Learning and assessment focus

Students explore the role of technology in society from a range of perspectives. They use their imagination and creativity to develop design solutions and make design and production decisions that demonstrate consideration of the context, specifications, constraints and management requirements. They understand how information, materials and systems can be combined in innovative ways in response to real-world situations. They understand the importance of matching characteristics of resources to detailed specifications and standards. They investigate the contributions, past and present, of technological processes and products within local, national and global markets. They recognise that technology has a rich history and has developed into a large number of increasingly overlapping fields that provide career opportunities.
Students use the essential processes of Ways of working to develop and demonstrate their Knowledge and understanding. When thinking and working technologically, they individually and collaboratively select tools and implement techniques to manipulate and process, and control and manage, information, materials and/or systems components. They make products to detailed specifications and standards. They analyse the role of technology and its impacts and consequences for people, their environments and their communities in local and global contexts. They reflect on their learning and evaluate the suitability of their own and others’ products and processes and recommend improvements.
Students select and use a range of tools and technologies, including information communication technologies (ICTs). They routinely demonstrate an autonomous and purposeful use of ICTs to inquire, create and communicate within technology contexts.
Students demonstrate evidence of their learning over time in relation to the following assessable elements:
• knowledge and understanding
• investigating and designing
• producing
• evaluating
• reflecting.

Cross curriculum elements

Home economics is not just about cooking and sewing but about using technology and many influences from other subjects. The use of mathematics within Home economics is somewhat influential, as it is used to ensure that techniques and practices are appropriately utilised. Within textiles applications it is used to measure and calculate the amounts of textiles that are required to produce textile items. Mathematics is also utilised during the manufacturing process before the fabric is even constructed to ensure that the properties of the fabric are what is required. English is another key component in any subject. We use English to embed the required information, to evaluate the gathered/learnt information and to express evaluations or ideas. It is my opinion after viewing my mentor teacher deliver her lessons that cross curriculum elements are frequently used to embed the necessary information.

Procedural & Declarative Knowledge

Declarative/know
Textiles is a term applied to natural and man made fibres
There are many items made from textiles not just clothing
Textiles can be utilised for comfort, privacy, warmth, decoration and convenience
Fibre classification, where do they come from
Natural fibres are from two sources; animal and plant
Man-made fibres are classified as; regenerated and synthetic
Know the differences in look and feel of various fibres
What the elements of design are
How these elements affect the process of designing products
The relationships between colours

Procedural/do
Participate in class discussion of what textiles are
Use their knowledge of textiles to produce a class list of uses for textiles and identify different textile items that they may have in their homes
Identify different forms of textiles by producing a collage of items cut from magazines
Identify where fibres have come from engaging in classroom discussions and by viewing the OHT on different fibres
Feel the textures and see the differences by touching and observing various fabric samples.
Evaluate differences between fibres and record observations in journal
Identify the different elements of design by
Produce a colour wheel to ascertain how colours can interact with each other

Essential learnings

Level Statement: year 8 Textiles

Core learning outcomes: Students are to acquire knowledge of the nature of materials and techniques used to manipulate materials, the characteristics of textiles and the techniques to manipulate textiles to produce a quality and useful item.
Essential learnings
Students explore the role of technology in society from a range of perspectives. They use their imagination and creativity to develop design solutions and make design and production decisions that demonstrate consideration of the context, specifications, constraints and management requirements. They understand how information, materials and systems can be combined in innovative ways in response to real-world situations. They understand the importance of matching characteristics of resources to detailed specifications and standards. They investigate the contributions, past and present, of technological processes and products within local, national and global markets. They recognise that technology has a rich history and has developed into a large number of increasingly overlapping fields that provide career opportunities.
Students select and use a range of tools and technologies, including information communication technologies (ICTs). They routinely demonstrate an autonomous and purposeful use of ICTs to inquire, create and communicate within technology contexts.

Learning and Assessment Focus
• Explore the role of technology in society from a range of perspectives
• Use their imagination and creativity to develop design solutions and make design and production designs that demonstrate consideration of requirements
• They understand how information, materials and systems can be combined in innovative ways
• Understand the importance of matching characteristics to specifcations or standards
• Investigate contributions of technological processes and products in all markets
• Recognise that technology has a rich history, overlapping fields and great career opportunities
Knowledge and Understanding (Years 1 – 10)
Characteristics of resources are compared, contrasted and selected to meet detailed specifications and predetermined standards of production to best suit the user
People can influence decisions made about the design, development and use of technology to change the impact on people, their communities and environments at local and global levels.
Product design and production designs are influenced by aspects of appropriateness and by detailed specifications, constraints and standards of production
Ways of Working (Years 1 – 10)
Students are able to:
Generate and evaluate design ideas and communicate research, design options, budget and timelines in design proposals
Select resources, techniques and tools to make products that meet detailed specifications
Plan, manage and refine production procedures for efficiency
Make products to meet detailed specifications by manipulating or processing resources
Identify, apply and justify workplace health and safety practices
Evaluate the suitability of products and processes against criteria and recommend improvements
Reflect on learning, apply new understanding and justify future applications.
Investigate and analyse specifications, standards and constraints in the development of design ideas.

Profile of learners

This group of year 8 students are just entering their first textiles unit in secondary school. Few of the learners have had textiles experience. Two of the students have severe learning difficulties. One of who has Asperger’s syndrome and becomes very intensely focussed, he does not like to work closely with the other students and prefers to work with his support aide exclusively. The other of student has ADHD and can become extremely disruptive and aggressive when she feels threatened, she requires tasks that are severely scaffolded to ensure that she remains focused, and she is not provided with a teacher aide. The majority of other students in this class are at level and have limited textiles skills.

Unit: Textiles Year 8: Glorious Bags

This unit has been created to encourage students to investigate the origins of fabrics, their properties and how these fabrics can be utilised in conjunction with textiles technology, instruments and machinery to construct useful textiles items. The unit will also encourage students to use their ideas and resourcefulness to design, embellished and use their own ideas to construct a practical bag. The students will be encouraged to utilise the design process to appropriately ascertain their requirement to ensure that the final product meets with the design brief criteria. Students will be encouraged to investigate and develop their understanding of the use of fabrics, the properties of these fabrics and the origins of the initial fibres used to create these fabrics. They will be asked to use a variety of embellishing applications and sewing techniques to produce an effective and appealing product. The creativeness of middle phase learners has determined the reason for the construction of this unit of work. Their ability to take un-0inspiring and plan boring items and make them zing is my inspiration for encouraging their creativeness. Students will be encouraged to learn through a variety of source such as experiments, research and observations. These learning opportunities will be as hands on as possible, as this is how many of the middle phase learners profiled have identified is their preferred way to learn.