Teacher Information

This PBL unit is designed for Year 3 students (suitable for Stage 2).

Curriculum Connections

  • Curriculum: Australian Curriculum Version 9.0

  • Learning Area: Technologies

  • Subject: Design and Technologies

  • Context: Food and Fibre Production & Food Specialisations

Sub-Strands Used

  • Knowledge and Understanding

  • Process and Production Skills

    • Investigating and Defining

    • Generating and Designing

    • Producing and Implementing

Content Descriptors Used

Knowledge and Understanding

ACTDEK012: Investigate food and fibre production used in modern and traditional societies.

Students learn about traditional gardening methods as well as how gardens are used to produce food locally and sustainably. They take into account the sources of their food, the requirements for plant growth, and the effects of various environments on output.

Processes and Production Skills

ACTDEP015: Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques

Students study various gardening techniques, look at the equipment and supplies used to grow food, and think about how they can create solutions that address practical needs (e.g., a small-space garden).

ACTDEP018: Plan a sequence of production steps when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively.

Students sketch garden designs and label the kinds of plants, materials, and arrangement. To communicate their design to others, they create models using digital tools, paper, or craft supplies.

ACTDEP016: Select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and use safe work practices to make designed solutions

Students apply safe practices and teamwork while building garden prototypes or planting small garden beds using basic tools and equipment (such as trowels, watering cans, and scissors).

Educational Theory Connections

  • Bloom’s Taxonomy:
    Students move through Remembering (identifying what plants need), Understanding (why local food production matters), and Applying (designing and building a garden) to Creating (developing and presenting their solution).

  • Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD):
    Scaffolding is provided through templates, planning sheets, peer discussion, and teacher guidance to help students move from supported to independent learning.

  • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences:

    • Naturalistic – exploring gardens and plant needs

    • Spatial – designing garden layouts

    • Linguistic – communicating ideas in writing or video

    • Interpersonal – teamwork and discussion

    • Kinesthetic – hands-on building and planting

Learning Scaffolding and Progression

Activity 1: Examination—Students learn about local gardening requirements and tools, as well as the production of food and fibre. Worksheets, videos, and questions guide them.

Activity 2: Design—Students plan their garden using structured templates and brainstorming exercises. Teachers use design criteria and visuals to scaffold ideas.

Activity 3: Construct—with assistance from the teacher, students carry out their plan by selecting resources and utilising tools. Their work is guided by peer collaboration and self-assessment tools.

Differentiation and Inclusivity

  • We use videos and visual aids to cater to a variety of learners.

  • Group projects promote cooperative problem-solving and peer learning.

  • The various submission formats (video or poster) accommodate different learning styles and strengths.

  • You can alter the task's complexity, for instance, by simplifying the design requirements or providing pre-made layout templates to students who need help.

Assessment Type and Work Samples

  • Assessment Type:
    This unit uses a formative approach throughout (peer and teacher feedback), with a summative assessment at the end (submission of final design + pitch or poster).

  • Summative Product:

    • Garden design drawing

    • Short pitch (video or poster) explaining the idea