Design and Technologies
- Float or Sink?
Specific content descriptors addressed in this unit:
Content Descriptors
Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding
Explain how technologies use force to create movements in products (ACTDEK002).
Elaborations:
Linked with:
Design and Technologies Processes and Production Skills
Use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions (ACTDEP007)
Elaborations:
The above content descriptors are the basis of a unit plan and assessment for a technology unit titled “Float or Sink”. In this unit students investigate how the forces can alter movement in toys and how technology can influence how a toy is made. Students will engage in a variety of structured and self-directed activities which will give them a vast array of opportunities to extend their prior knowledge and successfully design and create their boat for assessment. For the purpose of this assessment it is assumed the unit has already been taught and an assessment task has been created to enable the teacher to assess student's knowledge and understanding of the unit.
The Assessment Task
Working in groups, students will design and create a toy boat demonstrating the forces of buoyancy, stability and centre of gravity. They will share ideas and offer feedback while working safely to implement design ideas. Teachers will place students in groups to aide peer tutoring which will assist those lower students. The assessment task includes the teacher taking photos of the design process and students presenting their design via a workbook describing the materials and tools used and why these items were chosen.
Content Descriptors
Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding
Explain how technologies use force to create movements in products (ACTDEK002).
Elaborations:
- exploring how to manipulate materials using a range of tools, equipment and techniques to create movement, for example when constructing a toy boat that floats and moves
- selecting materials to demonstrate how material properties are appropriate for particular designed solutions, for example materials that enable sliding or floating
Linked with:
Design and Technologies Processes and Production Skills
Use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions (ACTDEP007)
Elaborations:
- using and playing with everyday materials in new ways or re-using discarded materials, for example using discarded materials to design, make and model a constructed environment
The above content descriptors are the basis of a unit plan and assessment for a technology unit titled “Float or Sink”. In this unit students investigate how the forces can alter movement in toys and how technology can influence how a toy is made. Students will engage in a variety of structured and self-directed activities which will give them a vast array of opportunities to extend their prior knowledge and successfully design and create their boat for assessment. For the purpose of this assessment it is assumed the unit has already been taught and an assessment task has been created to enable the teacher to assess student's knowledge and understanding of the unit.
The Assessment Task
Working in groups, students will design and create a toy boat demonstrating the forces of buoyancy, stability and centre of gravity. They will share ideas and offer feedback while working safely to implement design ideas. Teachers will place students in groups to aide peer tutoring which will assist those lower students. The assessment task includes the teacher taking photos of the design process and students presenting their design via a workbook describing the materials and tools used and why these items were chosen.