Activity Introduction
In this lesson, students will participate in a range of challenges that support them to practise failure. They will work in teams to solve problems and work towards challenging goals. They will also reflect on the personal benefits of choosing to undertake challenges and risking failure. The students will come to understand that failure is an important part of the journey towards achieving a goal.
Failure Time is a core component of IMAGI-NATION{TV}. Find all the IMAGI-NATION{TV} episodes on AIME’s YouTube channel.
Time required: 60-90 minutes
This lesson is designed to be flexible for use with various year levels and across the curriculum. It can easily be tailored or expanded to focus more deeply on the skills outlined in the curriculum descriptions. You can select from a range of activities to suit your students and their learning requirements. Older students will benefit from taking time to reflect on their learning. Younger students may require longer or shorter timeframes for the activities.
Learning Intentions:
- Students will have opportunities to practise failure
- Students will understand the personal benefits of risking failure
- Students can work in teams to solve challenges
- Students can demonstrate support for others, even in the midst of failure.
- Topics: Creative Thinking, STEM/STEAM
- This lesson is part of a wider program: IMAGI-NATION{TV}
- Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – activity stations require setting up, timing and sequences of events required during facilitation of session.
- Syllabus outcomes: MOS2.4, MOS3.4, GSS2.8, GSS3.8, GYS2.10, GYS3.10, INS2.3, INS3.3, COS2.1, COS3.1, PDHPE4.4, PDHPE4.5, PDHPE4.10, PDHPE4.11, PDHPE4.13, PDHPE4.14, PDHPE5.4, PDHPE5.5, PDHPE5.10, PDHPE5.11, PDHPE5.13, PDHPE5.14, ST2-5WT, ST3-5WT, T4.2.1, T4.2.2, T4.3.1, T4.3.2, T4.5.2, D&T5.6.2, DAS2.1, DAS2.7, DAS3.1, DRAS2.1, DRAS3.1, MUS2.1, MUS3.2, MUS4.3, MUS5.1, MUS5.2, MUS5.3, VAS2.2, VAS3.2, VAS4.5, VAS5.6
- General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability, Intercultural Understanding
- 21st century skills: Communicating, Creative Thinking, Flexibility, Initiative, Leadership, Problem Solving, Team Work.
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Choose by subject for Primary year level mapping:
Health & Physical EducationYears 3 & 4 Health and Physical Education
- Combine elements of effort, space, time, objects and people when performing movement sequences (ACPMP047)
- Participate in physical activities from their own and other cultures (ACPMP108)
- Adopt inclusive practices when participating in physical activities (ACPMP048)
- Apply innovative and creative thinking in solving movement challenges (ACPMP049)
- Apply basic rules and scoring systems, and demonstrate fair play when participating in physical activities (ACPMP050)
Years 5 & 6 Health and Physical Education
- Manipulate and modify elements of effort, space, time, objects and people to perform movement sequences (ACPMP065)
- Participate in physical activities from their own and others’ cultures, and examine how involvement creates community connections and intercultural understanding (ACPMP066)
- Participate positively in groups and teams by encouraging others and negotiating roles and responsibilities (ACPMP067)
- Apply critical and creative thinking processes in order to generate and assess solutions to movement challenges (ACPMP068)
- Demonstrate ethical behaviour and fair play that aligns with rules when participating in a range of physical activities (ACPMP069)
Years 3 & 4 Design and Technologies
- Critique needs or opportunities for designing and explore and test a variety of materials, components, tools and equipment and the techniques needed to produce designed solutions (ACTDEP014)
- Select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and use safe work practices to make designed solutions (ACTDEP016)
Years 5 & 6 Design and Technologies
- Critique needs or opportunities for designing, and investigate materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to achieve intended designed solutions (ACTDEP024)
- Select appropriate materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and apply safe procedures to make designed solutions (ACTDEP026)
Years 3 & 4 Dance
- Practise technical skills safely in fundamental movements (ACADAM006)
Years 5 & 6 Dance
