(Bold Text focus of unit with other aspects covered both within the classroom or other units)
Stage 2 – Physical World
Stage 2 of the Physical World strand focuses on light, heat and electrical energy and how contact forces affect the behaviour of objects. Stage 2 of this strand develops their understanding of energy as a resource that can be generated and transferred. They investigate the interdependent relationship between energy and forces that affects the behaviour of objects. Students observe how energy and forces are used in the manufacture of products and in systems.
Stage 2 – Digital Technologies
Stage 2 of the Digital Technologies strand focuses on digital systems and how they transmit data. Students explore different types of data, have the opportunity to learn how to interpret patterns and develop skills in visual programming. Stage 2 of this strand further develops students’ knowledge and understanding of computational thinking and abstraction.
As a newly appointed engineer to work at St Pius X you have been tasked to investigate electrical usage within the school and wider community. Following the engineering design process you must record your journey along each step.
Define the problem - What have you heard from parents, friends, on the TV or Radio about energy problems. What energy sources do you have at home? at school?
Do your research - You need to find out about the possible types of energy available. What are their positives and negatives? Why are some used more than others? What effects do they have? What products already exist? Could these be used or adapted?
Develop possible solutions - Once you have decided on a core problem you must come up with solutions that could work. You will need a design brief and design ideas. You will need to share these design ideas with the class.
Design your solution - From your list of possible solutions and feedback from sharing your designs you pick your best solution. You develop planned drawings and diagrams and you construct a logical plan.
Build a prototype - You follow your plan to make the solution demonstrating technical skills. You must justify any changes to your plan.
Test it - You test if your prototype works. Does it do what you want it to do? Does it look like how it is meant too?
Evaluate your solutions - Were you successful? How can it be improved? What impact will your solution have on the area? What did not go well?