Sustainable Esky Reflection

Overview

Students complete the finishing stage of their Sustainable Esky design (sand, paint, or apply a suitable finish) while using design criteria to evaluate sustainability impacts. This lesson builds on earlier work where students developed a design brief, produced a prototype, and tested performance.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• apply appropriate finishing techniques safely to improve the appearance and protection of their esky
• use a set of sustainability-focused design criteria to judge whether their solution meets expectations
• justify refinement choices by considering materials, processes, and end-of-life impacts
• reflect on decisions made across the design process and identify one actionable iteration for improvement

Success criteria

Students can:

• finish the esky using a safe process and appropriate tools/materials
• explain how their design criteria (including sustainability) guided finish selection and application
• describe at least two sustainability impacts across the esky life cycle (e.g., material sourcing, waste, durability, recyclability)
• provide a clear “next iteration” plan based on evaluation feedback and design criteria

Curriculum links

• AC9TDE10P04: develop design criteria independently including sustainability to evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions
• AC9TDE10P01: analyse needs or opportunities; develop design briefs; investigate and select materials, systems, components, tools and equipment to create designed solutions
• AC9TDE10K01: analyse how characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment can be combined to create designed solutions
• AC9TDE10K01 and AC9TDE10P03 support safe, ethical and sustainability-minded decision-making during production

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Re-cap & goals. Teacher displays the project checklist: finish task + sustainability reflection. Students recall their design criteria and circle the criteria most connected to sustainability.

2. 5–12 min · Safety mini-lesson for finishing. Teacher demonstrates correct PPE and safe bench setup for sanding and painting/finishing (ventilation, tool handling, waste disposal). Students follow the demonstration and confirm they have the required PPE and clear workspace.

3. 12–25 min · Finishing sprint (sand prep). Teacher stations and supports small groups to sand to an even surface for paint/finish adhesion. Students sand in controlled passes, wipe down surfaces, and record one note: “What I changed and why” (e.g., smoother edges for durability).

4. 25–40 min · Apply finish (paint or coating). Teacher models application technique (thin, even coats; avoid runs) and discusses sustainability trade-offs (durability vs toxicity; water-based vs solvent-based where available). Students apply their chosen finish, complete any needed masking, and clean tools using the method their product requires.

5. 40–50 min · Sustainability design-criteria check. Teacher provides a one-page criteria table with prompts: “Did we meet it? Evidence from our process?” and “Sustainability judgement.” Students score each criterion (met/not yet) and write evidence using class notes or observations (e.g., durability expectations, material choice, waste generated during finishing).

6. 50–57 min · Peer evidence share (2 stars & a wish). Teacher pairs students for structured feedback focused on sustainability justification, not just appearance. Students give two positive sustainability links and one improvement suggestion tied to a criterion.

7. 57–60 min · Exit ticket (iteration decision). Teacher collects an exit ticket: “One refinement I will do next time” and “Which sustainability criterion it addresses and why.” Students submit the short response before leaving.

Resources

• student esky prototypes (near-finished stage, with sanding completed or partially completed)
• sanding materials (assorted grades), tack cloths/wipes, and scrap paper for texture testing
• paint/finish supplies chosen earlier (e.g., water-based paint, varnish, plant-based/low-toxicity finish if available)
• brushes/rollers, trays, masking tape, drop sheets
• PPE: safety glasses, gloves as required, and dust masks for sanding (where needed)
• bins and labelled waste containers (general waste, recyclable waste, paint/solvent-contaminated waste per school procedure)
• paper-based criteria reflection sheet and pen/pencil
• timer, demo model, and cleaning materials for benches

Assessment

• Formative: teacher observes safe finishing practices (PPE use, controlled sanding, correct tool handling) during steps 3–4.
• Formative: criteria check (step 5) to see whether students can justify finish choices using sustainability-focused design criteria.
• Summative-in-lesson: peer feedback quality (step 6) and exit ticket (step 7) showing a specific, criterion-linked iteration.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters for sustainability justification (e.g., “I chose this finish because…”, “A sustainability impact is…”, “Next time I will…”).
• Support: give a simplified criteria table with icons (materials, process, durability, disposal) for students who need structure.
• Extension: ask students to propose an alternative finish that could reduce one sustainability impact (e.g., improved recyclability or lower waste) and explain the trade-off.
• Language support: allow bilingual glossaries for common terms (finish, durability, waste, life cycle) and encourage use of visuals (icons) alongside written explanations.

Notes for teacher delivery (quick alignment to curriculum)

• Students finish using selected technologies and apply safety procedures, then evaluate and justify outcomes using sustainability-inclusive design criteria.
• Reflection emphasises modifying plans when needed based on evidence and criteria, supporting independent design evaluation as required by the curriculum progression.