A Toy Story Unit Plan

Unit Name
A Toy Story
Key Learning Area
Technologies / Science /
Humanities and Social Sciences
Year Level
Duration
3 weeks
Rationale: This Unit of Work combines Technologies, Science and Humanities and Social Sciences. Students will design and create their own
moving toy applying their knowledge of force and motion (push and pull). Lesson plans, samples and resources are available on the A Toy Story
Weebly site.
Identify Curriculum Content descriptors
Strand
Sub-strand
Technologies
Design and Technologies

Knowledge and
Understanding
Explore how technologies use forces to create movement in products (ACTDEK002)

Process and Production
Generate, develop and record design ideas through describing, drawing and
modelling (ACTDEP006)

Process and Production
Use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed
solutions (ACTDEP007)
Physical Sciences
A push or a pull affects how an object moves or changes shape (ACSSU033)
History
How changing technology affected peoples lives (at home and in the ways they worked,
travelled, communicated and played in the past) (ACHASSK046)
Science
Humanities and
Social Sciences
General Capabilities
Personal and Social
Content descriptor
Make decisions - identify factors that influence decision making and consider the
usefulness of these in making their own decisions
Cross Cultural
Capabilities
Critical and Creative

Thinking
Identify and clarify information and ideas - identify and clarify relevant information and
prioritise ideas
Critical and Creative

Thinking
Organise and process information - analyse, condense and combine relevant information
from multiple sources
Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Histories
and Cultures
Students will have opportunities to learn that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
have longstanding scientific knowledge traditions and developed knowledge about the world
by:
Science
observation, using all the senses

prediction and hypothesis
Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Histories
and Cultures
Technologies
testing (trial and error)
Students will identify the interconnectedness between technologies and Identity, People,
Culture and Country/Place. They will explore, understand and analyse how this intrinsic link
guides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in sustaining environments, histories,
cultures and identities through / by creating appropriate and sustainable solutions.
Teaching and Learning Sequence

Lesson 1
Engage students in this unit.
Moving Toys
Provide a purpose toys for kids in hospital

Investigate toys look at actual toys, images of toys.
Discuss how they move and sort into a table according to how they move.
Send Parent Letter home requesting resources
Assessment
Diagnostic Assessment
Group discussions
Moving Toys table
Lesson 2
Science push and pull
Formative Assessment
Just a Push or
Pull
Discuss the meaning of force
Finish with YouTube clip A Push Or A Pull by Peter Weatherall
Monitor understanding
of how a push or pull
affects how objects
move
Venn Diagrams
Arrow placement
Lesson 3
Introduce the Design Brief and form groups
Toy Designers
Discuss how we will approach the task. (Design, Make, Appraise)
Technology Journals
Group participation
Show You Tube clip Gravity, Force and Work Discuss.

Create Venn Diagram from 2 hoops, sort toys into push, pull, both
Use Arrows to show the direction of a force.
Begin research. In groups discuss what ideas they already have.

Model, then in group assessing how toys move
Using images and websites A Toy Story Webmix
Discuss differences between toys from the past and present. Analyse toys for purpose and design.
Look at indigenous toys - Bush Toys A Living History
Lesson 4
I Have Skills
Students will draw annotated drawings of their designs.

Show samples A Toy Story Weebly site - Skills
Discussion and demonstration of skills.
Designs
Questioning
If needed show ideas on how to attach wheels A Toy Story Weebly site - Skills
Begin distribution of materials and making of toys.
Lesson 5
Building/Making/Appriasing
Toy Makers
Teacher carries out Assessment

Students complete Self/Peer Assessments
Formative/Summative
Assessment
Checklist
Self/Peer Assessments
Lesson 6
Arrange a visit to the Hospital to deliver the toys.

If this is not deemed possible, have some from Drovers (hospital volunteers group) come top
school to collect the toys.
Resources
A Toy Story Weebly site http://whytemobtoo.weebly.com/

A Toy Story Webmix https://www.symbaloo.com/shared/AAAAB8Vvqu4AA42ARphn3w==
Book - Bush Toys A Living History
Notes DMA
Design, Make, Appraise

1. Research and plan our moving toys
We will look at what happens when you push/pull a toy (e.g. the wheels move, it slides
across something)
We will look at some other toys on the
A Toy Story Webmix - (Resources) and discuss.
We will draw plans/designs
We will think about what materials are available/what we need
(Appraise) Does our design meet the criteria? Will it work?
2. Make
We will look at skills/techniques we might need to learn to complete our toys
Learn skills
Make our toys
3. Appraise
Does our toy move as planned?
What problems are there? (parts falling off, not working as planned)
Does it meet the criteria?
4. Make adjustments
Notes Assessment
Questioning for Assessment

(use ideas from Fleer and Jane (2011) p 122)
How do you know if your design will work/is safe?

Can you give and example?
Is there another way to do that?
What are your reasons for saying that?
Which part of your design makes it move?
What might happen if you did thisnot that?
What might you do to make that stronger?
How did your ideas differ from?
How did you decide whose idea to use?
Assessment Checklist
A Toy Story Weebly site Technology Assessment
Self/Peer Assessment
A Toy Story Weebly site Technology Assessment
Evaluation
Ask the following questions.

Was the content suitable for the age group?
Was there enough variety in the presentation?
Was the presentation of the unit easy for students to understand?
Were instructions clear?
Did the progression of activities lead students to successfully meet the design brief?
Did students actively participate in this unit?
What were the strengths of this unit?
Were there skills that I need to develop to improve my teaching of this unit?

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Unit Name

Key Learning Area

Identify Curriculum Content descriptors

Design and Technologies

Explore how technologies use forces to create movement in products (ACTDEK002)

Design and Technologies

Design and Technologies

A push or a pull affects how an object moves or changes shape (ACSSU033)

Personal and Social

usefulness of these in making their own decisions

Critical and Creative

Critical and Creative

Aboriginal and Torres

observation, using all the senses

Aboriginal and Torres

testing (trial and error)

Teaching and Learning Sequence

Engage students in this unit.

Provide a purpose toys for kids in hospital

Science push and pull

Discuss the meaning of force

Finish with YouTube clip A Push Or A Pull by Peter Weatherall

Introduce the Design Brief and form groups

Discuss how we will approach the task. (Design, Make, Appraise)

Show You Tube clip Gravity, Force and Work Discuss.

Begin research. In groups discuss what ideas they already have.

Students will draw annotated drawings of their designs.

Teacher carries out Assessment

Arrange a visit to the Hospital to deliver the toys.

A Toy Story Weebly site http://whytemobtoo.weebly.com/

Design, Make, Appraise

Questioning for Assessment

How do you know if your design will work/is safe?

Ask the following questions.

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