Design and Technologies / Foundation / Processes and production skills / Designing and making

Curriculum content descriptions

generate, communicate and evaluate design ideas, and use materials, equipment and steps to safely make a solution for a purpose (AC9TDEFP01)

Elaborations
  • identifying a purpose for designing and making a solution, for example the sand keeps blowing out of the sandpit, the birds keep flying into the waste bin and taking food scraps or people with disability need to know where they can park at school
  • exploring ideas by drawing or modelling and choosing the most suitable idea, for example drawing or modelling designs for bee hotels to attract native bees to the school garden and choosing one to make, and changing perspectives from front view to plan view
  • evaluating what they have made using personal preferences, for example using a smiley face Likert scale
  • exploring how available materials can be used or re-used in construction play, for example using blocks and rain gutters or cardboard to make a ramp to roll a ball or toy car down
  • practising a range of technical skills safely using equipment, for example joining techniques when making a product from materials, such as a greenhouse to keep a seedling warm or a trellis for holding up tomato plants
  • assembling components of systems and checking they function as planned, for example making and testing a bowling, stacking or obstacle game with discarded food containers or packaging
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
ScOT terms

Design thinking,  Materials,  Design briefs,  Work health and safety

Interactive

Chicken farming in the living world: Stage 1

Chickens are fascinating animals and provide students with an interesting subject matter to discuss the many aspects of our living world. This interactive course for students explores the question 'How do humans use plants and animals?' and comprises a series of modules and supporting videos. Students will plan, design ...

Video

Use your creative thinking skills!

Ashwini Ranjithabalan from Women in Engineering and IT at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) sees engineering as the business of solving future problems. What are some of the challenges we (and our societies) might face in the future? Get some friends together and see if you can brainstorm a list. Now choose one ...

Video

Thinking about the design process

Watch as UNSW student and Blusat member William Frohlich talks about the design process. What are some of the important things to consider before you start to make a project? Why does William say it's important to be flexible with your designs? Design your own obstacle course for your family using objects from around your ...

Online

Education - Return to 1616 Ecological Restoration Project

This is a comprehensive education package based on of the world's most exciting ecological restoration projects that is happening right now in Western Australia! It features interactive virtual tours, 3D skulls, videos, real-action inquiry projects, research projects, native animal educational card games and activities, ...

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Material world – Stage 1

In this lesson sequence, students investigate how properties of materials determine their use. Students identify a range of natural materials used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples for a specific cultural purpose. There is an optional ‘maker hour’ for students to produce, implement, test and evaluate a shelter ...

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Material world – ES1

In this lesson sequence, students investigate how the properties of materials determine their use in design solutions while introducing students to the material sciences and design thinking. Student investigate, plan and design a chair for their favourite teddy or doll to sit next to them while they are completing their ...

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Computational thinking poster

This infographic provides an overview overview of the concepts related to computational thinking.

Video

South Kalgoorlie Primary School – Progress report 2

This video explains the progress that South Kalgoorlie Primary School has made in the Digital Technologies in Focus project. It is the second in a series of four.

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South Kalgoorlie Primary School – Final report

This report provides details of South Kalgoorlie Primary School's participation in the Digital Technologies in Focus project, including a Research question, criteria for success, data collection, resources, challenges, milestones and next steps.

Video

Computational thinking in the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies

This video provides an overview of computational thinking and how it can be taught in the context of other learning areas.

Video

South Kalgoorlie Primary School – Progress report 4

This video explains the progress that South Kalgoorlie Primary School has made in the Digital Technologies in Focus project. It is the last in a series of four.

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Bethany Christian School – Project proposal

This PDF outlines Bethany Christian School's proposal to participate in the Digital Technologies in Focus project.

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Decoding privacy: Talking points to set up new tech

Explore the conversation cards to inspire conversations about privacy and use of technology that is new to students. Download, print and cut out the cards to use with your class.

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Digital Citizenship Resources: Online Safety

Find resources related to developing a positive digital footprint, helping students discern the difference in being online and offline, methods of protecting passwords and identity, and strategies for socialising safely.

Online

Farms have distinctive features

This resource is a 32 page pdf integrated inquiry unit, for junior primary students, exploring how the distinctive qualities of a farm space influence farming practice. This unit uses the five stage inquiry model to sequence activities. Topics explored include: how do weather patterns and seasons affect farms?; Why are ...

Video

Wodonga South Primary School – Progress report 1

This video explains the progress that Wodonga South Primary School has made in the Digital Technologies in Focus project. It is the first in a series of four.

Video

Wodonga South Primary School – Progress report 2

This video explains the progress that Wodonga South Primary School has made in the Digital Technologies in Focus project. It is the second in a series of four.

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Computational thinking cut out cards

This set of printable cards provides definitions of six aspects of computational thinking.

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Voskoglou & Buckley review: Problem solving and computational thinking

This article explores the relationship between computational and critical thinking as it applies to solving technological problems. Research evidence derived from classroom experiments strongly suggests that using computers to solve problems enhances students’ abilities in solving real-world problems involving mathematical ...

Video

Expert Webinar video: Professor Stephen Heppel: The impact of environmental factors on learning

In this video Professor Stephen Heppell, discusses the aggregation of marginal gains in learning environments. He provides examples from the Learnometer project, designed to help students monitor their classroom environment for factors that may hinder learning.