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

Curriculum content descriptions

Investigate characteristics and properties of a range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment and evaluate the impact of their use (ACTDEK023)

Elaborations
  • identifying the properties of materials for the design and construction of a sustainable household item, for example a product for storing harvested water
  • evaluating the functional properties of a specific-purpose household system, for example a security system
  • examining the materials and systems used in a public use system that affect the way people live, for example a community exercise environment or arts facility, water treatment, garbage collection
  • comparing tools, equipment and techniques to select those most appropriate for a given purpose
  • evaluating the use of computer-aided manufacturing in terms of cost and impacts on local and regional designers, producers and enterprises
  • comparing the design and production of products, services and environments in Australia and a country in the Asia region
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Materials,  Fibres (Materials),  Engineering,  Tools

Video

How do solar panels work?

The Earth intercepts a lot of solar power: 173,000 terawatts. That’s 10,000 times more power than the planet’s population uses. So is it possible that one day the world could be completely reliant on solar energy? Richard Komp examines how solar panels convert solar energy to electrical energy. This TedEd animation (4:58 ...