Pack a Snack

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• adaptability
• creative thinking
• critical thinking
• problem solving
• prototyping
• reflection

Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content description:

Year 5 & 6 Design and Technologies

• explain how people in design and technologies occupations consider competing factors including sustainability in the design of products, services and environments (AC9TDE6K01)
• select and use suitable materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions (AC9TDE6P03)

Syllabus outcomes:

• ST3-2DP-T plans and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity
• ST3-7MW-T explains how the properties of materials determines their use for a range of purposes

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Relevant parts of Year 5 & 6 achievement standards: Students explain how people design products to meet the needs of communities, including sustainability. Students select and justify design ideas and solutions against design criteria that include sustainability. 

UN SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.

• Device to show videos to the class
• Student worksheet (one per student)
• Whiteboard or smartboard

These lessons were created in partnership with Planet Ark and Coles.

Coles is a Major Sponsor of Planet Ark's National Recycling Week, which was established in 1996 to encourage Australians across the country to engage in recycling education - improving recycling habits and keeping valuable resources out of landfill. They became involved with Planet Ark's National Recycling Week as a part of its Sustainability Strategy to minimise its environmental footprint.  

The strategy includes two focus areas, Together to Zero and Better Together. Together to Zero sets out ambitions across the key sustainability areas of climate change, waste and hunger. Better Together ensures the wellbeing of employees, suppliers and community and works towards positive social change. Its goal is to support all Australians lead healthier, happier, and more sustainable lives.

Click here to find out more about National Recycling Week and the Schools Recycle Right Challenge. 

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - facilitate discussion and  scaffold the design process.

Analyse The Impact of Everyday Objects

Quick Summary: This course focuses on the analysis of the impact of everyday objects through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Eco Design strategies. Participants learn to apply LCA to various everyday objects, adjusting the complexity based on product parts. We also recommend additional activities for students to help bring this to the classroom, like creating a Green Purchasing Policy and participating in consumption-related campaigns or events.