Materials Matter

Unit: Sustainable Stall Solutions

Lesson 3 of 8

Year Level: 6

Duration: 60 minutes

Class Size: 30 Students

Subject: Technologies (Design and Technologies)

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students will explore different materials and their environmental impacts. They will critically evaluate various sustainable materials that could be used in making products for their market stalls. This lesson links to understanding sustainability in design choices and making environmentally responsible decisions regarding materials.

Australian Curriculum Links

Technologies - Design and Technologies (Year 5-6)

AC9TDE6P01 Investigate needs or opportunities for designing, and the materials, components, tools, equipment and processes needed to create designed solutions.
AC9TDE6P03 Select and use suitable materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions.
AC9TDE6P04 Negotiate design criteria including sustainability to evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions.

These content descriptions emphasise investigating materials, considering tools and processes, selecting appropriate ones, and evaluating sustainability in design solutions【12:AC9TDE6P01.md】【13:AC9TDE6P04.md】【19:AC9TDE6P03.md】.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Identify a range of common and sustainable materials used in product design.
Explain the environmental impacts of various materials through a sustainability lens.
Evaluate and select sustainable materials appropriate for products designed for a market stall context.
Understand how sustainable choices contribute to environmental stewardship.

Resources

Samples or images of materials (e.g., recycled paper/cardboard, bamboo, bioplastics, cotton fabric, traditional plastics, metals)
Sustainability impact fact sheets or simple comparison charts (prepared by teacher)
Whiteboard and markers
Student worksheets for material evaluation (pro-forma with columns: Material, Description, Environmental Impact, Suitability for product)
Recycling symbols or lifecycle graphics posters
Pens, sticky notes
Projector for showing images/videos (optional)

Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Engagement: Begin with a brief discussion about materials students are familiar with in everyday products and ask, "Why do materials matter when designing products?"
Introduce the term sustainability and what it means in terms of material choices: using materials that have less impact on the environment, can be reused, recycled, or are biodegradable.
Show examples of materials (both conventional and sustainable) and explain briefly their origins and environmental effects.

Curriculum link: This fosters investigation of materials and environmental considerations (AC9TDE6P01)【12:AC9TDE6P01.md】.

2. Main Activity - Materials Evaluation (30 minutes)

Distribute the Material Evaluation Worksheet.
Divide students into small groups (about 5 per group) and assign or allow each group to select a material from the examples provided.
Each group investigates their material using fact sheets and resources provided to complete the worksheet, focusing on:
- What is the material?
- Where does it come from?
- Environmental impact (e.g., biodegradability, carbon footprint, pollution).
- Suitability for making a product for their stall (e.g., durability, cost, ease of use).
Groups then prepare a short presentation (2-3 minutes) advocating for the sustainability of their material and its usefulness for a market stall product.
As groups present, teacher records key points on a large classroom chart dividing materials into ‘More Sustainable’ vs ‘Less Sustainable’.

Curriculum link: This activity aligns with selecting and evaluating materials based on sustainability and suitability (AC9TDE6P03, AC9TDE6P04)【13:AC9TDE6P04.md】【19:AC9TDE6P03.md】.

3. Reflection and Class Discussion (15 minutes)

Lead a class discussion reflecting on:
- What surprised you about the materials?
- Which materials would you choose for your stall product and why?
- How does choosing sustainable materials help beyond your stall?
Students write one sentence on a sticky note about their sustainable material choice and its environmental benefit and place it on a “Sustainability Wall” in the classroom.
Teacher summarises the importance of making informed, sustainable choices in design.

Curriculum link: Engage with negotiating and reflecting on sustainability criteria for design (AC9TDE6P04)【13:AC9TDE6P04.md】.

4. Conclusion and Homework/Extension (5 minutes)

Recap the key messages about sustainable materials.
Homework/Extension: Students are asked to bring a small sample or picture of a sustainable material or product from home or local community to share in the next lesson.
Teacher reminds students that these choices will help inform the materials they use to create their stall products later in the unit.

Assessment

Formative assessment through group worksheet completion, presentations and participation in discussions.
Observation of ability to link materials to sustainability concepts.
Evaluation of student understanding by their reflective sentence on the Sustainability Wall.

Differentiation

Support: Provide guided questions or sentence starters on worksheets for students needing more assistance.
Extension: Challenge advanced students to research emerging sustainable materials or technologies and share how innovations might change future product design.
Use visuals and physical samples to support diverse learning needs.

Cross-Curriculum Priorities & General Capabilities

Sustainability is emphasised as a cross-curriculum priority in understanding environmental impacts and responsible use of resources.
Critical and creative thinking used to evaluate material options and make design decisions.
Ethical understanding develops as students consider the consequences of their choices.

This lesson plan meets the Australian Curriculum (v9) Design and Technologies standards for Year 6 and fosters meaningful inquiry into sustainable materials for their real-world application in a market stall context, empowering students to be thoughtful designers and environmentally responsible citizens.

If you would like, I can also help generate accompanying student worksheets or teacher notes to complement this lesson.

Teaching Instructions