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Design and technologies / Foundation to Year 2 / Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Curriculum content descriptions

Identify how people design and produce familiar products, services and environments and consider sustainability to meet personal and local community needs (ACTDEK001)

Elaborations
  • exploring how local products, services and environments are designed by people for a purpose and meet social needs, for example the range of shelters provided for the public in a local community; graphical displays to market school and community events
  • asking questions about natural and managed environments and impacts on them when selecting materials, tools and equipment when designing and making products, for example harvesting products from the school garden and using recycled clothing
  • making design decisions based on personal and family needs, for example downloading and comparing recipes to suit available cooking facilities such as cooking in the bush compared to cooking in a kitchen
  • exploring and critiquing products, services and environments for their impact on sustainability, for example the environmental risks and benefits of a system for organically or hydroponically growing a vegetable crop from seed or seedling to harvest
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Personal and social capability Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
Cross-curriculum priorities
ScOT terms

Designers,  Environmental sustainability,  Energy efficient design

Online

Do we need a train at Chullora? – Early Stage 1

This inquiry-based unit of work was created, trialled and peer reviewed as part of a professional learning program in inquiry-based learning for school teachers. The professional learning courses were part of a pilot partnership between the NSW Government’s Sydney Metro transport agency and Western Sydney University.

Video

For the Juniors: Thoughtful design

Meet Hugo's nan, who gets around in a wheelchair. See how her house is designed for a person in a wheelchair. Watch for things that suit her needs.

Online

Creating a worm farm

Food and gardening scraps thrown into household bins becomes landfill. When food waste breaks down in landfill, it emits greenhouse gases including methane gas which traps heat in our atmosphere. Diverting this organic waste from landfill and into a worm farm or composting system is great for your garden and for our planet. ...

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Chair for bears

In this module, students investigate the common design features of chairs and how different types of chairs fit different sized people and have a range of purposes. They discuss the size and shape of different toys and analyse the requirements for a suitable chair for their toy. The module includes a comprehensive teacher ...

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Animal rescue

This set of learning activities challenges students to design and make a model of a structure that animals can use to cross a road safely. The module includes a comprehensive teacher guide, curriculum links, materials lists, design process guides and printable student resource sheets. The resource also provides an editable ...

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Rice baby

This module connects students to the world around them as they discover that each person is unique whilst also sharing common traits and needs. Students cultivate a sense of empathy and experience different perspectives by being encouraged to care for their rice baby. The module includes a comprehensive teacher guide, curriculum ...

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Our magnificent thing

This module focuses on repurposing rubbish, giving students the opportunity to consider sustainability and the impact of their lifestyle choices on the environment. Based on the fiction picture book, The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires, students are encouraged to repurpose recyclable items to create their own most ...

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Waste warriors

This module focuses on developing knowledge, skills, and values about waste as students consider the impact of lifestyle choices on the environment and how they can contribute to more sustainable patterns of living. The module includes a comprehensive teacher guide, curriculum links, materials lists, design process guides ...

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Every bird needs a home

In this set of learning activities, students investigate how habitat loss affects biodiversity. Students undertake field work and investigate the problem within the context of their school. Using a collaborative learning approach and problem-solving skills, students design a bird habitat to increase bird numbers. The module ...

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Cryptic code

This set of learning activities engages students in designing bilingual signs using local aboriginal languages. The module includes a comprehensive teacher guide, curriculum links, materials lists, design process guides and printable student resource sheets. The resource also provides an editable module template, is supported ...

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Healthy eating at home and on the go

Students will learn about the importance of healthy eating and preparing food safely and hygienically. They will understand how this enables their bodies to grow and develop, using hands-on activities. This lesson is part of a sequence of lessons that can be used with this age-group of students. Topics include Seasons and ...

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Past, present and future on the farm

In this resource, students learn about technologies that have changed over time and how these changes have helped farmers. Students will have the opportunity to consider how their own school-based technology might solve a problem. This lesson is part of a sequence of lessons that can be used with this age-group of students. ...

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Visiting the farm

This resource is a cross curriculum unit, focused on Design and Technologies, Science, and many other areas of the curriculum. Sustainability as a cross-curriculum priority is also emphasised. Topics include Seasons and jobs on the farm; Who lives on the farm?; People on the farm; Past, present and future on the farm; and ...

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People on the farm

In this resource, students learn about some important people who work with farmers, their roles, how they use science and what tools they use to perform their jobs. This lesson is part of a sequence of lessons that can be used with this age-group of students. Topics include Seasons and jobs on the farm; Who lives on the ...

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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 ...

Downloadable

Water communicators

In this activity, students discuss what it would be like to have no water and how they can save water to prevent this happening. They take a tour of the different locations around the school where water is used and take photographs of students demonstrating ways to save water at that location. They use the photographs to ...