Design and technologies / Year 3 and 4 / Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

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Curriculum content descriptions

Investigate the suitability of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment for a range of purposes (ACTDEK013)

Elaborations
  • conducting experiments and tests to understand the properties of materials, for example strength, durability, warmth, elasticity
  • investigating the mass production of products to ensure standardisation, for example students setting up a production line to produce a product for a school fete
  • investigating the suitability of technologies − materials, systems, components, tools and equipment − when designing and making a product, service or environment, for example a toy for a young child, a composting system for household waste management, raised garden beds for improved access, weaving nets, bags or baskets
  • comparing how different components interrelate and complement each other in a finished designed solution, for example investigating and playing with joining processes for a variety of materials in the production of common products
  • investigating local constructed environments to compare how buildings were constructed in the past and in the present and noting innovations
  • analysing products, services and constructed environments from a range of technologies contexts with consideration of possible innovative solutions and impacts on the local community and the sustainability of its environment
General capabilities
  • Numeracy Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Materials,  Fibres (Materials),  Engineering,  Tools

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19 direct matches to ACTDEK013

Interactive

Thermal comfort – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

  • TLF-IDM020973

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.

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Video

Sam the Lamb: Does wool burn?

  • TLF-IDM021645

This short entertaining video, narrated by ‘Sam the Lamb’ and 'Professors' Madeleine and Daisy test which fabrics burn easily and which fabrics are the most flame resistant. Sam and his science team test the flammability of a range of synthetic and natural fabrics including polyester, polar fleece, cotton and wool.

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Interactive

The bridge challenge

  • TLF-IDM021590

This interactive challenges students to select the most appropriate bridge design for four different sites including considering size, shape and building materials. The interactive is supported with information on the basics of bridge design.

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Interactive

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

  • TLF-IDM020972

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 ...

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Video

The innovator

  • TLF-IDM020904

This is a short animated film highlights the versatility of wool as a natural fibre. The wordless film journeys through the ages and offers a unique view on how wool has been used - and continues - to clothe humans. The video provides an humourous stimulus resource to highlight the range of properties of wool.

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Video

For the Juniors: Boats made from different materials

  • TLF-IDM019129

See how boats can be made from wood, fibreglass and aluminium. Watch film of some Aboriginal men making a bark canoe. See how a special mould is used to make boats made from fibreglass. Find out why aluminium is a useful metal for making boats.

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Video

For the Juniors: First the base, then the frame

  • TLF-IDM019126

Come and see Hugo's house getting built. Find out how the concrete foundations are laid. What comes next? Carpenters build a wooden frame. Spot the tools used to build the house. How is each tool used?

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Online

Creating a worm farm

  • TLF-IDA002844

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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Text

Evolution of the Esky

  • TLF-IDA005288

In this resource, students engage in an object analysis task. They use photographs of objects which have been used to preserve food products to explore how understandings of science concepts (i.e. heat transfer and states of matter) have been applied to create designed solutions that solve a community problem.

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Text

Transportation Innovation

  • TLF-IDA005171

In this activity, students participate in a design challenge to use natural materials to design and create a tool that can be used to transport an object between two places. The activity provides students with an opportunity to explore how natural materials can be changed and combined to solve problems (Year 2) and use ...

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Text

Material Sort

  • TLF-IDA005127

In this series of activities, students examine different materials, exploring how they can be described and categorised based on their observable properties. Students observe and describe different materials, then compare, contrast and categorise materials based on their observable properties.

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Downloadable

Construct a pull along toy - teacher resource kit

  • TLF-IDA004940

This activity kit is about engaging students in thinking about wheels and axles. Activities are guided by the design thinking process, and scaffolds students to explore different types of pull-along toys, various ways of constructing them from a range of household and readily-available materials and investigate how wheels ...

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Downloadable

Construct a model house - teacher resource kit

  • TLF-IDA004948

This activity kit challenges students to design and construct a model house, including planning the size, layout and features. Activities are guided by the design thinking process, and scaffold students to undertake research on different building materials and their properties. The guide includes lesson ideas, project instructions ...

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Downloadable

Construct a straw bridge - teacher resource kit

  • TLF-IDA004946

This activity kit challenges students to design and construct a 40cm-long straw bridge. Activities are guided by the design thinking process, and scaffold students to explore various bridge designs then plan, build, test and critique their designs. The guide includes lesson ideas, project instructions and activity sheets.

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Downloadable

Construct a catchment - teacher resource kit

  • TLF-IDA004944

This activity kit encourages students to investigate dams and reservoirs in their local areas, and create their own model. Activities are guided by the design thinking process, and scaffold students to work in teams to investigate their local catchment, the habitats, landforms and people that would be impacted by damming ...

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Downloadable

Construct a water wheel - teacher resource kit

  • TLF-IDA004942

This activity kit encourages students to design and construct a simple water wheel model that turns by the flow of water. Activities are guided by the design thinking process, and scaffolds students to research the applications of various simple machines, and the combinations of simple machines they might use to build a ...

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Downloadable

Construct a catapult - teacher resource kit

  • TLF-IDA004941

This activity kit challenges students to design and build catapults out of recycled and household items. Activities are guided by the design thinking process, and scaffold students to explore simple machines, tools, properties of materials and changing variables in experiments. The guide includes lesson ideas, project instructions, ...

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Text

Physical world – design and production investigation

  • TLF-IDA004552

In this lesson sequence, students work in pairs to explore how light energy from the sun is converted to heat energy to cook food using a solar oven. They investigate types of solar oven designs while exploring materials that are the most efficient in achieving heat absorption and insulation. Students collect, analyse ...

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Text

Physical world – design and production investigation

  • TLF-IDA004550

In this investigative task, students explore how light energy sources are used for shadow theatre design and how forces are used to create movement in shadow puppets for entertainment and storytelling. Students investigate how forces and light energy create changes by students making, testing and presenting a model shadow ...

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