Lesson summary
Students will explore the materials used in manufacturing mobile phones and understand how their properties influence functionality. They will learn about this by understanding where these materials come from, their specific properties, and their environmental impact. The lesson encourages critical thinking about sustainability and resource usage in technology production.
Learning intentions:
Students will...
- identify the materials used in the manufacture of mobile phones and understand how their properties influence their function
- discover where the materials used in mobile phones come from and how they are obtained.
Success criteria:
Students can...
- list the materials used in the manufacture of mobile phones
- describe the properties of these materials and outline how their properties influence their function
- recall where the materials used originate from and how they are obtained.
Lesson guides and printables
Curriculum links
Select your curriculum from the options below.
Lesson details
Skills
This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:
- collaboration
- ethical understanding
- global citizenship
- problem-solving
UN Sustainable Development Goals
UN SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
- Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
Curriculum Mapping
Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content descriptions
Years 3&4 Design and Technologies:
- describe how forces and the properties of materials affect function in a product or system. (AC9TDE4K02)
Year 4 Chemical Sciences:
- examine the properties of natural and made materials including fibres, metals, glass and plastics and consider how these properties influence their use. (AC9S4U04)
Relevant parts of achievement standards
Years 3 & 4 Design and Technologies: Students can describe how people design products, services and environments to meet the needs of people, including sustainability.
Year 4 Chemical Sciences: Students can relate the uses of materials to their properties.
NSW Syllabus outcomes: GE2-2, GE2-3, ST2-13MW,
General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitation of discussion and research.
Resources Required
- Class set of devices with internet access for research
- Device capable of displaying audiovisual material
- Mobile Phone Worksheet (one per pair)
Additional Info
This lesson has been developed as part of Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week. Following this lesson plan is an ideal way for your school to take part in MobileMuster. You’ll be joining thousands of amazing teachers in making a difference and creating positive environmental change. Take part in the Schools Recycling Right Challenge for Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week. Register your lesson or other activities today!
Related Professional Learning
How to Teach Sustainability with Hope
Quick Summary: This course is for both primary and secondary teachers of all subjects, but especially for English, Science, Humanities and Geography teachers who are covering climate change and the cross-curriculum priority of sustainability.
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