Design and technologies / Year 5 and 6 / Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Curriculum content descriptions

Examine how people in design and technologies occupations address competing considerations, including sustainability in the design of products, services, and environments for current and future use (ACTDEK019)

Elaborations
  • reflecting on the features of designed solutions that ensure safety and wellbeing of users, for example smoke alarms
  • evaluating the sustainability implications of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment, for example materials can be recycled or re-used to reduce waste; systems may benefit some, but disadvantage others
  • considering the impact designed products, services or environments have in relation to sustainability and also on local, regional and global communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and countries in the Asia region
  • reflecting on the importance of aesthetics, function and sustainability in product design, for example a textile product that gives protection and is appealing; a motor that moves a vehicle and uses a sustainable power source
  • identifying the components of a service or system that contribute to its success and assessing potential risk or failure, for example, communication in the school or communication of a message to a wide audience; a system that manages an aspect of the environment; a campaign such as Clean Up Australia Day in different communities
  • identifying the impact of the designed features of an environment, for example a modification to a home to reduce environmental impact; restoring a natural environment and retaining access for the public
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

Technology,  Designers,  Engineers,  Environmental sustainability,  Design

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.

Interactive

Engineer a jetliner

In this interactive, students work through the engineering decisions required for the wing and engines configuration best suited for four different requirements. Students select from different wing and engine designs that are each rated for build cost, fuel burn and wieght. The first three options focus on designing low-cost, ...