Carenne School – Science and Technology Unit of Work for Stage 2

Built environments- Places and Spaces

Stage 2- Built Environments

Unit Topic – Places and Spaces

Unit Overview

During this Unit of Work, students will learn about how people interact in different ways within built environments. Students will observe how people interact within a built environment and describe how its design meets the needs of the users, eg the ways people use and interact in a local shopping centre or playground.
Students will be given the opportunity to survey a range of places and spaces in local built environments and identify how people interact within them for a range of purposes for social and cultural reasons, eg use of the local hall for a school play or use of local playing fields for sports.

Stage 2 Outcomes- Built Environments

Working Scientifically Outcomes
A student investigates their questions and predictions by analysing collected data, suggesting explanations for their findings, and communicating and reflecting on the processes undertaken. ST2-4WS
Working Technologically Outcomes
A student applies a design process and uses a range of tools, equipment, materials and techniques to produce solutions that address specific design criteria. ST2-5WT
Values Outcomes
Demonstrates a willingness to engage responsibly with local, national and global issues relevant to their lives, and to shaping sustainable futures. ST2-2VA
Knowledge and Understanding Outcomes
A student describes how people interact within built environments and the factors considered in their design and construction. ST2-14BE.

Learning Sequence Overview

Unit Topic – Places and Spaces
Learning Sequence 1
Lesson 1 / Your House
Learning Sequence 2 Lesson 2 / Your Neighbourhood
Learning Sequence 3 Lesson 3 / A walk in your Neighbourhood
Learning Sequence 4 Lesson 4 / Elements of a House
Learning Sequence 5 Lesson 5 / Construction Materials
Learning Sequence 6 Lesson 6 / Climate Effects on Buildings
Learning Sequence 7 Lesson 7 / Making Mud Bricks
Learning Sequence 8 Lesson 8 / Testing Mud Bricks
Learning Sequence 9 Lesson 9 / Impact of the Built Environment
Learning Sequence 10 Lesson 10 / Urbanisation

Teaching and Learning Experiences

Lesson 1- Your House
Outcomes
A student applies a design process and uses a range of tools, equipment, materials and techniques to produce solutions that address specific design criteria. ST2-5WT
A student describes how people interact within built environments and the factors considered in their design and construction. ST2-14BE.
Key Concepts/ Language
To develop an awareness of the local environment and the role of the individual in it.
To develop an understanding of the effects on people of aspects of the built and natural environments.
To involve students in their built environment and to develop an understanding of the ways in which the built form of their local communities is developed. / Resources
Students work books, pens, pencils, rulers.
Teaching Activity
As a class, discuss the essential areas that form a house. Examples include a place to store, prepare and eat food, a place to sleep, systems for waste and energy management.
Discuss how these areas allow us to live safe healthy lives.
Get students to draw a plan of their house, including indoor and outdoor space.
Get students to discuss with a partner about the purposes of particular rooms.
Student Assessment
Ask questions to ensure understanding
Analyse house plans / Evaluation/ Future Directions
Was this lesson successful in meeting outcomes? What improvement could be made?

Teaching and Learning Experiences

Lesson 2 - Your Neighbourhood
Outcomes
A student investigates their questions and predictions by analysing collected data, suggesting explanations for their findings, and communicating and reflecting on the processes undertaken. ST2-4WS
A student applies a design process and uses a range of tools, equipment, materials and techniques to produce solutions that address specific design criteria. ST2-5WT
A student describes how people interact within built environments and the factors considered in their design and construction. ST2-14BE.
Key Concepts/ Language
Students will learn more about town planning. Students will be presented with opportunities to think about why different community buildings are where they are etc. / Resources
Work books, pencils, rulers
Teaching Activity
Have a class discussion about the key facilities required by a community, for example, places to get food, places to learn, waste management.
Ask students to draw a map from memory of their route from home to school. The map should show the main features they pass, eg shops, sports facilities, friends houses, main roads. When students are on their way home, they should adjust the map to add anything they missed.
Student Assessment
Did students make accurate observations? Were findings communicated effectively? Did students use equipment and materials effectively? / Evaluation/ Future Directions
Was this lesson successful in meeting outcomes? What improvement could be made?

