From Page to Prototype: Using Design Thinking to Bring Stories to Life

In this session, we will share how our school used The Wild Robot (grades 3–5) and Clink (grades K–2) to blend literacy, design, and family engagement. Students worked with teachers on comprehension activities that deepened their understanding of the stories, while families designed and wrote about their own problem-solving robots. This project shows how a simple read aloud can spark design thinking, cross-curricular learning, and home-school connections. Participants will leave with strategies to replicate in their own classrooms.