Based on the potential of educational design research (EDR) in the design of resources for teaching and learning of specific content learning situated in real teaching contexts, relevant details and reflections on the process of applying EDR in the preliminary research phase and the first cycle of the prototyping phase of a research project whose objective was to identify design features of a didactic sequence for modeling thermoregulation in terrestrial vertebrates using the educational video game Calangos. It emphasizes the importance of the collaborative nature of EDR between researchers and teachers; of establishing a synergic relationship between the research, design and teaching process in correspondence with the school dynamics of educational institutions.