Teaching and Learning Experiences

Lesson 3 – A walk in the Neighbourhood
Outcomes
Demonstrates a willingness to engage responsibly with local, national and global issues relevant to their lives, and to shaping sustainable futures. ST2-2VA
A student describes how people interact within built environments and the factors considered in their design and construction. ST2-14BE.
Visual arts outcomes to be added.
Key Concepts/ Language
Ask students to look closely at different things in our community, and to think why they are the way they are. / Resources
Appropriate sun protection and walking shoes, work books, pencils, art materials for collage
Teaching Activity
Take students for a walk around town. Note any local features and discuss why they are there, who might use them and whether they are positive or negative features of the community.
Use students maps from previous 2 lessons, the information collected from the walk and other resources eg street directories to make a consolidated map of the neighbourhood using collage to illustrate the types of facilities.
Student Assessment
Did students make accurate observations? Were findings communicated effectively? Did students use equipment and materials effectively? / Evaluation/ Future Directions
Was this lesson successful in meeting outcomes? What improvement could be made?

Teaching and Learning Experiences

Lesson 4 – Elements of a House
Outcomes
A student applies a design process and uses a range of tools, equipment, materials and techniques to produce solutions that address specific design criteria. ST2-5WT
Demonstrates a willingness to engage responsibly with local, national and global issues relevant to their lives, and to shaping sustainable futures. ST2-2VA
A student describes how people interact within built environments and the factors considered in their design and construction. ST2-14BE.
Key Concepts/ Language
To develop an appreciation of the diversity of human shelter
To develop an understanding of the elements and materials which form the built environments. / Resources
Teaching Activity
Show students a box and ask them to identify which ways it can represent a house. The aim is to identify the basic elements of a house; the roof/ ceiling, walls and the floor.
Ask the students to further suggest what is needed to complete the house. For example, openings such as windows and doors.
In groups, students brainstorm the purpose of each element of the house.
Student Assessment
Did students make accurate observations? Were findings communicated effectively? Did students use equipment and materials effectively? / Evaluation/ Future Directions
Was this lesson successful in meeting outcomes? What improvement could be made?

Teaching and Learning Experiences

Lesson 5 – Construction Materials
Outcomes
A student investigates their questions and predictions by analysing collected data, suggesting explanations for their findings, and communicating and reflecting on the processes undertaken. ST2-4WS
A student describes how people interact within built environments and the factors considered in their design and construction. ST2-14BE.
Key Concepts/ Language
Correct language for different building terms / Resources
Books, internet and pamphlets on different building products.
Teaching Activity
Working in groups, students research the uses and properties of various building materials, for examples, bricks, timber, concrete, steel, aluminium, glass, plaster, plasterboard, roof tiles, tin, wall and floor tiles etc.
Using research from the internet, books and pamphlets, students are to investigate and answer the following questions.
-  Which elements of a building the material is used to construct
-  The other materials which could be used for these elements of a building
-  How it forms part of the building- how it is joined to other materials, what is done to finish the material- eg painting, waterproofing.
-  The advantages and disadvantages of the material
-  How the material should be maintained an how frequently
-  The cost of the material
Student Assessment
Did students make accurate observations? Were findings communicated effectively? / Evaluation/ Future Directions
Was this lesson successful in meeting outcomes? What improvement could be made?

Teaching and Learning Experiences

Lesson 6 – Climate effects on buildings
Outcomes
A student investigates their questions and predictions by analysing collected data, suggesting explanations for their findings, and communicating and reflecting on the processes undertaken. ST2-4WS
A student describes how people interact within built environments and the factors considered in their design and construction. ST2-14BE.
Key Concepts/ Language
Encourage students to use correct building terms / Resources
Bureau of Meteorology website
Atlases
Work books
Teaching Activity
Students should identify which climatic zones exist in Australia. Use Bureau of Meteorology website and atlases to assist.
Working in groups, students investigate how Australian housing responds to the different climatic zones. Do the elements and materials of Australian houses change in the different climatic zones? (see last page of this unit for help)
Groups to present information to the class.
Students to design a house for a particular climate and annotate the diagram to show the considerations.
Student Assessment
Did students make accurate observations? Were findings communicated effectively? Did students use equipment and materials effectively? / Evaluation/ Future Directions
Was this lesson successful in meeting outcomes? What improvement could be made?

