Thermal comfort – sustainability action process (Years 7–10)

Secondary KLAs:
Human Society and its Environment, Science, Technology
Educational levels:
Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10

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Photo of a digital thermometer in a home.

© State of New South Wales, Department of Education.

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.

NSW syllabus outcomes

(SC4-11PW) discusses how scientific understanding and technological developments have contributed to finding solutions to problems involving energy transfers and transformations

(SC5-11PW) explains how scientific understanding about energy conservation, transfers and transformations is applied in systems

(SC4-4WS) identifies questions and problems that can be tested or researched and makes predictions based on scientific knowledge

(SC4-5WS) collaboratively and individually produces a plan to investigate questions and problems

(SC4-6WS) follows a sequence of instructions to safely undertake a range of investigation types, collaboratively and individually

(SC4-7WS) processes and analyses data from a first-hand investigation and secondary sources to identify trends, patterns and relationships, and draw conclusions

(SC4-8WS) selects and uses appropriate strategies, understanding and skills to produce creative and plausible solutions to identified problems

(SC4-9WS) presents science ideas, findings and information to a given audience using appropriate scientific language, text types and representations

(SC4-13ES) explains how advances in scientific understanding of processes that occur within and on the Earth, influence the choices people make about resource use and management

(SC5-4WS) develops questions or hypotheses to be investigated scientifically

(SC5-5WS) produces a plan to investigate identified questions, hypotheses or problems, individually and collaboratively

(SC5-6WS) undertakes first-hand investigations to collect valid and reliable data and information, individually and collaboratively

(SC5-7WS) processes, analyses and evaluates data from first-hand investigations and secondary sources to develop evidence-based arguments and conclusions

(SC5-8WS) applies scientific understanding and critical thinking skills to suggest possible solutions to identified problems

(SCLS-9WS) uses a variety of strategies to communicate information about an investigation

(TE4-1DP) designs, communicates and evaluates innovative ideas and creative solutions to authentic problems or opportunities

(TE4-2DP) plans and manages the production of designed solutions

(TE4-3DP) selects and safely applies a broad range of tools, materials and processes in the production of quality projects

(TE4-8EN) explains how force, motion and energy are used in engineered systems

(TE4-10TS) explains how people in technology related professions contribute to society now and into the future

(TE4-9MA) investigates how the characteristics and properties of tools, materials and processes affect their use in designed solutions

(GE4-7) acquires and processes geographical information by selecting and using geographical tools for inquiry

(GE4-8) communicates geographical information using a variety of strategies

(GE4-4) examines perspectives of people and organisations on a range of geographical issues

(GE4-6) explains differences in human wellbeing

Australian curriculum content descriptions

(ACSSU116) Some of Earth’s resources are renewable, including water that cycles through the environment, but others are non-renewable

(ACSHE119) Scientific knowledge has changed peoples’ understanding of the world and is refined as new evidence becomes available

(ACSHE120) Solutions to contemporary issues that are found using science and technology, may impact on other areas of society and may involve ethical considerations

(ACSHE121) People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity

(ACSIS125) Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed

(ACSIS129) Construct and use a range of representations, including graphs, keys and models to represent and analyse patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate

(ACSIS130) Summarise data, from students’ own investigations and secondary sources, and use scientific understanding to identify relationships and draw conclusions based on evidence

(ACSIS132) Use scientific knowledge and findings from investigations to evaluate claims based on evidence

(ACSIS133) Communicate ideas, findings and evidence based solutions to problems using scientific language, and representations, using digital technologies as appropriate

(ACSSU155) Energy appears in different forms, including movement (kinetic energy), heat and potential energy, and energy transformations and transfers cause change within systems

(ACSHE134) Scientific knowledge has changed peoples’ understanding of the world and is refined as new evidence becomes available

(ACSHE135) Solutions to contemporary issues that are found using science and technology, may impact on other areas of society and may involve ethical considerations

(ACSHE136) People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity

(ACSIS140) Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed

(ACSIS144) Construct and use a range of representations, including graphs, keys and models to represent and analyse patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate

(ACSIS145) Summarise data, from students’ own investigations and secondary sources, and use scientific understanding to identify relationships and draw conclusions based on evidence

(ACSIS234) Use scientific knowledge and findings from investigations to evaluate claims based on evidence

(ACSIS148) Communicate ideas, findings and evidence based solutions to problems using scientific language, and representations, using digital technologies as appropriate

(ACSSU182) Energy transfer through different mediums can be explained using wave and particle models

(ACSHE157) Scientific understanding, including models and theories, is contestable and is refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community

(ACSHE158) Advances in scientific understanding often rely on developments in technology and technological advances are often linked to scientific discoveries

(ACSHE160) People use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they accept claims, explanations or predictions, and advances in science can affect people’s lives, including generating new career opportunities

(ACSHE228) Values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research

(ACSIS166) Select and use appropriate equipment, including digital technologies, to collect and record data systematically and accurately

(ACSIS169) Analyse patterns and trends in data, including describing relationships between variables and identifying inconsistencies

