Sustainable Design Choices

Overview

This is lesson 5 in the “Design, Make, Innovate: Year 3” unit. Students investigate what sustainability means in everyday life and connect it to design choices they will use in future making tasks.

Learning intentions

• WALT understand what “sustainable practices” means in design and technology.
• WALT identify ways a designed product can use resources wisely (less waste, repairable, reusable).
• WALT discuss how designers and communities can protect or restore ecosystems.
• WALT practise explaining a design choice using evidence from an example.

Success criteria

• I can describe sustainability using my own words (e.g., “making choices that help the environment and people over time”).
• I can name at least two sustainable practices (such as reusing materials, reducing waste, conserving water/energy).
• I can give a reason for a design choice (because it reduces waste / lasts longer / uses less).
• I can listen to others’ ideas and respectfully add improvements.

Curriculum links

• Technology (Designing and Developing Digital/Non-digital Solutions): Investigate the needs of people and communities and develop ideas by considering sustainability.
• Technology (Using Materials and Tools / Technological Knowledge): Use suitable materials and explain choices, considering impact on people and the environment.
• Key Competency — Thinking: Gather and interpret information about sustainable options and explain reasoning.
• Key Competency — Participating and Contributing: Work respectfully in groups to share observations and solutions.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook (visual prompts). Teacher shows 3 large-slide images: a reusable drink bottle, a repaired item (not thrown away), and litter/waste near a waterway; students do quick “thumbs” responses to “Is this sustainable?” and tell a partner one reason.

2. 4–10 min · Mini-teach (sustainable practices). Teacher uses a simple slide: “Sustainable = good now and later,” then models 3 ideas with examples:

• Reduce waste (make less rubbish)
• Reuse/repair (keep items working longer)
• Use resources wisely (save water/energy; choose materials that last) Students add one new word to their science/tech “toolbox” (e.g., reuse, reduce, repair) and repeat a teacher sentence frame: “A sustainable design helps by…”

3. 10–20 min · Investigate (sustainability sorting). Teacher places printed cards around the room (or on tables) showing design actions: “uses scrap materials,” “has parts you can replace,” “single-use only,” “needs little electricity,” “made to last,” “hard to fix.” Students in mixed year groups sort cards into two columns on a shared sheet: “Sustainable choices” and “Not sustainable / needs improvement.” Year 2 support: they choose from sentence starters: “I think it is sustainable because…” or “It needs improvement because…”. Year 3 challenge: they add an “eco reason” (e.g., “less landfill,” “protects waterways,” “saves energy”).

4. 20–27 min · Group discussion (design explanation). Teacher leads a short whole-class discussion using one example product shown on slides (teacher choice—e.g., a lunchbox design idea, a reusable bag, or a school water bottle station). Each group shares one sorted card and completes the reasoning sentence: “Designers could make it more sustainable by ___, because ___.” Teacher records 2–3 student examples as class “Sustainable Design Rules.”

5. 27–30 min · Exit ticket (quick evidence check). Students complete a 2-question exit ticket (on one sheet):

• Draw one sustainable practice you noticed today (with a short label).
• Write one reason: “I would choose this because it helps…”

Resources

• Large-slide deck with big text and clear visuals (3–5 slides for the hook, 5–6 for mini-teach, 2–3 for examples)
• Printed card sets (10–15 action cards) for sorting
• Two-column sorting sheet (Sustainable choices / Not sustainable or needs improvement)
• Sentence starters for support (e.g., “because it…” “it would reduce…”)
• Example product images on slides (non-branded, school-appropriate)
• Exit ticket sheets and pencils
• Timer visible to class
• Group roles cards (e.g., “Reader,” “Sorter,” “Checker,” “Presenter”)

Assessment

• Teacher observation during sorting: listens for correct use of sustainability language and reasons that link to impacts (waste, repair, resources).
• Formative check in group discussion: students can explain “because” reasoning, not just label items as sustainable.
• Exit ticket review: looks for at least two sustainable practices and a clear reason tied to the environment or waste.

Differentiation

• Support for lower Year 2 students:
• Provide colour-coded cards (green = sustainable idea, yellow = needs improvement).
• Use sentence starters and word bank visuals on the sorting sheet.
• Assign a role that limits writing (e.g., “Sorter” or “Presenter” with a rehearsed sentence).
• Challenge for higher Year 3 students:
• Ask for an “improvement version” of a non-sustainable card (e.g., “How could it be redesigned?”).
• Prompt eco-impact language: “How might this affect waste, water, or energy?”
• Mixed grouping:
• Pair a Year 3 “reasoner” with a Year 2 “illustrator/sorter” so both contribute.
• EAL/SEN:
• Use pictures first, then single-word additions to the toolbox.
• Allow oral responses that the teacher or peer records on the group sheet.

Alignment note for teaching style

• Use Russell Bishop-informed talk: keep tasks dialogic, circulate with prompts (“What makes you think that?” “What evidence do you see?”), and ensure students justify choices with shared language and visuals.