~ Art, functionality, math and design~
An Integrated Unit
Quality Teaching Framework
considerations
 Stage 3 outcomes within the Sci & Tech,
maths, HSIE and English KLAs
 Gifted and Talented considerations
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Quality Teaching Framework
 Quality Learning Environment
○ High expectations of participation, process and product.
○ Positive relationships and social support is developed through
small group activities, focus on positive dialogue and assigned
group roles.
○ Students are strongly engaged with a range of multimedia
presentations, small group focus and hands on materials.
 Intellectual Quality
○ Active construction of knowledge through varied KLA approach
and a hands on building activity
○ High order thinking encouraged and supported through
evaluation and analysis
○ A focus on the metalanguage of engineering, specifically for
bridge building
 Significance
○ Pretesting to utilise and base from prior knowledge
○ Look for contexts outside the classroom; locally and globally
Outcomes - English
 TS3.2 Interacts productively and with
autonomy in pairs and groups of various
sizes and composition, uses effective oral
presentation skills and strategies and listens
attentively
 WS3.9 Produces a wide range of wellstructured and well-presented literary and
factual texts for a wide variety of purposes
and audiences using increasingly
challenging topics, ideas, issues and written
language features
Outcomes - mathematics
Maths
 MS3.1 Selects and uses the appropriate unit and device to measure
lengths, distances and perimeters.
 SG31.1 Identifies three-dimensional objects, including particular prisms
and pyramids, on the basis of their properties, and visualises, sketches
and constructs them given drawings of different views.
 SGS3.2a Manipulates, classifies and draws two-dimensional shapes
and describes side and angle properties.
 WMS3.2 Selects and applies appropriate problem-solving strategies,
including technological applications, in undertaking investigations.
 WMS3.3 Describes and represents a mathematical situation in a variety
of ways using mathematical terminology and some conventions.
 WMS3.4 Gives a valid reason for supporting one possible solution over
another.
 WMS3.5 Links mathematical ideas and makes connections with, and
generalisations about, existing knowledge and understanding in
relation to Stage 3 content.
Outcomes – HSIE & Sci & Tech
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CCS3.1 Explains the significance of particular
people, groups, places, actions and events in the
past in developing Australian identities and heritage.
BES3.1 Creates and evaluates built environments,
demonstrating consideration of sustainability and
aesthetic, cultural, safety and functional issues
PSS3.5 Creates and evaluates products and
services, demonstrating consideration of
sustainability, aesthetic, cultural, safety and
functional issues.
DMS3.8 Develops and resolves a design task by
planning, implementing managing and evaluating
design processes.
Outcomes - PDHPE
COS3.1 Communicates confidently in a
variety of situations.
 INS3.3 Acts in ways that enhance the
contribution of self and others in a range of
cooperative situations.
 PSS3.5 Suggests, considers and selects
appropriate alternatives when resolving
problems.
 IRS3.11 Describes roles and
responsibilities in developing and
maintaining positive relationships.
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Outcomes – Creative Arts
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Visual arts
 VAS3.1 Investigates subject matter in an
attempt to represent likenesses of things in
the world.
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Drama
 DRAS3.2 Interprets and conveys dramatic
meaning by using the elements of drama
and a range of movement and voice skills in
a variety of drama forms.
 DRAS3.1 Develops a range of in-depth and
sustained roles.
Gifted and Talented
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Based on The Maker Model of Differentiated Curriculum
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prestesting to remove previously mastered material
Learning environment
○ Student centred, open for ideas, mobile use of grouping (across
classes), encourages independence and initiative
Content modification
○ Abstractness (forces lab, and into model)
○ variety
○ study of people
Process modification
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Higher levels of thinking – Blooms Questioning
Group interaction
Variety of learning styles
debriefing
Product modification
○ Transformations
○ Appropriate evaluation
Bridges
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Lesson 1 – English – mind map, discussion
Lesson 2 – English - comprehension
Lesson 3 – Maths – Venn diagrams
Lesson 4 – Sci & Tech- types of bridges
Lesson 5 – HSIE / English / Drama – famous
bridges and engineers, web quest, hot seating
Lesson 6 – HSIE – Australian bridges and engineers.
Lesson 7 – Sci & Tech - Design
Lesson 8 - Sci & Tech, Visual arts - Build
Lesson 9 – English / Sci & Tech - - Present, analyse
Lesson 10 - Evaluate
Lesson 1 – pretest discussion
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What are bridges for?
What is involved in building a bridge?
What is important about bridges?
What type of bridges are there?
What problems are there when building
bridges?
What are some famous bridges?
What sayings / cliches do you know of that
involve bridges – what do these sayings
mean?
Lesson 1 - activity
Based on the discussion collectively
define and create a mind map for
bridges. Scribe this mind map into
student work books.
 - online mind mapping tool http://www.mindmeister.com/
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Lesson 2 - Comprehension
Early Bridges
In ancient times and among private peoples a log was thrown across a
stream, or two vines or woven fibrous ropes (the upper for a handhold
and the lower for a footwalk) were thrown across to serve as a bridge.
