Digital technologies / Year 5 and 6 / Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Curriculum content descriptions

Explain how student solutions and existing information systems are sustainable and meet current and future local community needs (ACTDIP021)

Elaborations
  • using sustainability criteria to explain how well students solutions meet requirements, for example personal data are secured (social) and the solution can only be viewed on screen to avoid printing (environmental)
  • explaining why people interact so readily with touch systems, for example touch input requires less dexterity to issue instructions and is designed to be accessible to users through the use of icons
  • imagining how the functioning of one type of information system could be applied in a new way to meet a community or national need, for example considering how an electronic tracking system such as a global positioning system (GPS) could be used to find people who are lost
  • comparing past and present information systems in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability, including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
  • exploring the ethics and impact of management practices on the use of communication networks, for example internet censorship from a local, national and global perspective and the impact on freedom of access and expression
  • considering opportunities and consequences of decisions for future applications, for example practices to save energy and other resources when using information systems, such as switching off when not in use, ensuring electronic devices are in energy-saving mode
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Personal and social capability Personal and social capability
  • ICT capability Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms

Social relations,  Communities,  Information management

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Classroom ideas: exploring digital technologies through shopping: years 3-6

This PDF demonstrates how using concepts derived from age-appropriate content, combined with multiple points of entry to and exit from a shopping-related task might remove barriers to learning. Students engage in purposeful and authentic open-ended explorations that require critical and creative thinking and incorporate ...

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AI quiz

This lesson provides an opportunity for students to draw on their ethical understanding when asked to respond to different scenarios. The scenarios feature information systems that incorporate an AI application. Students are given four options to select which one they believe to be the ‘right’ thing to do. Students develop ...

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Data bias in AI

Artificial intelligence can sometimes be biased to certain shapes or colours. When such AI systems are applied to situations that involve people, then this bias can manifest itself as bias against skin colour or gender. This lesson explores bias in AI, where it comes from and what can be done to prevent it.

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Fun projects with language translation

Natural language processing is growing in importance. We often converse with automatic chatbots for customer service without even knowing. We also use online translation services or mobile apps. But how do these services work? Is there artificial intelligence (AI) in them? Three projects are offered to cater for student ...

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Recognising AI

Use the tasks in this lesson to introduce concepts that underpin artificial intelligence (AI). The majority of the tasks are unplugged (do not require a digital device). Use the downloadable AI cards with your students to explore what they know about AI.

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Scratch Creative Computing Guide

There is also a series of units comprising learning activities, paired with assessment activities and templates that can be used to support use of the Scratch (MIT) platform. The Scratch Creative Computing Guide supports assessment activities with visual programming environments.

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User interface design: Controllers for all

In this lesson, students design and implement a new user-interface that allows a user to interact with a digital program. This lesson idea was created by Rebecca Vivian.

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Computational thinking poster

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

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Exploring digital systems unplugged: networks: years 5-6

This PDF provides activities in which students identify features of digital systems, and create models to demonstrate their operations. Students are encouraged to demonstrate their understanding of Domain Name Servers (DNS), routing, and transmission control and internet protocols (TCP/IP).

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Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies: years 5-6

This PDF provides a line of sight from content descriptions to achievement standards.

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Classroom ideas: QR codes, digital systems and data representation: yrs 5-6

This PDF provides ideas for using QR codes in classrooms to generate discussion about data representation and digital systems: how they work, who uses them and for what purposes. The resource also includes a simple tutorial on creating and using QR codes.

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Home automation programming (yrs 5-6)

Investigate home automation systems, including those powered by artificial intelligence (AI) with speech recognition capability. These suggested activities provide a level of differentiation to cater for students’ range of programming skills. They were developed in collaboration with the Digital Technologies Institute.

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Home automation with AI

Home automation is all the rage. You talk to your mobile phone to control the lights, the fan, the air conditioner, or your pool pump. But how does it work? In this lesson, we explore the AI that could power a home automation system.

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Storm survivor: Input, decision-making and loops

Students use a visual programming language to create a game or quiz to help members of a community prepare for a severe weather event.

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DT Challenge - 5/6 Blockly - Intro to Micro:Bit

Learn how to program a BBC micro:bit using Blockly. No experience required. Learn the basics of programming in Blockly with our full BBC micro:bit simulator.

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DT Challenge - 7/8 Python - Biology

Learn about the differences between animals, and how biologists use programming to help them do science! We'll learn about the features of animals, and how to use their differences in order to classify them. So hop in and learn some science!

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DT Challenge - 5/6 Blockly - Space Invaders

In this coding challenge, students learn about programming in Blockly, including data representation, decomposition, design, branching, iteration, functions, variables, animations, tracing and evaluation.

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Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies key concepts mapping: years 5-6

This PDF uses colour coding to provide a line of sight between key concepts, content descriptions and achievement standards in the Digital Technologies subject in the Australian Curriculum.

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Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies years 5-6 Digital Systems assessment task: Staying fit, healthy and sun-safe: Teacher PowerPoint

This PowerPoint supports the assessment task, Staying fit, healthy and sun-safe. It is the last in a series of four resources.

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Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies years 5-6 Digital Systems assessment task: Staying fit, healthy and sun-safe: Teacher booklet

This document provides suggestions for using digital systems to encourage fit and healthy activity. It is the second in a series of four resources.