Technology Units
Senior

Topic: Alarm systems Contexts: School, Home Areas: Materials, electronics and control, structures and mechanisms
Year 4-6 Level 2
Resources: depends on children's plans but will need basics of
- batteries, switches, wires and buzzers
- conducting materials
- visiting speakers could include electricians, alarm installers, security firms
Situation: children are going into out of bound areas, e.g. hall, classrooms etc at inappropriate times i.e. morning tea and lunchtimes
Design Brief: we need a safe system that warns and or identifies a person that they have entered an out of bounds zone
Specifications: - must make a warning sound or signal
- must be conducive and practical
- needs to be placed in a school setting
- must be reliable
- needs to work more than once
Technological Knowledge and Understanding
Objective: Level 2:2b identify and ideas about modifications and adaptations in familiar technologies
Learning Experiences:

1.approaching community: Electrician, Alarm firms, security firms, Dick Smiths, Computer experts. Prepare questions that will help inform of different ways that an alarm could be made
2. observe working electrical circuits with different switches
3. explore, observe and experiment with different types of circuits 
4. use research skills to find information on alarms/circuits etc
5. compare and find conducting materials of electricity
6. identify several forms of alarm systems, investigate how they work. Report what modifications, similarities and differences they have
Technological Capability
Objective: Level 2:6a discuss possible solutions and strategies, and select and develop a suitable option
Learning Experiences:

1. plan flow diagram of electrical circuit
2. design and draw what alarm system will look like and label
3. plan where it will need to be placed in room
4. build, test and modify product
5. produce a demonstration model
6. evaluate and assess effectiveness against specifications
Technology and Society
Objective: Level 2:8 explore and compare the roles of some example of technology in daily life in their own and another time or place

1. discuss why we have alarms
2. investigate what different alarm systems there have been in past and in the present. Compare the effectiveness of each
3. survey adults re- why/why not if they have alarms

Assessment
Objective Level 2:8 explore and compare the roles of some example of technology in daily life in their own and another time or place Assessment Task:
investigate what different alarm systems there have been in past and in the present. What roles did they play? Compare the effectiveness of each.		 Achieving at Level 3

describe and identify the positive and negative effects of some instances of technologies on people's lives and the environment

 Achieving at Level 2

explore and compare the roles of some example of technology in daily life in their own and another time or place

 Achieving at Level 1

share ideas about the ways in which familiar technologies affect their lives
Objective Level 2:2b identify and ideas about modifications and adaptations in familiar technologies Assessment Task:
identify several forms of alarm systems, investigate how they work. Report what modifications, similarities and differences they have		 Achieving at Level 3
explore and describe how components are linked in a technological system

 

 Achieving at Level 2
identify and ideas about modifications and adaptations in familiar technologies

 

 Achieving at Level 1
ask questions and share ideas about familiar technological systems

 

written by Hamish Brewer
                 Kirk Broadfoot

Back to Home Page

Back to  Technology Units