(ACSIS170) Use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent with evidence

(ACSIS172) Critically analyse the validity of information in primary and secondary sources and evaluate the approaches used to solve problems

(ACSIS174) Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate scientific language, conventions and representations

(ACSSU190) Energy conservation in a system can be explained by describing energy transfers and transformations

(ACSHE191) Scientific understanding, including models and theories, is contestable and is refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community

(ACSHE192) Advances in scientific understanding often rely on technological advances and are often linked to scientific discoveries

(ACSHE194) People use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they accept claims, explanations or predictions, and advances in science can affect people’s lives, including generating new career opportunities

(ACSHE230) Values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research

(ACSIS200) Select and use appropriate equipment, including digital technologies, to collect and record data systematically and accurately

(ACSIS203) Analyse patterns and trends in data, including describing relationships between variables and identifying inconsistencies

(ACSIS206) Critically analyse the validity of information in primary and secondary sources, and evaluate the approaches used to solve problems

(ACSIS208) Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate scientific language, conventions and representations

(ACTDEK029) Investigate the ways in which products, services and environments evolve locally, regionally and globally and how competing factors including social, ethical and sustainability considerations are prioritised in the development of technologies and designed solutions for preferred futures

(ACTDEK031) Analyse how motion, force and energy are used to manipulate and control electromechanical systems when designing simple, engineered solutions

(ACTDEK034) Analyse ways to produce designed solutions through selecting and combining characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment

(ACTDEP035) Critique needs or opportunities for designing and investigate, analyse and select from a range of materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to develop design ideas

(ACTDEP036) Generate, develop, test and communicate design ideas, plans and processes for various audiences using appropriate technical terms and technologies including graphical representation techniques

(ACTDEP037) Select and justify choices of materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to effectively and safely make designed solutions

(ACTDEP038) Independently develop criteria for success to evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions and their sustainability

(ACTDEP039) Use project management processes when working individually and collaboratively to coordinate production of designed solutions

(ACTDEK041) Explain how products, services and environments evolve with consideration of preferred futures and the impact of emerging technologies on design decisions

(ACTDEK043) Investigate and make judgments on how the characteristics and properties of materials are combined with force, motion and energy to create engineered solutions

(ACTDEK046) Investigate and make judgments on how the characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment can be combined to create designed solutions

(ACTDEK047) Investigate and make judgments, within a range of technologies specialisations, on how technologies can be combined to create designed solutions

(ACTDEP048) Critique needs or opportunities to develop design briefs and investigate and select an increasingly sophisticated range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment to develop design ideas

(ACTDEP049) Develop, modify and communicate design ideas by applying design thinking, creativity, innovation and enterprise skills of increasing sophistication

(ACTDEP050) Work flexibly to effectively and safely test, select, justify and use appropriate technologies and processes to make designed solutions

(ACTDEP051) Evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions against comprehensive criteria for success recognising the need for sustainability

(ACTDEP052) Develop project plans using digital technologies to plan and manage projects individually and collaboratively taking into consideration time, cost, risk and production processes

(ACHASSK188) Factors that influence the decisions people make about where to live and their perceptions of the liveability of places

(ACHASSK190) The influence of environmental quality on the liveability of places

(ACHASSK192) Strategies used to enhance the liveability of places, especially for young people, including examples from Australia and Europe

(ACHGS047) Develop geographically significant questions and plan an inquiry, using appropriate geographical methodologies and concepts

(ACHGS048) Evaluate sources for their reliability and usefulness and select, collect and record relevant geographical data and information, using ethical protocols, from appropriate primary and secondary sources

(ACHGS049) Represent data in a range of appropriate forms, for example climate graphs, compound column graphs, population pyramids, tables, field sketches and annotated diagrams, with and without the use of digital and spatial technologies

(ACHGS050) Represent spatial distribution of different types of geographical phenomena by constructing appropriate maps at different scales that conform to cartographic conventions, using spatial technologies as appropriate

(ACHGS051) Interpret geographical data and other information using qualitative and quantitative methods, and digital and spatial technologies as appropriate, to identify and propose explanations for spatial distributions, patterns and trends, and infer relationships

(ACHGS052) Apply geographical concepts to draw conclusions based on the analysis of the data and information collected

(ACHGS053) Present findings, arguments and ideas in a range of communication forms selected to suit a particular audience and purpose; using geographical terminology and digital technologies as appropriate

(ACHGS054) Reflect on their learning to propose individual and collective action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic and social considerations, and predict the expected outcomes of their proposal

More information

Resource type:
Interactive Resource
Audience:
learner, teacher
ScOT topics:
Energy resources, Power generation, Environmental sustainability, Sustainable development, Environmental impact
Activities:
Brainstorming, Communication activity, Critical thinking activity, Data manipulation and interpretation, Practical activity, Problem solving
Language/s:
en-AU
Author:
State of NSW, Department of Education
Publisher:
State of NSW, Department of Education
Date created:
Monday, 11 May 2020

Resource ID: 7545a09f-c0b1-4a4f-84cb-0daca842443b