Way out Communication

Communications to different places and in different times

Stage 3

Content focus
Built Environments Information and Communication Physical Phenomena Products and Services The Earth and its Surroundings

Outcomes

This unit contributes to the following syllabus outcomes. Knowledge and Understanding Students will know and understand that: both aesthetic and functional factors need to be considered when people make changes to their environments information can be represented in a number of different forms, including graphics, sounds and texts technologies continually offer new ways of creating and sending messages there are various forms of energy systems are designed to provide particular services environments on Earth have been affected by technology. Students will: describe the social, environmental or economic implications of the investigation of new materials and processes identify investigations which involve discoveries leading to unexpected outcomes show some relationship between the process of investigation and the process of design and make justify the combination of materials and techniques in relation to the properties required for specific end uses describe the process of design and make which can involve identifying needs and wants, defining a design task, generating and selecting ideas, assembling or constructing products, systems or environments, and evaluating outcomes explain that the future must be considered when making choices of particular technologies explain that particular technologies are significant causes of change in the way people live.

Skills Students will: identify data which support a particular prediction use investigation techniques to identify opportunities for design activities develop a design proposal by selecting and refining ideas and justifying choices select, reject or modify as appropriate the elements of design to evaluate the procedures and outcomes of a design task produce a model, prototype, product or procedure to meet a specific design brief select tools, hardware, materials, equipment or software on the basis of their specific function and in order to gather information use appropriate equipment and tools to carry out a particular task, and understand the technology involved to record and present ideas identify and report unsafe conditions record the economic, moral, social and environmental consequences of technological advances. Values and Attitudes Students will: show confidence in themselves and willingness to make decisions and to take responsible action have a positive view of themselves and their capabilities show flexibility and responsiveness to ideas initiate and persevere with activities to their completion be honest and open in their dealings with others respect different viewpoints and ways of living respect others rights and property work cooperatively in groups show a commitment to fair treatment for all show informed commitment to improving the quality of society and the environment be curious about and appreciate the natural and made environment gain satisfaction in their efforts to investigate, to design and make

and to use technology demonstrate rational and creative thinking.

Assessment
Listed below are selected examples of strategies that may be used in assessing this unit of work. Have students present the results of their research and show how this has influenced their decisions when designing and making. Ask students to describe how they would communicate to different places and in different times of history.

Links with other Key Learning Areas

English Exploring the purpose and features of various communication forms, eg fax messages, letters, telegrams. Jointly constructing examples. Exploring the language of radio, eg ads, news items, radio plays. Constructing examples. Mathematics Recording events as part of a sequence, eg time. Tabulating information and recording in a variety of graphs and TimeLiner Human Society and Its Environment Recognising individual differences. Considering past and present developments in communications technologies. Predicting future developments. Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Assessing effective communication. Creative and Practical Arts Selecting and assembling appropriate materials for radio play production.

Teacher notes Suggested resources

Contact consultants for assistance with electronic information service.

You Can Get There From Here (kit),OTC. Radio Then and Now(kit), NSW Department of Education. TV and

Video Technology, Wayland. Making a Record, Bassett, A. Media for kids Radio, Butler, M. Technology in Action (series). Sound Effects (audio tape)

Computer software: database FrEdbase, Carefile, Desktop, Data Manager, The Critics Choice, Make the Connection!, TimeLiner,

Compute-A-Graph People and places: OTC, local radio stations, SSP schools, hospitals, old people, homes, museums, post office Materials and equipment: cassette recorders, pictures of rock paintings, hieroglyphics, radio, fax, modem Teaching strategies

9 Manipulating to explore and discover 13 Trialling and testing ideas and con cepts 16 Applying understandings 17 Exploring needs 18 Clarifying a design task 29 Selecting appropriate technologies 35 Telecommunications 36 Sound and lighting 38 Publishing 39 Video production

122 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY K-6

Task
Design and make a program for people with special needs. [G]

Task
Investigate how science and technology have been used to assist people with special needs in communicating.[G]

Activities
Decide on a story (or ideas) to be told. Consider traditional stories from various cultures. Consider the special needs of the audience. [TS17] Choose a way of presenting the story or text that allows for people with special needs. [TS40] Create each part of the story. Consider the information to be included and how it will appear. Think about how to create the feel required. Select and produce aids that might accompany the story. Devise a way of ensuring aids match the story when presented. Present the program. Evaluate in terms of audience enjoyment as well as personal satisfaction. [TS13]

Activities
Predict situations or circumstances where people in the community may have special needs in communicating. Specific conditions encountered by people could include: [TS17] geographical isolations, eg living on an isolated cattle station sensory impairment, eg blindness, deafness learning difficulties. restricted mobility, eg the elderly, those unable to get around easily social isolation, eg being homebound, new to the community physical disabilities, eg paraplegia, severe arthritis, amputees language difficulties, eg non-English speakers. Identify the difficulties that may be experienced. Choose different methods of gathering information, eg interviewing people, direct observation or role play. Observe, in the local environment, adaptations that have been made for people with special needs, eg universal symbols, subtitling for hearing impaired, pedestrian crossing bleepers, English classes, community language broadcasting. Invite a guest speaker to visit the school. Explore how computer technology has been used to provide for peoples special needs. Do a case study to discover changes that have occurred over time and developments that address the need, eg medical advances, refinement of devices to aid the senses, improved long distance communication, changes in social awareness and understanding. Compare and contrast past situations to the present. Include the roles of scientific research and technological innovation. Suggest further advances that may occur in the future. Explore an organisation catering for people with special needs, eg Royal Blind Society. Research their function and the services they provide. Reflect on how and why attitudes to people with special needs have changed since past times.

Task
Design and make a way of communicating about present day life to people in future generations. [G]

Activities
Consider the range of ways to record messages. Refer to investigations for the ideas. [TS18] Choose methods to be used, eg illustration, audio recordings, photographs, videos, tapes, writing. Brainstorm subject matter to be included. What aspects of life would be interesting to future generations, eg impressions of school, sporting results, current affairs? [TS16] Jointly decide on a period of time for the information to be kept, eg 5 years, 20 years. Perhaps a number of suggestions can be actioned. Make the items to be preserved. Evaluate, determining whether others can understand what is being said. Can they suggest things that are missing? Consider ways of preserving the materials. Consider the materials used, where to store the messages, how long they are to be kept. Identify what things will affect the materials used, eg water, pollution and methods of preventing damage. Choose a method of preservation, and put into action. [TS29]

Task
Use appropriate technologies to organise data and communicate information. [I]

Task
Investigate the changes communication. [I] that have occurred in

Activities
Explore how to use a range of technologies, eg use an electronic information service (Keylink, Fredmail) to communicate with radio service, other schools or pen pals, or to gain access to a remote data base, eg AAP. Use a fax to communicate with schools or services in the local area; use an electronic information service to make a newspaper. [TS35] Identify communication systems. Observe in environment, eg satellite discs; visit facilities, eg post office; use a variety of resources to discover how they operate. Demonstrate how some of these work, eg write for the bulletin board to communicate with another school. [TS38]

Activities
Using various resources, research communication methods used in the past, eg rock paintings, drums, morse code. [TS9] Observe examples that have been preserved and interpret the messages, eg Aboriginal rock paintings, Egyptian tomb paintings. Evaluate how successfully they have been preserved. Experiment sending messages using other methods identified, eg semaphore, morse code. Identify advantages/disadvantages of each method. Research how communication technologies evolved to their present forms. Record using a time line.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY K-6 123