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I am an inventor lesson

In this lesson, students explore the life, work and times of Rube Goldberg. The lesson uses Rube Goldberg’s work to teach students about simple machines, how they function and their design principles. Working in groups, the students then design and create a Rube Goldberg machine that can complete a simple task. Students ...

Interactive

Sites2See: Astronomy for primary

A small galaxy of sites and resources, from Galileo making discoveries that changed our view of the universe, to new images and understandings from Hubble, on a page tailored for Primary students.

Interactive

Kitchen gardens – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This resource guides students through an extended school-based or local investigation focussed on kitchen gardens using the five-step sustainability action process. The resource supports the investigation of a real-world issue or problem. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and ...

Interactive

Sites2See: How to communicate with aliens

Through the ages humans have used symbols and symbol systems to communicate with one another. Students are challenged to compile a message that could be understood by anyone in the world and possibly beyond.

Interactive

Writers Talk 2007

A resource for primary and secondary students that features ten award-winning writers from the 2007 Sydney Writers' Festival. The resource explores each author's books, background, beliefs and approaches to writing, and includes advice for young writers. Video interviews of each author are accompanied by a biography, bibliography. ...

Interactive

Aim to sustain: Get the message

This resource is a subset of the larger resource, Aim to Sustain. As such it includes the culminating activity in which students study and make artworks that communicate an environmental message about single use and disposable plastics. The resource includes links to video, a slideshow, worksheets and links to further interactive ...

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Character Sketches

What techniques do storytellers use to create characters? In this lesson, students will analyse how a character's personality traits, actions and motives influence the plot of a story. They will use their senses to create character sketches, then dramatize the character for an audience.

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Mythological Characters

How do Greek mythological figures inspire modern day characters? In this lesson, students will explore the connection between Greek mythology and modern culture. They will analyse Greek culture, mythological characters, and apply elements of mythology. They will design and paint original mythological characters with watercolours.

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How can movement and music tell a story?

In this teaching activity, students will choreograph a sequence of ballet movements to tell a story. Students will explore conceptual and practical elements of classical ballet and learn basic ballet vocabulary through demonstration.

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Digital Technologies in the Australian Curriculum: overview and key links

This PDF gives an overview of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies. It includes key points from the rationale and a step-by-step process for becoming familiar with the structure of the curriculum to assist planning. The document also provides links to key documents and sections of the Australian Curriculum as ...

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Computational thinking cut out cards

This set of printable cards provides definitions of six aspects of computational thinking.

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Visual programming with Scratch: years 3-6

This comprises a collection of sample activities that incorporate visual programming (Scratch) into teaching and learning programs. They show the possibilities Scratch offers for integration. The projects are incomplete and are designed to be used as samples for inspiration or modification by teachers.

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Classroom ideas: Choose your own adventure: years 3-6

This PDF provides a sequence of activities that allow students to view and create planning templates and algorithms when making 'Choose Your Own Adventure' stories. Older students can use the visual programming language Scratch to build their stories.

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Books for exploring Digital Technologies concepts

This PDF provides a list of suggested books or similar that identify and discuss key concepts, key ideas and related ways of thinking about Digital Technologies.

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Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies Years F-6 achievement standards and aligned content descriptions on a page

This PDF presents content descriptions and achievement standards for the Digital Technologies subject in the Australian Curriculum

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Planning an action research project to facilitate implementation of Digital Technologies

This document includes ideas for planning and developing action research projects to facilitate implementation of digital technologies.

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Booth Sweeney review: Systems literacy

This article explores how children’s innate understanding of systems can be developed through deliberate educational programs that support systems thinking. This can happen by encouraging students to identify patterns, consequences and feedback (loops) associated with social, environmental and economic problems; and by ...

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Kim review: Systems thinking

This article explores the types of systems in our world, their characteristics and how our behaviour can initiate and respond to changes in their performance. The author differentiates between systems thinking and a system and elaborates on those factors that contribute to systemic behaviour.

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Voskoglou & Buckley review: Problem solving and computational thinking

This article explores the relationship between computational and critical thinking as it applies to solving technological problems. Research evidence derived from classroom experiments strongly suggests that using computers to solve problems enhances students’ abilities in solving real-world problems involving mathematical ...

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DTiF in conversation with Save the Bilby Fund – Background information on the Save the Bilby Fund

Kevin Bradley, CEO of Save the Bilby Fund, and Cassandra Arkinstall, a researcher and volunteer at Save the Bilby Fund, explain why the bilby is an important indicator of the health of an ecosystem, and how their decline impacts other wildlife. This video gives an overview of what the Save the Bilby Fund does as they work ...