Designing Shelters

Lesson Overview

This 60-minute lesson introduces Year 2 students to the purpose and variety of shelters through hands-on exploration and creative design activities, aligned with the NSW Curriculum for Technologies. Students will understand why shelters are important, explore different types of shelters, and think about how they can design their own simple shelters.

Learning Objectives (WALT)

We Are Learning To understand the purpose of shelters and explore different types of shelters.
We Are Learning To identify features of different shelter types in our environment.
We Are Learning To use simple design thinking to create ideas for building a shelter.

NSW Curriculum Links

Technologies / Design and Technologies: ACTDEP009 (Students explore how products meet needs and wants through their design)
Science & Technology understanding links: Recognise natural and constructed features of environments (Science K-6)
Content descriptor: Recognise that people design and make products to meet needs and wants

Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

Explain why shelters are important (e.g., protection from weather).
Identify at least three different types of shelters (e.g., tents, houses, animal homes).
Contribute ideas during a group discussion on shelter purposes.
Design and draw a simple shelter with labelled features.
Participate in building or modelling a basic shelter using classroom materials.

Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Engage: Start with a short, interactive discussion—ask “What is a shelter? Why do people and animals need shelters?”
Show pictures of various shelters including tent, igloo, huts, houses.
Discuss simple purposes of shelters (protection, safety, comfort).
WALT and success criteria displayed and explained in child-friendly language.

2. Exploration Activity (15 minutes)

Hands-on group investigation: Using classroom images or physical examples (blocks, toy dolls, fabric), students explore different shelter types.
In small groups (4-5 students), identify features of shelters (roof, walls, door).
Talk about which materials might be good to build shelters and why.

3. Design Task (20 minutes)

Each student receives a worksheet or plain paper to draw their own shelter design.
Prompt them to label key parts (e.g., door, roof, walls).
Encourage creativity: Can their shelter protect from rain? Wind?
Teacher circulates and supports with scaffolded questions and vocabulary.

4. Building or Modelling (10 minutes)

Using simple classroom materials (cardboard, straws, fabric, blocks), students try to build a small model or representation of their shelter.
Work in small groups or pairs for peer collaboration.

5. Reflection and Share (5 minutes)

Gather as a class, each group or a few students share one fact about their shelter or explain their design idea.
Reinforce how shelters keep us safe and meet needs.

Differentiation Strategies

Learner Needs	Strategies
Students needing extra support	Provide pre-cut materials for building, use visual prompts and scaffolded sentence starters (“My shelter has a ___ to protect me.”)
Students with difficulties in fine motor skills	Pair with classmates for collaborative building; allow drawing with larger pencils or crayons; use digital drawing tools if available.
English as an Additional Language	Use picture cards of shelter vocabulary, demonstrate verbally and visually; pre-teach key words (roof, door, wall, protect).
Advanced learners	Encourage designing shelters for specific conditions (e.g., hot weather, windy areas); apply simple criteria for effective shelter design.

Extension Activities (Optional / Advanced)

Research & Compare: Investigate how Indigenous Australian shelters differed in design and materials, discussing the environment’s role.
Environmental Connection: Explore how sustainable materials can be used in shelter building; discuss reducing waste.
Story Integration: Write or draw a story about a character using their shelter in a particular weather condition.
Technology Integration: Use digital drawing apps or simple design software to create a shelter design.

Materials Required

Images or posters of different types of shelters
Paper and colouring tools for drawing
Building materials: cardboard, straws, blocks, fabric scraps, tape
Worksheets with simple templates for shelter design (optional)

Assessment Opportunities

Observe student participation and contributions during discussions and group tasks.
Collect and review shelter drawings for understanding of shelter components.
Informal checklist of ability to explain shelter purpose and identify features.
Anecdotal records of peer collaboration during building activity.

This lesson plan is designed to engage Year 2 students with hands-on experience and thoughtful exploration of the purpose and design of shelters, supporting diverse learners through visually and kinesthetically rich activities, all within the framework of the NSW Curriculum for Technologies. It encourages creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking appropriate for their developmental stage.

Teaching Instructions