Design and technologies / Year 5 and 6 / Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Curriculum content descriptions

Examine how people in design and technologies occupations address competing considerations, including sustainability in the design of products, services, and environments for current and future use (ACTDEK019)

Elaborations
  • reflecting on the features of designed solutions that ensure safety and wellbeing of users, for example smoke alarms
  • evaluating the sustainability implications of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment, for example materials can be recycled or re-used to reduce waste; systems may benefit some, but disadvantage others
  • considering the impact designed products, services or environments have in relation to sustainability and also on local, regional and global communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and countries in the Asia region
  • reflecting on the importance of aesthetics, function and sustainability in product design, for example a textile product that gives protection and is appealing; a motor that moves a vehicle and uses a sustainable power source
  • identifying the components of a service or system that contribute to its success and assessing potential risk or failure, for example, communication in the school or communication of a message to a wide audience; a system that manages an aspect of the environment; a campaign such as Clean Up Australia Day in different communities
  • identifying the impact of the designed features of an environment, for example a modification to a home to reduce environmental impact; restoring a natural environment and retaining access for the public
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Personal and social capability Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
Cross-curriculum priorities
ScOT terms

Technology,  Designers,  Engineers,  Environmental sustainability,  Design

Video

Building a weather satellite

Designers and engineers improve upon existing products all the time. How important do you think it is to update and enhance something like a weather satellite? Can you think of some other objects that could be improved upon?

Video

Learning from design 'mistakes'

Finding the solution to a design problem involves generating creative ways to address a need or difficulty. Design is the key and it often involves an engineer. In this clip, explore what an engineer is and what they do, and see an example of how NASA engineers might plan, create and test an idea to fix a space station.

Interactive

Engineer a jetliner

In this interactive, students work through the engineering decisions required for the wing and engines configuration best suited for four different requirements. Students select from different wing and engine designs that are each rated for build cost, fuel burn and wieght. The first three options focus on designing low-cost, ...

Online

Design dilemma

This series of lessons aims to develop awareness of the needs of diverse commuters on our public transport system. Students investigate the challenges involved in getting on and off public transport for users with additional needs, for example commuters in wheelchairs. They work collaboratively in teams to investigate possible ...

Video

How to fly around the world without fuel

Imagine if we could fly day and night using only solar energy. The expertly engineered Solar Impulse plane is flying around the world delivering a powerful message: clean technologies can achieve the seemingly impossible. Powered by a dream, determination and breakthrough engineering, this flying adventure aims to inspire ...

Downloadable

Fighting floodwaters

This is an illustrated story retelling the real-life engineering decisions made to mitigate flood damage to a Queensland town that experiences frequent, dangerous flooding. It focuses on the value of being an engineer and how It benefits local communities. The downloadable PDF includes classroom activities.

Downloadable

If only animals could talk

This is an illustrated narrative describing the engineering decisions made to create wildlife corridors for safe passage for Australian fauna to protect them and the stormwater networks they had been traveling through. It shows the creativity, innovation and collaboration required, and focuses on the value being an engineer ...

Online

Beeswax wrap project

This project creates opportunities for students to design, create, market and sell a plastic wrap alternative, and to work with a local business or community group that supplies some materials. This lesson was devised by Trudy Ward, Clarendon Vale Primary School, Tasmania.

Video

Investigating food and fibres: producer video

This is a video about biodynamic grape growing and wine production at Cape Jaffa Winery in South Australia. It is narrated by co-owner and winemaker Anna Hooper, who describes the wine regions in which the vineyard is located, its soil types, and the main wines grown. She goes on to illustrate the winery's commitment to ...

Interactive

Thermal comfort – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This thermal comfort learning resource will guide students through an extended school based investigation. Students will develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

Downloadable

Moving a town

This is an illustrated retelling of the engineering decisions made to relocate a town from low to high ground following a dangerous flooding event. Based on a real-life event, the story shows the creativity, innovation and collaboration required to manage the process and focuses on the value engineers brings to the local ...

Downloadable

Walking on Crushed Glass

This is an illustrated story of a real-life engineering solution designed to recycle glass waste and reuse it as reinforcement for concrete used in footpaths. The book explains the process of innovation to reach a viable solution. It shows the creativity, innovation and collaboration required to provide a solution that ...

Downloadable

When the dam runs dry

This is an illustrated story retelling the real-life engineering decisions made to provide water to a Queensland town when its dam, the only source of water, ran dry. It shows the creativity, innovation and collaboration required to provide a solution that delivers a sustainable water supply. The downloadable PDF includes ...

Downloadable

Engineering a reef

This is an illustrated narrative describes the engineering decisions made when building an artificial reef to slow coastal erosion issues encountered on the Gold Coast. It shows the creativity, innovation and community collaboration required, focusing on the value being an engineer brings to the individual and the local ...

Text

Miller & Boix-Mansilla review: Thinking across perspectives and disciplines

This article explores the challenges associated with using knowledge from different domains (and people) to work on a common problem, issue or puzzle. It acknowledges that the differences in how disciplines structure their knowledge raise challenges when working across disciplinary boundaries. The article identifies these ...

Video

Expert webinar video: Dr Rebecca Vivian - The CSER Digital Technologies Education Program

Dr Rebecca Vivian provides an overview of the CSER Digital Technologies Education Project from The University of Adelaide. The project includes free professional learning, a digital equipment lending library and a range of resources designed to support teachers in the implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital ...

Text

Literature reviews: what, why and how

This PowerPoint explains the benefits and techniques of literature reviews.

Text

Lockwood & Mooney review: Computational thinking

This article provides a literature review of how computational thinking fits into a school curriculum. The aim of the report is to provide educators with an overview of the current research in this field and the work that is being done in teaching computational thinking.

Video

Expert webinar video: Nathan Alison, Digital Learning and Teaching Victoria (DLTV): Focus on systems thinking. How do we teach it well?

Nathan Alison from Digital Learning and Teaching Victoria (DLTV) explains what systems thinking is and how it is used in the context of Digital Technologies. Nathan explains what we need to consider when teaching digital systems, covering topics such as networks, hardware and software protocols, people and processes.

Text

Supporting Implementation of Digital Technologies: Progress report – Focus on curriculum and pedagogy and learning outcomes (2019)

This PDF is an extensive report on the success of the Digital Technologies in Focus (DTiF) project, with a focus on curriculum and pedagogy and learning outcomes. The evaluation gathered qualitative data to create rich case study accounts of six schools' engagement in the project and its impacts and outcomes.