Activity Introduction
Subjects: Design and Technology
Year Levels: 7 & 8
Topics: Critical and Creative Thinking, Regenerating Australia, design, environment.
Teaching Time: 95 mins.
Quick summary: After watching Regenerating Australia, students will work through an investigation of creative and critical thinking tasks to gain an in-depth understanding of what regeneration and sustainability mean in the context of their local communities and areas.
Learning intentions:
- Students understand the various aspects of sustainability, regeneration, and the importance of an integrative approach
- Students will become aware of issues that are relevant to their local context
- Students learn critical and creative design thinking techniques to explore complex ideas
- Students will build on relationships with their peers through collaboration.
21st-century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 7 & 8 Design and Technology:
- Investigate the ways in which products, services and environments evolve locally, regionally and globally and how competing factors including social, ethical and sustainability considerations are prioritised in the development of technologies and designed solutions for preferred futures (ACTDEK029).
Syllabus outcomes: T4.1.2.
General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding, Intercultural Understanding, Personal and Social Capability.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia.
Relevant parts of Year 7 & 8 Design and Technology achievement standards:
By the end of Year 8, students explain how social, ethical, technical and sustainability considerations influence the design of innovative and enterprising solutions to meet a range of present and future needs.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – due to facilitation of class discussion. The task sheet provides questions to help students write their proposals.
Resources required:
- Access to the film Regenerating Australia
- A3 paper and grey lead pencils and eraser for drawing (coloured pencils and texters optional)
- Student Worksheets – one copy per student
- Tablet or laptop to access YouTube clips.
Keywords: Sustainability, regeneration, social, ethical, environmental and economic considerations, creative and critical thinking, collaboration.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
