melon was founded in an entrepreneurship class at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota by two friends, Zachary and Brian. On a mission to improve the lives of children battling cancer since October 22nd, 2012, Love Your Melon began with the simple idea of putting a hat on every child battling cancer in America.”

Step 3. Paper Prototyping

Step 4. Rapid Prototyping Inspired by the Google for Entrepreneurs video series

Step 5. Make a Business Plan What makes your idea unique? Who will be your customers? What are your expenses? What are your sources of revenue?

Google for Entrepreneurs Cornell Tech MIT Media Lab Further Learning