For a Google doc version of this lesson, click here. You will be prompted to make a copy.
Overview
Often the best people to fix a problem are the people who are most affected by it. Does your school currently have rules in place for cell phone use? Currently, over half the states in the US have laws banning or regulating cell phones in public schools. However, many of these laws do not include money for schools to buy storage equipment.
In this lesson, students will invent a cell phone storage system that works for your school community's needs.
Grade level
6-8
Warm-up activity
- Some schools are using very expensive magnetic pouches to store cell phones during the school day. Watch the following video from PBS News Hour.
- Read this article to learn more.
After watching the video and/or reading the article, discuss the following as a class:
- What are some ways people protect their cell phones?
- What things damage cell phones?
- Why should students not use cell phones at school?
- Why do some people believe students should have access to their cell phones during the school day?
Main activity
Ideate and design
In groups of four, brainstorm different ways people can store cell phones during the school day. Questions to consider:
- Should the phones be kept in the office or the classroom?
- Should the storage device be kept with the student?
- How will the phone physically be safe from falling?
- How will the phones be safe from thieves?
- What materials should be used?
- How expensive are the materials?
- Are there any materials you could use that would be better for the environment?
Prototype
After you design your cell phone storage device, create a prototype.
A prototype is like a "rough draft" or an early version of something you want to make. Imagine you want to create a new kind of toy. Before you make the final toy, you might create a prototype — a simple version of it — to see how it works. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it's just to help you figure out if your idea will work or if you need to make changes.
For example, if you're designing a new video game controller, you might build a prototype using cardboard and some buttons just to see how it feels in your hands before you make the real thing.
So, a prototype is like a first version of your idea that helps you test and improve it before making the final version!
Communicate
Share your prototype with the class. If possible, invite your school principal to see your prototypes.
Provide respectful feedback for other groups' designs. What are some ways they could add to the design or make it better?
Standards
NGSS MS-PS3-3 Energy: Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.
About the author
Carolyn Walling graduated from Grinnell College with degrees in chemistry and Spanish and received her master’s degree in teaching at Drake University. Carolyn taught chemistry in Missouri and Iowa from 1994 to 2025. She also led her school’s National Honor Society and Science Fair team.
Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter with Daily News Lessons and community events.
To provide feedback on News Hour Classroom's resources, including this lesson, click here.
