Concept Development

Overview

Year level: 3 and 4 Duration: 50 minutes Class size: 25 students Unit: Designing for a Sustainable Future Lesson: 8 of 10 Lesson Title: Concept Development for a Sustainable Product WALT: Develop an idea for a sustainable product using sketching and brainstorming techniques to conceptualise designs. Success Criteria: Students can present a clear concept sketch of their sustainable product and explain its key features.

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Learning Objectives

Aligned with the Australian Curriculum (v9):

• ACTDEK014: Explore needs or opportunities for designing, and generate, develop and communicate design ideas by using sketching and other graphical techniques.
• ACTDEP021: Develop and communicate design ideas through a range of graphical techniques and oral presentations.
• ACTDEK015: Investigate sustainable design practices and materials and how these influence design decisions.

Students will:

• Understand what makes a product sustainable.
• Use brainstorming to generate several ideas.
• Use sketching to develop one concept.
• Present their concept clearly to peers.

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Resources and Materials

• Whiteboards and markers for brainstorming.
• Sketching paper or digital tablets (if available) for sketching product concepts.
• Pencils, coloured pencils, erasers.
• Graphic organisers (dyslexia-friendly, with boxes for ideas and supporting details).
• Example images of sustainable products for inspiration.
• Timer or clock to manage activity time.

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Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Description	Differentiation/Support
0–5 mins	Introduction & WALT	Explain lesson objectives and success criteria. Show examples of sustainable products.	Use clear, simple language. Provide visual cues.
5–15 mins	Group Brainstorming	In pairs, students brainstorm ideas for a sustainable product. Use whiteboards or graphic organisers for idea mapping.	Pair less confident students with supportive peers.
15–30 mins	Sketching Concept	Students choose one idea and sketch their product concept. Encourage use of labels for features.	Provide step-by-step sketching prompts on graphic organiser. Offer extra pencils for erasing/redrawing.
30–40 mins	Peer Sharing and Feedback	In pairs or small groups, students present their sketches and explain their sustainable choices. Class discusses feedback.	Encourage oral expression practice; support EAL and dyslexic students with sentence starters.
40–45 mins	Reflection & Extension Introduction	Recap key learning points. Introduce optional extension: a persuasive paragraph promoting their product.	Display paragraph template for support; advanced students start brainstorming persuasive language.
45–50 mins	Cleanup and Wrap-up	Students clean materials and brief reflection: “One thing I liked about designing my product...”	Reflective sentence starters provided.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Paired support for brainstorming and sketching: Pair students to collaborate, especially helping those less confident in drawing or idea generation.
• Dyslexia-friendly graphic organisers: Structured templates with visual boxes to help organise ideas clearly, reducing cognitive overload.
• Sentence starters for presentations and writing: To assist students with language difficulties or EAL learners during oral or written tasks.
• Extension task: Writing a persuasive paragraph for students who finish early or require more challenge.

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Extension Activity

• Write a persuasive paragraph promoting their sustainable product. Use the provided graphic organiser to structure ideas with introduction, supporting reasons, and conclusion.
• Encourage use of descriptive adjectives and persuasive language such as "eco-friendly," "saves energy," "recyclable materials," or "helps the environment."

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Assessment

Formative assessment through:

• Observation during brainstorming and sketching activities.
• Peer feedback session assessing clarity of concept presentation.
• Review of sketches to ensure understanding of sustainable product features.

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Digital Technology Integration

• If available, use tablets or simple drawing apps for sketching to engage digital skills.
• Use interactive whiteboards for whole-class brainstorming.

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Teacher Reflection Notes

• Monitor engagement during paired activities to ensure all students participate.
• Scaffold conceptual thinking around sustainability, emphasising practical examples.
• Adjust timing if students need more support with sketching or explaining ideas.

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This lesson harnesses creativity and collaboration to develop sustainable product concepts while embedding Australian curriculum requirements for technological design skills. It is tailored to suit diverse learners with supportive strategies and enriches their understanding of sustainability in design.