Design and Technologies / Year 5 and 6 / Processes and production skills / Generating and designing

Curriculum content descriptions

generate, iterate and communicate design ideas, decisions and processes using technical terms and graphical representation techniques, including using digital tools (AC9TDE6P02)

Elaborations
  • generating a range of design ideas for products, services or environments using prior knowledge, skills and research, for example a security system for a community garden, a product made from a repurposed item of clothing, a permaculture vegetable patch or a healthy meal for a family picnic
  • analysing, modifying and developing design ideas to enhance and improve the sustainability of the product, service, environment or system, for example analysing eco-friendly alternatives to non-recyclable decorations for a community event or replacing paper-based newsletters with online formats
  • representing and communicating design ideas using modelling and drawing standards including the use of digital tools, for example including scale, symbols and codes in plans and diagrams; using pictorial maps and aerial views; and using digital mapping applications or infographics to present research and ideas to others
  • developing and using models to iterate and improve design ideas, for example using modelling applications to design the layout and features of an enclosure for a chosen animal
  • experimenting with materials, tools and equipment to refine design decisions and processes, for example considering the selection of materials and joining techniques to suit the purpose of a product, such as a pop-up book, a fabric bag or an electric circuit
  • considering the social values and ethics of clients when designing an environment, for example interviewing users of a space or seeking permission to use designs or images created by others including respect of cultural and intellectual property
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
ScOT terms

Technical drawing,  Modelling,  Design thinking,  Computer graphics

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 design and build a robot in six weeks!

Evan, a mechanical mentor for FIRST Robotic Competition's 3132 'Thunder Down Under', outlines the processes involved in designing, building and testing a robot in six weeks. What influences the team in their design and building processes? Can you think of anything else that might influence the design and build of the robot ...

Interactive

Chicken farming in the living world: Stage 3

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 'Why is it important for food and/or fibre to be produced sustainably?' and comprises a series of modules and supporting videos. ...

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.

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Getting satellite design right

Is it a good idea to build a complex and expensive machine without carefully checking the design first? This animated clip describes some of the steps NASA took during the design review process for the development of a new satellite. Can you think of any other steps in design reviews?

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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 ...

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Design a Phone and Set the Standard

Engineers work to solve problems across disciplines by developing technical standards. In this activity, students will design and build a mobile phone to be compatible with a new kind of charger. After designing their phone, they will develop a technical standard describing what is required for a mobile device to be compatible ...

Online

Investigating technologies in agriculture

This is a teacher resource containing a series of inquiry teaching sequences about the role that technologies play in the production of food and fibre in Australia. It contains material to assist the planning, implementing and assessing a study of a range of primary industries and the innovative methods and equipment they ...

Interactive

Waste and materials – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This resource guides students through an extended school-based or local investigation focussed on waste and materials using the five-step sustainability action process. The resource supports the investigation of a real-world issue or problem. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate ...

Video

Scratch coder

Build a simple yet engaging game from the ground up, all within the free block coding program Scratch.Scratch is a browser-based open-source game engine free for anyone to use. Scratch uses block coding, meaning you can learn how to code us-ing pre-programmed blocks, rather than typing out long lines of code to create a ...

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Balancing Mobiles

In this teaching activity, students will apply mathematical, science, and engineering concepts to experiment with balancing levers. They classify types of levers to design and build a simplified mobile and explore suspended and standing mobiles by sculptor Alexander Calder.

Interactive

Level Up Minecraft

This unit of work involves in-world Minecraft explorations and in-class activity. It is intended for students in regional areas to know and understand the issues that surround safety on and around rail lines. Students consider why there are safety issues, how technical systems at active crossings can go a long way to making ...

Interactive

Kitchen gardens – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This resource guides students through an extended school-based or local investigation focussed on kitchen gardens using the five-step sustainability action process. The resource supports the investigation of a real-world issue or problem. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and ...

Online

Programming for Water Management

This unit of work introduces students to the potential of digital technologies to manage and conserve water resources in Australian agriculture. It assumes that students and teachers have little or no prior programming experience and provides a series of introductory activities to build students' understanding of the basic ...

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.

Video

Creating computer games

How are computer games made? Find out about the skills and knowledge required to create a computer game in this video. What are some of the roles of the people interviewed? See if you can find out more about what kind of skills and knowledge might be required in each role.

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I am an inventor lesson

In this lesson, students explore the life, work and times of Rube Goldberg. The lesson uses Rube Goldberg’s work to teach students about simple machines, how they function and their design principles. Working in groups, the students then design and create a Rube Goldberg machine that can complete a simple task. Students ...

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Engineering from farm to table lesson

In this lesson students are invited to become food and fibre engineers to research how wheat, the largest agricultural crop in Australia, gets from the farm to the table. Students take an in-depth look at the wheat industry in Australia exploring how wheat is grown, harvested, processed, utilised, and exported. Students ...

Online

Cross age making a robot

This lesson sequence is a cross-age project that can be used for students in year 5/6 in collaboration with students from years 1-2. In this project, students collaborate on a code for an unplugged robot. They design, test and modify the robot and create instruction manuals.

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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.