Later, arched structures of stone or brick were used; traces of these,
built from 4000 to 2000BC, have been found in the Mediterranean
region. The Romans built long, arched spans, many of which are still
standing. Bridges built in the middle ages usually rested on crude stone
arches with heavy piers (intermediate supports) that were a great
obstruction to river traffic , and their roadways were often lined with
small shops.
The best known early American design is the New England covered bridge,
since wood was abundant and cheap, and did not demand trained
masons. Colonial American bridge builders were willing to run the risk
of rot or fire in exchange for such savings in time and manpower. By
1779, most bridges began to be built of cast and wrought iron. The
disadvantage of cast iron bridges is its low tensile strength.
Questions
When were bridges first used?
What supports did early bridges use?
What were the advantages of wooden
bridges?
Make a list of technical words used in this
report.
What type of sentence is the first sentence?
What type of sentences are the majority of
the sentences in these paragraphs? Why
do you think this is so?
Lesson 2 continued
Aural comprehension
 Watch the video through the link below
and answer the questions.
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 http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineerin
g/civil/bridge.htm
When did the Brooklyn Bridge open? Why was
it famous?
What special technique was used to build the
Golden Gate Bridge?
Lesson 3 – Venn diagrams
View the pictures of bridges
http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineer
ing/structural/bridge-pictures.htm
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Select two bridges and create a Venn
diagram to highlight the similarities and
differences between them.
Lesson 3 – Venn diagrams
Venn diagrams
Explanation http://www.onlinemathtutor.org/help/math/v
enn-diagrams/
Tutorial
 http://www.onlinemathlearning.com/venndiagram-word-problems.html
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Challenge – use set notation to instruct the
intersection of the sets to be shaded.
Lesson 4 – types of bridges
Investigate types of bridges.
 Look through Bridge Basics,
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/brid
ge/basics.html,
 Sketch and list essential measurements
of each type of bridge.
 Try the Craggy Rock Bridge challenge at
home.
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Lesson 5 – Famous bridges and
engineers
Complete the web quest (either as a class
group or in pairs) below looking specifically
at the Wonders of the World& Forces Lab
 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge
/index.html
 Video a ‘hot seating’ interview where
students volunteer to act as one of the
famous engineers and another student
interviews them about their
accomplishments. For an additional
challenge the component of ‘double figures’
can be integrated.
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Lesson 6 - Australia
Read the article and collect some
statistics and facts.
 http://www.sydneyharbourbridge.info
 Use these answers to create a numbers
crossword.
 Discussion question: How does the
Sydney Harbour Bridge represent
Australian culture?
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Lesson 7 - design
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Brief: construct a bridge using the materials
provided.
 Choose a bridge design that would suit a wide
river, the area has heavy rain through the year.
 Council would like to have the lowest cost
possible.
 It also needs to be strong, easy for cars to
cross.
 It should be able to withstand natural disasters
common to this area (floods, earthquake and
strong winds).
Lesson 7 - Design
Make at least 3 sketches of bridge
designs that could suit the brief.
 Choose one and list next to it reasons
why this design was chosen.
 Make a bigger sketch of the chosen
design, label to show what materials
would be used.
 Create a well presented document /
page that states the design features of
this bridge (eg strong due to....)
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Lesson 8 - Build
Use the materials provided to construct your chosen
design.
 Assign roles to your group to ensure that all group
members are involved and are positive contributors to the
team.
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 Project manager – keeps the group on task and on time,
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acknowledges good work from team
Architect – draws the designs
Foreman – in charge of the construction
Researcher – uses various sources to find out about which
designs and materials would best suit. This person will also be in
charge of creating the design features summary.
Builder – assists the foreman and architect in construction.
Presenter – this person helps where needed during the session
but is also responsible for reporting back to the class about the
groups final product and process.
Lesson 9 – Share, analyse
Groups move their construction to span the
space between two desks. Using model
cars the bridges are tested for ease of
access, strength and ability to withstand
natural disaster (wind, earthquake).
 Record findings on a class table. Copy
findings into books.
 Groups comment on their construction’s
results – eg “so strong because design /
materials”
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Lesson 9 – Share, analyse
Group
Bridge
design
()
Ease of
access
(poor,
good,
excellent)
Strength
(number of
weights
able to
hold)
1
2
3
4
5
6
What could have improved these constructions?
Natural
disaster
resistance
(poor,
good,
excellent)
Lesson 10 - evaluation
Discussion based on the questions below.
Which bridges were more successful?
Would these bridges be equally as
successful in different conditions (eg a
bridge over a road, in swamp land)?
 Would these bridges be costly to build?
 In a different colour add to your initial mind
map on bridges.
 Where to next? Is there anything else that
you would like to learn about bridges? How
could you discover this information?
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Teacher observational notes
Unit / lessons
Students
Teacher Evaluation notes