Testing Our Designs

Year Level

Year 1 (5-6 year olds)

Duration

30 minutes

Unit

Designing Safe Boats (Lesson 6 of 9)

---

Learning Focus

Curriculum Links

Technology Learning Area

• Technological Practice: Undertaking brief planning and development to create and test simple prototypes.
• Technological Knowledge: Understanding how characteristics of materials affect their suitability and functionality in products.
• Technological Management: Using observational skills to inform design improvements.

Achievement Objectives (New Zealand Curriculum Refresh)

• Explore how products work and how materials contribute to their performance.
• Use simple investigative methods to test prototypes.
• Recognise that choices in materials affect the success of a technological outcome, especially relating to safety and flotation.
• Develop skills in making careful observations and communicating what is noticed.

Key Competencies

• Thinking: Understanding cause and effect in product design and testing.
• Using language, symbols, and texts: Describing observations about prototypes clearly.
• Participating and contributing: Working cooperatively during prototype testing activities.

---

Learning Intentions

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

• Test their boat prototypes in a controlled water environment.
• Observe and describe which boats float and which do not.
• Identify how the choice of materials influences whether a boat floats.
• Develop preliminary understanding about safe design through exploration and testing.

---

Lesson Overview

Time	Activity	Description
5 min	Introduction and Recap	Recap previous lessons about designing boats and materials used. Emphasise the importance of safe, floating designs. Introduce the day's focus on testing.
15 min	Prototype Testing Activity	Students test their boat prototypes in small groups in a controlled water tray or basin. Guided teacher questioning will encourage observation: Which float? Why? Which do not? Why?
5 min	Group Discussion	Discuss findings as a class. Highlight material choice impact on flotation and safety.
5 min	Reflection and Recording	Students draw or verbally share what they noticed. Teacher scaffolds vocabulary such as "float," "sink," "safe," and names of materials.

---

Detailed Teaching & Learning Activities

1. Introduction and Recap (5 min)

• Gather students on the mat and briefly review the unit so far: “We have designed and built boats. Today, we will see if our boats can float!”
• Show examples: “Look here at our different materials – which do you think will float and why?”
• Explain: “We will test our boats in water carefully and see what happens.”

2. Prototype Testing Activity (15 min)

• Organise students in groups of 3, each group with a water tray filled partly with water.
• Invite each student to place their boat prototype in the water.
• Encourage close observation and discussion with prompts, such as:
• “Does your boat float or sink?”
• “What do you notice about the boat that floats? How is the material different from one that sinks?”
• “Why might some materials be better for boats that need to float and be safe?”
• Teacher circulates, guiding observation and supporting vocabulary development.

3. Group Discussion (5 min)

• Regroup on the mat and share key discoveries from each group.
• Prompt students to articulate simple explanations, e.g., “Wood floats because it is light,” or “My boat sank because it was made from metal.”
• Link to safety: “A boat that sinks is not safe for carrying people.”

4. Reflection and Recording (5 min)

• Invite students to draw or verbally describe the results.
• Use sentence starters: “My boat _____ floats / sinks because _____.”
• Capture observations on a class chart for future reference in the unit.

---

Assessment Opportunities

• Observational Assessment: Listen to students' oral reflections and explanations about why some boats float and others sink.
• Product Assessment: Evaluate how students test their prototypes thoughtfully with safety and material suitability in mind.
• Communication: Gather drawings or verbal responses to see understanding of flotation and material choice.

---

Resources Needed

• Small water trays or basins (one per 3 students)
• Boat prototypes previously made by students (various materials like cardboard, plastic, wood, foil)
• Towels or mats for water spills
• Chart paper and markers for recording group observations
• Visual aids showing properties of materials (optional)

---

Teacher Tips

• Keep explanations simple and concrete; use hands-on examples.
• Foster curiosity by asking open-ended questions.
• Ensure safety near water, monitoring behavior closely.
• Reinforce relevant vocabulary consistently throughout the lesson.
• Use positive reinforcement to encourage reflection and sharing.

---

The lesson is designed to build foundational technological understanding about the relationship between materials and product performance, in alignment with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh Technology learning area for early years, including the development of observation, communication, and teamwork skills, all within the context of designing for safety and function.

This approach aligns with key strands of the Technology curriculum: Technological Practice, Technological Knowledge, and Technological Nature of Technology, nurturing young students to become confident and curious technology users and creators.