Reflection and Feedback

Lesson Overview

In this 30-minute session for Year 1 students, learners will reflect on their "Designing Safe Boats" project, providing and receiving feedback on their peers’ boat designs. The session encourages speaking, listening, and thinking skills aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh for Technology. The class will discuss the materials they used, what worked well, and what they might change next time to improve safety and design.

Curriculum Alignment

• Technology Learning Area:

• Strand: Technological Practice and Technological Knowledge

• Level: Level 1 (Year 1)

• Achievement Objective:

• Use their growing knowledge of materials to develop ideas and make simple outcomes

• Explore simple design ideas and communicate them with others

• Discuss and reflect on their design ideas and solutions

• Key Competencies:

• Thinking — students reflect on their own learning and design process.

• Using language, symbols, and texts — communicate feedback clearly and listen respectfully.

• Relating to others — give and receive feedback kindly and constructively.

• Values:

• Respect — respecting peers’ ideas and efforts.

• Innovation, inquiry, and curiosity — exploring how designs can be improved.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Give clear, simple feedback about their own and peers’ boat designs.
• Identify one thing they liked about a boat and one thing they would improve.
• Use appropriate language to express their thoughts and listen thoughtfully to others.
• Understand that materials affect how a boat works and its safety.

Resources

• Completed boat designs from previous lessons.
• Feedback sheets with picture prompts (e.g., smiley face for liked feature, a thinking face for something to improve).
• Large space or circle seating for the group discussion.
• Visual chart of feedback sentence starters (e.g., “I like how you…”, “Maybe you could…”).

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Teacher explains the purpose: “Today we are going to share what we learned from making our boats! We will talk about what we liked in our friends' boats and what we might make better next time.”
• Briefly recap key ideas about materials and safety learned during the unit: soft, strong, waterproof materials, shapes that float well, and safe design features.
• Set clear expectations about respectful listening and kind feedback.

2. Reflection and Feedback Activity (20 minutes)

• Group Reflection: Students sit in a circle. Teacher facilitates taking turns holding a boat or showing it to the class.

• Each student shares:

• One thing they like about their own boat.

• One thing they like about a peer’s boat.

• One thing they think could be better or different.

• Supports for expressing ideas:

• Use feedback sheets with pictures to support expression.

• Display sentence starters for feedback, e.g.,

• “I like how your boat…”

• “You could try using…”

• “My boat is different because…”

• Teacher models giving feedback first to demonstrate language and tone.

• Teacher encourages students to ask questions like: “What material did you use?” “Why do you think your boat floats?”

• Peer responses encouraged but kept short and simple given age.

3. Group Discussion and Consolidation (5 minutes)

• Teacher leads a class discussion linking reflections to materials and design concepts.
• Questions to guide discussion:
• “What materials made the boats float well?”
• “What did we learn about what makes a safe boat?”
• “How can you use this learning next time you make something?”
• Summarise key points to reinforce learning and encourage curiosity.

Assessment and Reflection

• Formative Assessment: Observe and note students’ verbal feedback and listening skills.
• Use feedback sheets to note students’ ability to identify likes and possible improvements.
• Encourage self-reflection: students say one thing they learned about designing safe boats.
• Teacher records any misconceptions about materials or design mentioned to inform reteaching.

Teaching Notes

• Keep language simple and encourage positive, constructive feedback.
• Use visual prompts and sentence starters to support all learners, including ELL and those needing additional support.
• Maintain a warm, supportive environment to build confidence in sharing ideas and opinions.
• Encourage student agency by allowing choice whom to comment on or what to say based on their comfort.

This lesson closely follows the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh by fostering technological practice through reflection and communication, encouraging key competencies, and strengthening values such as respect and curiosity. It integrates assessment for learning with peer feedback, supporting progression in understanding safe design and material use at Year 1 level.