- Develop technical and expressive skills in fundamental movements including body control, accuracy, alignment, strength, balance and coordination (ACADAM010)
Years 3 & 4 Drama
- Explore ideas and narrative structures through roles and situations and use empathy in their own improvisations and devised drama (ACADRM031)
Years 5 & 6 Drama
- Explore dramatic action, empathy and space in improvisations, playbuilding and scripted drama to develop characters and situations (ACADRM035)
Years 3 & 4 Music
- Practise singing, playing instruments and improvising music, using elements of music including rhythm, pitch, dynamics and form in a range of pieces, including in music from the local community (ACAMUM085)
Years 5 & 6 Music
- Develop technical and expressive skills in singing and playing instruments with understanding of rhythm, pitch and form in a range of pieces, including in music from the community (ACAMUM089)
Choose by subject for Secondary year level mapping:
Health & Physical EducationYears 7 & 8 Health and Physical Education
- Demonstrate and explain how the elements of effort, space, time, objects and people can enhance movement sequences (ACPMP084)
- Participate in and investigate cultural and historical significance of a range of physical activities (ACPMP085)
- Practise and apply personal and social skills when undertaking a range of roles in physical activities (ACPMP086)
- Evaluate and justify reasons for decisions and choices of action when solving movement challenges (ACPMP087)
- Modify rules and scoring systems to allow for fair play, safety and inclusive participation (ACPMP088)
Years 9 & 10 Health and Physical Education
- Analyse the impact of effort, space, time, objects and people when composing and performing movement sequences (ACPMP103)
- Devise, implement and refine strategies demonstrating leadership and collaboration skills when working in groups or teams (ACPMP105)
- Transfer understanding from previous movement experiences to create solutions to movement challenges (ACPMP106)
- Reflect on how fair play and ethical behaviour can influence the outcomes of movement activities (ACPMP107)
Years 7 & 8 Design and Technologies
- Generate, develop, test and communicate design ideas, plans and processes for various audiences using appropriate technical terms and technologies including graphical representation techniques (ACTDEP036)
- Select and justify choices of materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to effectively and safely make designed solutions (ACTDEP037)
Years 9 & 10 Design and Technologies
- Work flexibly to effectively and safely test, select, justify and use appropriate technologies and processes to make designed solutions (ACTDEP050)
Years 7 & 8 Dance
- Practise and refine technical skills in style-specific techniques (ACADAM015)
Years 9 & 10 Dance
- Practise and refine technical skills to develop proficiency in genre- and style-specific techniques (ACADAM022)
Years 7 & 8 Drama
- Combine the elements of drama in devised and scripted drama to explore and develop issues, ideas and themes (ACADRM040)
Years 9 & 10 Drama
- Improvise with the elements of drama and narrative structure to develop ideas, and explore subtext to shape devised and scripted drama (ACADRM047)
- 10-step Hand Clap Dance: First Four Steps – digital copy or several printed copies
- Art and craft supplies and other resources as described on the Failure Time Olympics Activity and Resource List
- Device with internet and presentation capability
- Failure Time Olympics Activity Cards – one activity card per station
- Failure Time Olympics Activity and Resource List – facilitator copies.
Background Information
AIME created IMAGI-NATION{TV} & the IMAGI-NATION{CLASSROOM} experience to put a mentor in the home every day during the tough times of COVID-19 and beyond. It’s a daily TV show broadcast live on the internet, and it’s a gift for teachers, parents and kids to help make sense of today and imagine tomorrow.
The pursuit is to elevate knowledge; every guest we bring on knows something and has wisdom to share. This show is not just about entertainment to pass the time. We want to remake the mould for the modern hero – from beauty to brains, from selfies to self-knowledge, from hashtags to hope. IMAGI-NATION{TV} is seeking to unlock the best in every single one of us; to inspire a generation of heroes in the form of mentors who fight for a fairer world.
![]() |
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.