Suggested implementation plan Suggested time Student activity Teacher role Resources Section 1. Investigating the built environment 15 minutes Investigate by collecting data Assist children to collect data Data about common shapes and using a chosen data collection collection materials used in the strategy. sheets environment. Assist children to look at their Identify from the data about data by asking questions such materials commonly used in as: Which shape/material was building and how they meet the most common? Why? design needs. Encourage children to discuss Identify from the data why the characteristics of materials these are most common that might lend themselves to shapes and how they meet design needs. design needs. Encourage children to discuss the characteristics of shapes that might lend themselves to design needs. Section 2. Identifying the purpose for designing 5 minutes Listen and respond to the Assist children to look at their questions by your teacher. data and ask questions such as: Are these the same results we find when we build with shapes? Do we use some shapes or materials more than others? Let’s find out! Section 3. Designing our building 15–20 minutes Recall the results of your data Identify different design Appendix A: collection. challenges from which children Design can select. challenges Select a design challenge. Ask children to recall the results Design a building by drawing a of their data collection. plan based on the design challenge. Label the shapes Encourage the children to use you have used in your design. actual shapes in their drawings. List the materials you are going Remind children to think about to use to produce your design, which shapes will be best to use e.g. blocks, Lego, collage, etc. for their building to meet their selected design challenge. Section 4. Producing our building 30–40 minutes Make your building by viewing Encourage children to follow Variety of your design (plan), collecting their plan so that it matches the building the identified building materials design challenge. materials and constructing your building Take photographs of each Camera to match your design decisions. child’s building. Section 5. Reflecting on our building interview —
Suggested implementation plan Suggested time Student activity Teacher role Resources Section 1. Investigating the built environment 15 minutes Investigate by collecting data about common shapes and materials used in the environment. Identify from the data about materials commonly used in building and how they meet the design needs. Identify from the data why these are most common shapes and how they meet design needs. Assist children to collect data using a chosen data collection strategy. Assist children to look at their data by asking questions such as: Which shape/material was most common? Why? Encourage children to discuss the characteristics of materials that might lend themselves to design needs. Encourage children to discuss the characteristics of shapes that might lend themselves to design needs. Data collection sheets Section 2. Identifying the purpose for designing 5 minutes Listen and respond to the questions by your teacher. Assist children to look at their data and ask questions such as: Are these the same results we find when we build with shapes? Do we use some shapes or materials more than others? Let’s find out! Section 3. Designing our building 15–20 minutes Recall the results of your data collection. Select a design challenge. Design a building by drawing a plan based on the design challenge. Label the shapes you have used in your design. List the materials you are going to use to produce your design, e.g. blocks, Lego, collage, etc. Identify different design challenges from which children can select. Ask children to recall the results of their data collection. Encourage the children to use actual shapes in their drawings. Remind children to think about which shapes will be best to use for their building to meet their selected design challenge. Appendix A: Design challenges Section 4. Producing our building 30–40 minutes Make your building by viewing your design (plan), collecting the identified building materials and constructing your building to match your design decisions. Encourage children to follow their plan so that it matches the design challenge. Take photographs of each child’s building. Variety of building materials Camera Section 5. Reflecting on our building — interview
els_sa_building_with_shapes_guide.docx