Teaching and Learning Experiences

Lesson 7 – Making Mud Bricks
Outcomes
A student applies a design process and uses a range of tools, equipment, materials and techniques to produce solutions that address specific design criteria. ST2-5WT
A student describes how people interact within built environments and the factors considered in their design and construction. ST2-14BE.
Key Concepts/ Language
Use correct names for ingredients / Resources
Clay soil, sandy soil, cement, straw, water, small plastic containers of an equal size to use as moulds, mixing spoons, plastic for protecting surrounding area, buckets for mixing/ washing hands and utensils, trays for finished bricks, plastic gloves, smocks, oven
Teaching Activity
Split the class into groups. Ideally 8 groups would be different so each group could have a different type of brick to make. Examples include: clay soil, clay soil with straw, clay soil with cement*, clay soil with cement and straw*, sandy soil, sandy soil with straw, sandy soil with cement* sandy soil with cement and straw*
Aim for each group to make 5 bricks.
The materials and methods given to each group will vary.
MAKING: Thoroughly mix the raw ingredients together, add water (small amount at a time). Mixture should be firm and smooth but not sloppy. Put mixture in the moulds. (Greasing moulds may help) Get students to scratch their group number in each brick. Let bricks dry overnight. Leave half of each groups bricks to dry naturally and put the others in an oven or kiln.
Student Assessment
Did students make accurate observations? Were findings communicated effectively? Did students use equipment and materials effectively? / Evaluation/ Future Directions
Was this lesson successful in meeting outcomes? What improvement could be made?

Teaching and Learning Experiences

Lesson 8- Testing Bricks
Outcomes
A student investigates their questions and predictions by analysing collected data, suggesting explanations for their findings, and communicating and reflecting on the processes undertaken. ST2-4WS
A student describes how people interact within built environments and the factors considered in their design and construction. ST2-14BE.
Key Concepts/ Language
Use comparative language to discuss what worked. Encourage students to work things out for themselves rather than explaining why it happened. / Resources
Bricks from last lesson, broom, bucket
Teaching Activity
Collect all dry bricks.
Get students to measure bricks to compare to size before drying.
Note any twisting, cracking, changes in colour and discuss with other groups about their changes.
With one naturally dried brick and one oven dried from each group, place in a bucket of water and observe at regular intervals, noting any changes
Scratch the surface of the brick and note how hard or soft the surface is
Drop each brick from a constant height and note what happens.
Create a table collecting data from each testing brick and collate a whole class table
Get students to comment on:
-  What does it show about the strength of the different raw materials used, what influence does the method of drying have? Which would be the best for building with?
Student Assessment
Did students make accurate observations? Were findings communicated effectively? Did students use equipment and materials effectively? / Evaluation/ Future Directions
Was this lesson successful in meeting outcomes? What improvement could be made?

Teaching and Learning Experiences

Lesson 9 – Impact of the Built Environment
Outcomes
A student investigates their questions and predictions by analysing collected data, suggesting explanations for their findings, and communicating and reflecting on the processes undertaken. ST2-4WS
A student describes how people interact within built environments and the factors considered in their design and construction. ST2-14BE.
Key Concepts/ Language
Students consider the ways in which current approaches to the built environment can improve the impact on the total environment. / Resources
Old photographs, newspapers, documents from council and library
Teaching Activity
Talk to the calls about changes in our local neighbourhood over the years. Show photos of the changes over the years. Get students to imagine what their town would have looked likes 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 100 years ago etc.
Divide the class into groups and get each group to select a particular place in their local area and research the development over a nominated period of time. The local library and council should be able to help.
Student Assessment
Did students make accurate observations?
Were findings communicated effectively? / Evaluation/ Future Directions
Was this lesson successful in meeting outcomes?
What improvement could be made?

Teaching and Learning Experiences