Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Choose your project and gather everything you need
1 week
A physical project starts with a clear plan, not a pile of parts. Choose something you can actually build with the materials and tools you have access to — a simple circuit, a wooden box, a model from cardboard or clay, a Tinkercad design printed at school, a basic robot from a kit. Write down what it will do or look like when finished, list every material or component you need, and gather them all before you start building. Starting without everything ready is the most common reason physical projects stall.
Proof required
Share: (1) a one-paragraph description of what you are building and what it will do or look like when finished, (2) a photo of all the materials and components laid out together before you start, and (3) a list of any tools or equipment you will need and where you will access them (e.g. school makerspace, home workshop, library).
What gets checked
- Project description is specific enough that a reader who has not seen it can picture the finished thing — 'a circuit' is not specific; 'an LED circuit in a cardboard box that lights up when you press a button' is
- Photo shows all materials gathered before building begins — a photo taken after partial assembly does not confirm you planned ahead
- Tools and access are named — 'I'll figure it out' for a tool that requires a school booking or an adult's supervision is a plan that will stall
Common mistakes
- Choosing a project that requires tools or materials you cannot access — design the project around what you can realistically get, not what would be ideal
- Starting to build before confirming all parts are in hand — missing one component mid-build often means a half-finished project sits abandoned for weeks
- Choosing a project with no clear definition of 'done' — if you cannot describe what the finished thing looks or works like, you cannot know when it is complete
Resources
Foundationstart here
What a verifier looks for
- K12 outcome — accepted verifiers: peers, teachers, or parents
- Ask the submitter to describe what the finished project will do in one sentence — vague descriptions ('something cool with electronics') usually mean the project scope will drift during building
- Confirm the materials photo was taken before building — ask whether any of the listed materials were already partially assembled or used
Build the project and document the process with photos or video
2–4 weeks
Building is the core of this outcome. Document your progress as you go — take photos or short video clips at 3 or more distinct stages (beginning, middle, and near-complete). Record any problem you ran into and how you solved it. Problems during building are not failures — they are the most important part of the proof, because they show that you were doing real work and thinking your way through it rather than following a perfect script.
Proof required
Share: (1) at least 3 photos or short video clips showing the project at different stages of construction, (2) a note on one problem you ran into during building and how you solved it or worked around it, and (3) a photo or short video of the project in a near-complete or complete state.
What gets checked
- Three distinct build stages are documented — a photo of the materials and a photo of the finished thing with nothing in between does not show the build process
- One genuine problem is described with a real solution or workaround — 'it was hard' is not a problem description; 'the LED would not light up so I checked the polarity and found it was backwards' is
- Near-complete or complete photo shows the project is recognisably what was described in M1
Common mistakes
- Not taking photos during the build — trying to reconstruct a build narrative after the fact produces a staged story, not a real one; take photos as you go even if they are imperfect
- Abandoning the project when the first problem arises — physical projects almost always require at least one revision; the first version not working is expected, not a reason to stop
- Changing the project design significantly without documenting why — if you pivot from the M1 plan, note it; unexplained changes look like the M1 plan was written after the build
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- K12 outcome — accepted verifiers: peers, teachers, or parents
- Review the three build-stage photos and check they are genuinely sequential — materials laid out, partially assembled, and near-complete are the expected stages; three photos of the finished product do not count
- Ask the submitter to describe the problem they ran into in their own words — a student who genuinely built something can describe the moment they got stuck in specific, concrete terms
Share the finished project and explain how it works
1 week
A physical project is complete when someone else can see it and understand what it does. Share your finished project — in person, via a video, or by bringing it to class — and explain how it works to at least one other person who was not involved in building it. This is not a formal presentation; it is a conversation where you walk someone through what the project does and how you made the key decisions. Record a short video of yourself doing this, or have the person who heard your explanation confirm it.
Proof required
Share: (1) a final photo or video of the completed project, (2) either a short video (60–90 seconds) of you explaining how the project works to someone else, or a written confirmation from a parent, teacher, or peer who heard your explanation, and (3) one thing you would do differently if you built it again.
What gets checked
- Finished project photo or video shows the project functioning or in its complete state — a photo of parts that are 'almost assembled' does not meet the standard
- Explanation is given to a real person who was not involved in the build — explaining to yourself on camera does not count; a second person must be present or must confirm
- One honest reflection on what you would change is specific and grounded in the build experience — 'I would do it better' is not specific; 'I would use a larger resistor because the LED was too bright' is
Common mistakes
- Stopping after the build without completing the explanation step — the explanation is what confirms you understand the project well enough to teach it, not just build it
- Recording an explanation video without a real audience — the goal is communication with another person, not a monologue
- Reflection that avoids admitting any imperfections — the most honest and credible reflections name a real limitation or mistake
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- K12 outcome — accepted verifiers: peers, teachers, or parents
- Watch or read the explanation and check that it describes the project's function and at least one key construction decision — 'I built it and it works' is not an explanation
- Ask the submitter what they would do differently — a student who genuinely built the project will have a real answer immediately; 'nothing, it's perfect' is a red flag
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