Technology Changes Places

Overview

Unit: Designing Solutions for Our World (Lesson 6 of 10)
Year level: Years 0-1 (Ages 5-6)
Duration: 30 minutes
Class size: 10 students
Curriculum: New Zealand Curriculum Refresh – Technology Learning Area, Phase 1 (years 0-3)
Focus: Students will compare natural and built environments and create a mini model of a playground or park, illustrating how technology changes places and affects earth features.

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Curriculum Links

Technology learning area:

• Technological Practice

  • Plan and develop ideas to make simple products or digital outcomes that reflect their understanding of the relationship between a product or system and its environment (TKI: Technology years 0-3).

• Technological Knowledge

  • Understand how the natural environment and technological environments differ, and identify how technology changes places and environments.

• Key Competencies

  • Thinking: Select and use steps and resources to create a model.
  • Participating and Contributing: Work cooperatively with peers in shared tasks.
  • Relating to Others: Discuss similarities and differences between environments with respect.
  • Using Language, Symbols and Texts: Use visual language to represent ideas about environments.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this 30-minute lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify and compare natural and built environments within their community or familiar places.
2. Describe how technology (tools, buildings, playgrounds) changes or shapes these environments.
3. Create a simple, tangible model of a playground or park that shows these changes and includes natural features (like trees, grass) and built features (like slides, benches).
4. Work collaboratively to share ideas and interpret how environments can be changed through design and technology.

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Resources Needed

• Large sheet of cardboard or paper to act as base for the model
• Natural materials: small sticks, leaves, stones, grass or green paper
• Building materials: blocks, recycled cardboard pieces, coloured paper, glue, scissors, tape
• Pictures of local natural parks and playgrounds (photos or printed images)
• Labels or small cards for added textures (optional)
• Whiteboard and markers

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Lesson Flow & Timing

1. Introduction and Setting the Context (5 minutes)

• Gather students in a circle. Show two pictures/images: one of a natural environment (like a forest or park) and one of a built environment (playground with slides, benches).
• Discuss the difference between natural and built environments briefly in simple terms.
• Ask questions: “What do you see in this picture? What do people build in parks? How does this change the place?”
• Connect this to the idea that technology helps us create new places for us to play and enjoy, changing how the environment looks.

2. Demonstration and Exploration (5 minutes)

• Show the materials for making the model playground or park.
• Discuss how natural features (trees, grass, rocks) and built features (slides, swings, benches) can work together.
• Briefly model adding a natural feature and a built feature to the base cardboard to show how they can combine.

3. Creating the Model (15 minutes)

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups (2-3 students).
• Each group will create their mini model of a playground or park using the materials—combining natural and built features.
• Circulate to prompt and support, asking guiding questions such as:
  • “Which parts of the playground are natural? Which parts are built?”
  • “How does adding the slide change the playground?”
  • “What else can you add to make it look like a fun place to play?”
• Encourage sharing and collaboration while students build.

4. Sharing and Reflecting (5 minutes)

• Each group presents their model to the class, naming at least one natural feature and one built feature.
• Ask students to explain how the playground or park has changed because of the built features (technology).
• Conclude by emphasising how people can use technology to change places to make them fun and safe.
• Reinforce vocabulary: natural environment, built environment, technology, model.

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Assessment (Informal, during lesson)

• Observation: Teacher notes students' ability to identify natural vs built features and to explain how technology changes places.
• Anecdotal Notes: Listen for appropriate use of technological and environmental vocabulary and cooperative behaviours during the group task.
• Product: Completed mini model demonstrating inclusion of both natural and built features.

Assessment focus: Progression toward understanding the relationship between technology and environments, collaboration skills, and creativity in representing ideas.

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Differentiation and Inclusive Practice

• Support: Provide additional adult or peer support for fine motor skills with model making.
• Use clear and simple language, visual prompts, and oral scaffolding to support understanding.
• Provide multiple ways for students to express ideas (verbal sharing, pointing, or drawing).
• Ensure materials are safe and manageable for young children.

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Teacher Reflection and Next Steps

• Reflect on students’ engagement with distinguishing natural vs built environments.
• Note vocabulary acquisition and students’ ability to communicate ideas about technology’s effect on spaces.
• Use knowledge gained to reinforce the concepts in future lessons (e.g., in Lesson 7: "Technology Helps People", focusing more on purpose of built environments).

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Curriculum References

• Technology strand (The New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, Technology):
  • Technological Practice: Outcome – Plan and develop ideas, make simple products reflecting environment relationship.
  • Technological Knowledge: Understand natural vs technological environments, and impact of technology on environments.
• Key Competencies for holistic development: Thinking, Relating to Others, Participating and Contributing, Using Language and Symbols.
• Phase 1 guidance contextualised for years 0-3 students (New Zealand Curriculum Refresh) .

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This lesson plan showcases a hands-on, collaborative approach to introducing young learners to the concept that technology changes places and environments, integrating earth features with built environments through creative modelling. It is specifically designed to be age-appropriate, engaging, and closely aligned to the refreshed NZ Curriculum for Technology for years 0-1, delivering multiple opportunities for active learning within a 30-minute timeframe.