Search results

Online

Visual to text coding: Lesson 1

This is the first in a series of lessons to transition from visual coding to text-based coding with a general-purpose programming language. This lesson may take two to three 45-minute periods. It introduces how to create variables, get user input and perform maths operations.

Online

Note the music

We can program a computer to play music. Conventionally this is done by hard coding, which is the process of coding all possible expected behaviours. Alternatively, we can train an artificial intelligence (AI) computer about what notes go well with others, so it can play a duet with a human musician. Students can make their ...

Online

Home automation with AI

Home automation is all the rage. You talk to your mobile phone to control the lights, the fan, the air conditioner, or your pool pump. But how does it work? In this lesson, we explore the AI that could power a home automation system.

Online

Visual to text coding: Setting Up

This series of lessons is to help students to transition from visual coding to text-based coding with a general-purpose programming language. This section provides guidance on how to set-up the particular programming environment including Scratch, Python and JavaScript.

Online

Analysis of AI applications, drawing on ethical understandings

This lesson plan explores the ethical aspects of artificial intelligence and the implications on our future lives. This lesson was developed by the Digital Technologies Institute in collaboration with the DT Hub.

Online

Describing an everyday object

In this lesson, students act like the inventor of an everyday object that does not yet exist. Students abstract the essential details, and describe what need would be fulfilled by the new object and how, specifically, it functions. They will then translate the description into a format appropriate for modeling the object ...

Online

Growing healthy plants using natural pesticides

Plants are vulnerable to pests and diseases. This learning activity is designed for children to: understand how to cultivate healthy plants using organic gardening methods; look to natural ingredients as a solution to ridding plants of unwanted pests and diseases; and know how to make a natural pesticide and evaluate the ...

Online

Creating a food garden: planting

Planting a food garden is an exciting and fulfilling task. This learning activity is part of a sequence of 5 individual learning activities focused on creating a food garden. The order of these learning activities are: vision, site assessment, installing a no dig garden bed, planting and harvesting. OUTCOMES of this activity ...

Online

Making a small wicking bed

Making and planting a small wicking bed is a fulfilling activity. It upcycles materials, building awareness of waste and reuse. The completed wicking bed can suit small spaces – such as a balcony – demonstrating that even small spaces can be used to produce food. Its small size allows children to take ownership of its maintenance. ...

Online

Growing your own pizza

In this hypothetical exercise, young learners will explore what they would need to establish if they were to grow their very own pizza. The OUTCOMES of this learning activity are for children to: investigate where and how food is produced; appreciate the complexities of food manufacturing; expand their knowledge of food ...

Online

Creating a beneficial garden: planting

Planting flowers with food crops increases biodiversity, and is known as beneficial planting. Beneficial planting not only makes our garden beds look more attractive to us, it also makes gardens look more attractive to pollinators and predators, which in turn, help to fertilise and protect crops from pest invertebrates. ...

Online

Creating a bee hotel: construction

As we clear land for urban development, and for broadacre farming, we remove the spaces where bees nest and find their food. With no food, and nowhere to produce their young, native bee populations are under threat of local extinction. In this activity, we will look at providing nesting spaces for native bees which mimic ...

Online

Storm survivor: Input, decision-making and loops

Students use a visual programming language to create a game or quiz to help members of a community prepare for a severe weather event.

Online

Creating a wildlife habitat: planting

This learning activity is the fourth part of a sequence of 5 individual learning activities focused on creating a wildlife habitat. The order of these learning activities are: research, vision, design, planting and monitoring and care. OUTCOMES of this learning activity are for children to: understand the steps involved ...

Online

Creating a wildlife habitat: design

Creating a wildlife habitat can provide a home for a variety of local wildlife from the smallest insects and spiders to birds, reptiles, mammals and frogs. These habitats can provide a sanctuary for species that have been displaced through urbanisation, as built structures replace natural areas. The Vision activity determined ...

Online

Creating compost

Compost is created when organic materials such as twigs, leaves, dry grass and kitchen food scraps break down. Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of landfill that is produced, and also provides soil full of good nutrients that can be used on the garden. OUTCOMES of this learning activity are for students to: ...

Online

Mapping Aboriginal knowledge of the bush

This is a resource about a collaborative study carried out by the CSIRO and the Aboriginal peoples of the Northern Territory and Western Australia to map the peoples’ knowledge of bush tucker associated with the Daly and Fitzroy Rivers and develop seasonal calendars. The resource consists of an online article from ‘Australian ...

Online

Yulunga: waayin

The study of different animal and bird tracks was an important part of the education of Aboriginal children. These were drawn in the smoothed earth or sand by means of the fingers, fingernails, palms, small sticks and so on. A great deal of care was taken by adults in imitating the tracks of various animals for the benefit ...

Online

Yulunga: bubu sagul

One of the many water games observed being played at Mabuiag Island in the Torres Strait. A group of players run in a circle to form a whirlpool and then lie down and float. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide all Australians with a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous ...

Online

Yulunga: sanbaing

In parts of Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait Islands players of both genders were observed playing a game of sand-ball throwing. It required a great deal of expertise to perform successfully and was often played all day. Players make ‘bombs’ out of sand and throw (lob) them into the water. The Yulunga: Traditional ...