There's gold out there!
Stage 3
Purpose and focus
To create a model representation of a gold mining town that takes into account
the materials used, building methods and limitations of building, transport and
facilities of that era (1850’s, Australia)
Notes
This unit provides opportunities for students to research the products and
services to assist them to determine the types of buildings to provide what is
needed by gold miners of that era in a mining community.
The unit is designed for 6-8 weeks.
Tasks
To design and make a model as a representation of a gold
mining town taking into account the materials used to build
structures and the building methods of that time.
Identifying needs and wants (finds out what are the requirements of users,
develop criteria and find out what is currently available)
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Students explore the types of buildings used during the gold rush period in
Australia.
Brainstorm the limitations of the period that would also impact on building
and provision of services e.g. transport, isolation, climatic conditions, need
to use on-site materials and the expertise of builders.
Research information about the materials that would have been available
to builders at the time. (It may be necessary to identify a particular region)
Students research the types of products and services that would be
needed by gold mining communities to determine what
buildings/structures needed.
Identify the services not available in this era, e.g. electricity, refrigeration,
potable water.
As a class develop a list of requirements that will determine the agreed
criteria to be used to judge the success of the designs.
K-6 SciTech
Campbelltown East and Curriculum K-12 Directorate
NSW Department of Education and Training
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Generating and selecting ideas (explore and refine options and decide upon a
design option)
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Class work in small groups and use all the information they have found to
develop their designs and model.
Each group brainstorms and lists the key products and services thought to
be needed by a gold mining community.
Groups also researches the types of building materials available to
builders, and the building methods of that time.
Each group reports their findings to class and discuss the points/issues
identified.
Each group nominates a specific building they will design and take
responsibility for the design and final model.
As a class design a gold mining town, taking into account positioning of
the buildings to be developed, eg tents, most towns grew around one
street and were not designed by town planners.
Groups undertake research from a range of sources including pictures of
their type of building.
They draw/sketch and label their design ideas from different perspectives.
The group make their final design of what they want their building to look
like and write a brief report on the materials and building methods they will
use to construct the structure.
Using resources to create products, systems and environments (choose
resources and equipment to plan and produce the design)
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Revisit the criteria set in the earlier step and remind students that their
design and model will be judged on how well it meets these features.
Discuss tool and techniques to be used and safety issues.
Groups check their design against the criteria before beginning the
construction phase.
Each group to collect materials and tools needed to create their structures.
Using these they then build using methods previously chosen.
Finished buildings to be placed on display in the layout designed by class.
Each building to be labelled as to its function, building method and
materials used.
Evaluating products and processes (evaluate success of the design against
criteria and consider effectiveness of the process)
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Each group presents their design to the class explaining how it meets the
criteria.
Class provide feedback on the designs in terms of the criteria.
As a class reflect on the design of the town and discuss whether it meets
the need of a gold mining community.
Evaluation of building methods. - what worked and what didn’t?, how can
K-6 SciTech
Campbelltown East and Curriculum K-12 Directorate
NSW Department of Education and Training
Page 2 of 6
we change what didn’t work? How method were adapted to suit the
purpose.
Where to next? Students could modify their designs and rebuild or modify their
models to better meet the criteria
Assessment Items
Evidence of research about products and services, buildings, building
materials and building methods of that time.
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Show evidence of research, eg notes, diagrams, references
Provide an explanation of building methods and materials used of that
time.
Explain why particular products and services were needed.
Individuals are able to provide evidence of their contribution to the
research.
Presentation of labelled diagrams of design and a report on materials that
were used to the build structure, the methods chosen, and justify their
selection.
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Labelled drawings from different perspectives
Show their understanding of what was available to builders of that time
and the limitations placed upon them.
Provide justification for selection of materials.
Explains building methods
Group presentation of model
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Explanation of how the design meets the criteria
Explanation of materials used (or comparable) to an 1850's gold mining
town.
Outline of methods used to construct the model and how they reflect the
period.
Evaluation of design, materials and method and what changes could be made to
improve the design.
Syllabus Links
Science and Technology
K-6 SciTech
Campbelltown East and Curriculum K-12 Directorate
NSW Department of Education and Training
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Learning process outcomes and big ideas
Designing and Making Strand
DM S3.8 Develops and resolves a design task by planning, implementing,
managing and evaluating design processes.
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Researches needs that influence the development of products, systems
and environments and establishes criteria for the evaluation of produced
designs.
Generates design concepts that reflect the consideration of aesthetic,
cultural, safety and functional requirements.
Methodically evaluates design concepts and uses the results to further
develop and improve ideas.
Produces annotated concept sketches and (freehand) drawings for use by
other people.
Selects tools, equipment and resources to meet the requirements of
production and use.
Using Technology Strand
Stage 3
UT S3.9 Evaluates, selects and uses a range of equipment, computer-based
technology, materials and other resources to meet the requirements and
constraints of investigation and design tasks.
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Evaluates equipment, materials and processes by researching, trialling
and experimenting to ensure that requirements and constraints of
investigation and design tasks are met.
Works independently with equipment and materials, and applies
established procedures for their safe use.
Content strand outcomes and big ideas
Built Environments Strand
Stage 3
BE S3.1 Creates and evaluates built environments demonstrating
consideration of sustainability, aesthetic, cultural, safety and functional
issues.
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Communities create complex environments, e.g. towns and cities, that
address the needs of large numbers of people.
Systems that provide services to communities greatly influence the types
of environments that we build.
K-6 SciTech
Campbelltown East and Curriculum K-12 Directorate
NSW Department of Education and Training
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Specialised skills and techniques are used to build structures, systems
and spaces.
People influence the quality of life into the future through the products,
systems and environments that they design, construct and use.
When designing environments, it is important to consider the aesthetic,
cultural, safety and functional impacts of the development.
Products and Services Strand
Stage 3
PS S3.5 Creates and evaluates products and services, demonstrating
consideration of sustainability, aesthetic, cultural, safety and functional
issues.
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Specialised skills and techniques are used to manufacture products and
provide services.
When designing products and services, it is important to consider the
aesthetic, environmental, cultural, safety and functional impacts of the
development.
Links to other learning areas:
Literacy: writing, listing, reading factual texts, labelling.
Mathematics: Measurement, time, money, space
HSIE: Gold
PHHPE: Working as a team, Social skills
CAPA: Australian art - buildings and landscapes, 3D drawing, sketching
Computers: Research, word processing
Resources
Online
Information on goldmining towns in WA:
www.holiday-wa.net/goldeast.htm
Life on the goldfields:
www.slv.vic.gov.au/slv/exhibitions/goldfields
Australia's settlement & early history:
http://library.trinity.wa.edu.au/subjects/sose/auhist/settle.htm
History of gold:
www.sovereignhill.com.au
K-6 SciTech
Campbelltown East and Curriculum K-12 Directorate
NSW Department of Education and Training
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Life on the goldfields:
www.sbs.com.au/gold/
National Archives-photo search
www.naa.gov.au/The_Collection/photosearch.html
Equipment
Building materials as negotiated by groups: eg bark, sticks, wood, cardboard,
jute, canvas, glue guns, gloves, PVA glue, clay, stones, water.
Photos and drawings depicting gold mining towns and buildings of the 1850s.
Australian artworks
Books with information on buildings of that era, eg Old Gold & Mining Towns of
Australia by John Darbyshire & C.E. Sayers, Rigby.
Other people/places
Excursions to Hill End, Gulgong and Sofala or other gold mining relics and
museums.
*Museum of Sydney.
*Museum of NSW
K-6 SciTech
Campbelltown East and Curriculum K-12 Directorate
NSW Department of Education and Training
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