Design and technologies / Year 7 and 8 / Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Curriculum content descriptions

Analyse ways to produce designed solutions through selecting and combining characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment (ACTDEK034)

Elaborations
  • investigating aspects of technologies specialisations, for example in architecture, critiquing the design of an existing building to identify features of passive design or in fashion, evaluating the sustainability of different fibres
  • investigating and selecting from a broad range of technologies − materials, systems, components, tools and equipment − when designing for a range of technologies contexts
  • considering the ways in which the characteristics and properties of technologies will impact on designed solutions, for example the choice of building materials and housing design in Australia and the countries of Asia; the properties of textile fibres and fabrics determine end use
  • considering safe work practices, for example producing a safety information video that details risk management practices for using a piece of equipment in the classroom or within a community
  • evaluating products and services for the individual and the community considering ethics and social factors, for example a short video encouraging individuals to increase their use of public transport in the local area
  • evaluating environments that have been designed in consultation with community groups, for example a bush tucker community garden developed in consultation with local Elders
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • ICT capability Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
ScOT terms

Materials,  Fibres (Materials),  Engineering,  Tools

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Industrial design challenge – separating materials lesson

is lesson provides a great introduction to the idea of separating mixtures and enables students to consider separation as a process that operates on macroscopic levels. Students also learn about waste management and recycling processes in Australia. The lesson provides students with an opportunity to engage in hands-on ...

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Engineering solutions for platypus protection

Students learn about the important role engineering plays in conservation. They explore how engineers, industrial designers and ecologists collaborate to mitigate the impact of human activity on different species.

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Biomimicry glider

In this lesson students explore the dynamics of flight by examining animal adaptations and apply their learning to think like an aeronautical engineer and design their own glider

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Sandcastle ratios

In this lesson students think like geotechnical engineers, exploring the properties of sand and the ways in which those properties can be used in building and construction.