Technology Mandatory (Years 7 and 8)
Technology (Mandatory) covers the mandatory portion of the TAS key learning area. The course carries on from the Kindergarten to Year 6 Science and Technology strand.
The aim of the course is to develop students' ability to design, produce and evaluate quality solutions that respond to identified opportunities and needs. It enables students to justify solutions and to responsibly, safely and creatively use and select materials, tools and techniques. Students work with timber, textiles, electronics, food and digital technologies, including Arduino microcontrollers, laser cutters and 3D printers.
In Year 7, students undertake the following 3 x 13 week long projects:
Crack the Code and Website Development (Digital Technologies)
The Digital Technologies context encourages students to develop an empowered attitude towards digital technologies, use abstractions to represent and decompose real-world problems, and implement and evaluate digital solutions. Students have the opportunity to become innovative creators of digital technologies, creating control systems with the use of an Arduino Microcontroller. Students are provided with opportunities to develop fluency in a general-purpose programming language and use these skills to solve information problems and to automate repetitive tasks. Students also develop a coded website using HTML and CSS programming language.
CAM Toy (Engineered Systems)
The Engineered Systems context focuses on how force, motion, energy and the properties of materials affect the behaviour and performance of engineered systems, machines and structures. Knowledge of these principles and systems enables the design and production of sustainable, engineered solutions. Students will have the opportunity to work collaboratively to design, test and produce their own CAM Toy, using timber.
Farm to Plate (Agriculture and Food Technology)
Students learn about the characteristics and properties of food, specifically the herbs and/or vegetables they grow. Students are provided with opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding about food selection, food storage and how to make informed choices when preparing nutritious food.
Illuminate Night Light (Materials technology/Digital technologies)
This unit of work provides students with the opportunity to work with timber and digital technologies. Students will learn the skills and techniques required to manufacture an illuminated night light, with a built in Arduino coded to produce an LED light sequence. The laser engraver is used to personalise the designs on the acrylic feature. In addition to traditional timber techniques leaned, students will be introduced to the basics of electronics, digital technology and the use of micro controllers.
Personalised Apron (Materials Technology)
This unit of work provides students with the opportunity to work with Textiles Materials and students will learn the skills and techniques required to manufacture and embellish a personalised cross-backed Apron.
Fantastic Food (Agriculture and Food Technology)
Further to the Food unit studied in Year 7, Year 8 ‘Fantastic Food’ focuses on Adolescent Nutrition in the following ways:
· Communicating healthy recipes and modifications
· Analysing a variety of foods
· Investigation of adolescent nutrition guidelines
· Evaluation of sensory properties of food
· WHS and kitchen precautions in practicals
· Building technology and research competence