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Each lesson includes a brief descriptor of the purpose and scope of the lesson. Most lessons are supported with many digital resources indicated by:

Websites           Videos

The first few lessons in each category are available for immediate FREE download.To access the entire lesson library go to our Subscriptions Section where you can purchase a yearly school subscription or individual teacher supscriptions to the full 3000+ lessons library.

Subcriptions for both overseas teachers and overseas schools are also available. Please email us at: starters@reap.org.nz and we will send you full details.

 

Technology Units


(01)Sustainable Electricity Generation.pdf : Subscription Only Download [288 KB]

A cross-curricular (STEM) unit best suited to years 6-10+ that begins by exploring the impacts of electricity on our everyday lives, the history of electricity in New Zealand and methods of production for full class investigation. The unit then focuses on producing electricity using only renewable sources. Students investigate how hydro and wind energy is produced, how households can cut back on their power, what households must consider when choosing solar power, the advantages of electric vehicles, and how to have an electric efficient home.

ALL ABOUT CARPETS.pdf : [146 KB]

A technology based unit where students explore the history of carpets, the way that we use them, differences in types, colours and designs of carpets and how these have to be taken into account when choosing and matching a carpet for a particular area.

Website including 3 videos about  NZ Carpets

ALUMINIUM.pdf : [226 KB]

ALUMINIUM

What is aluminium? What are its properties? How was it discovered? How is it obtained? What are its uses? Investigations in to the wonder-metal ; aluminium.

Additional Resources for this Unit

HOW ALUMINIUM IS MADE VIDEO

ALUMINIUM TECHNOLOGY.pdf : [107 KB]

In this unit, students will not only learn about aluminium as a wonder metal, how it is extracted and made, but come to understand that its very existence has had a major part to play in inventing and improving technologies that we use everyday.

ALUMINIUM THE WONDER METAL.PDF : Subscription Only Download [118 KB]

 

Students will investigate the history of aluminium, learn about its properties, how it is made, how it is mined and where it is made in New Zealand. Has a significant web research component. While it is a science based unit, it provides a wealth of English teaching and learning experiences.

HISTORY OF ALUMINIUM

ALUMINIUM – PROPERTIES AND USES

HOW ALUMINIUM IS MADE – COMALCO SITE

HOW ALUMINIUM IS MADE

BiosecurityMonthWeek.pdf : [7 MB]

BIOSECURITY MONTH/WEEK 2018

A major English, Health, Social Sciences, Technology, Science and Conservation-based unit to celebrate Biosecurity Week (23-28 July) 2018. Because it is such a major subject, many schools make the month of July their Biosecurity Month. In this unit we explore the mistakes we have made in the past and the effects they have had on our biodiversity. But more optimistically we look forward to a future where there is a heightened awareness of this problem. Many thousands of Kiwis now take positive actions to become involved in controlling, managing and eradicating these threats. 

BP CHALLENGE (T3–2012).pdf : [131 KB]

BP CHALLENGE (Term 3, 2012)

Preview of starters&strategies Term 3, 2012 BP Challenge. Features the Board, Not Bored Challenge, Message from Debbie and Term 3–4 BP Regional Challenges

CELEBRATING AVIATION.pdf : Subscription Only Download [194 KB]

Students explore the world of aviation including: how and why people began to fly, its beginning in New Zealand, jobs involved, how planes fly, how and why people began to fly. The unit concludes with students making predictions about the future of flight.

Additional Resources for this Unit

History of Aviation Video Series.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Collection of Aviation History Videos

CLIMATE CHANGE.pdf : [1 MB]

(0001) CLIMATE CHANGE (Teacher Lesson)

Science, Technology and Social Sciences – based explorations to enable students to: understand the concept and causes of climate change and global warming; identify the dangers it poses to our planet; the actions we must all take to lessen the impact of global warming and the major part that renewable energy can play in mitigating the impact of climate change.

 

(0002) Climate Change Student Fact Sheet

 

CLIMATE CHANGE LESSON PLAN.pdf : [1 MB]

Teacher Lesson Plan

Science, Technology and Social Sciences – based explorations to enable students to: understand the concept and causes of climate change and global warming; identify the dangers it poses to our planet; the actions we must all take to lessen the impact of global warming and the major part that renewable energy can play in mitigating the impact of climate change. Use in conjunction with the Student Fact Sheet.

CLIMATE CHANGE STUDENT FACT SHEET.pdf : [3 MB]

Student Fact Sheet

In this fact sheet students explore climate change and renewable energy solutions. They also look at New Zealand’s emission levels, how we can reduce these levels, and what we can all do in our daily lives to help reduce greenhouse gas levels.


COLOUR IN DESIGN.pdf : Subscription Only Download [112 KB]

Students investigate the important role that colour and design play in making effective packaging that appeals to consumers and target audiences. The unit concludes with students completing a design brief.

Psychology of Coloured Packaging

DESIGN A CLASSROOM.pdf : Subscription Only Download [103 KB]

In this technology based unit, students are asked to consider the uses that their classroom is put to and the special requirements that different curriculum areas make on space, design and technology. Students are challenged to take these elements into account and design and evaluate their own classroom to fulfil the design criteria.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY.pdf : Subscription Only Download [168 KB]

Do we use electricity efficiently at home and at school? What steps can we take to improve? In this unit, students investigate the current way we use electricity and devise strategies to improve electrical efficiency at school and at home.

Additional Resources Supporting this Unit

Energywise. Links to 30 energyspot NZ TV Videos

Energy Efficiency World

FAIRGROUND FUN.pdf : Subscription Only Download [74 KB]

Fairgrounds have provided endless hours of fascination and fun for 'children' of all ages. They are also excellent places to form the basis of a technology investigation. Students not only explore the purposes of the technology but the uses and safety features that is part of the use of fairground technology in an everyday context.

FOUR CLASSIC CHALLENGES.pdf : Subscription Only Download [73 KB]

FOUR CLASSIC TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES.

4 classic challenges in the BP Technology Challenge Style: The Ball Grabber, Paper Rope Contest, Giant Robotic Arm, Noise Location Tower. Tons of fun!

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.pdf : Subscription Only Download [165 KB]

In this unit, students conduct research and complete activities to understand that: why using geothermal energy technology to generate electricity is a positive way that society can improve its relationship with the environment; developing an understanding of the technological processes involved in this method of generating electrical energy.

Websites and Videos Supporting this Unit

Geothermal Energy in New Zealand (includes images/videos)

Powering New Zealand in the Future

                  Opening of Ngatamariki Geothermal Power Plant

GEOTHERMAL FACT SHEET.pdf : Subscription Only Download [352 KB]

Student fact sheet to use in conjunction with the magazine.

Additional Resources for this Unit

Geothermal Power Production – Te Ara (Information, Pictures, Videos)

How Aviation Changed the World.pdf : [1 MB]

Major Social Science, Science and Technology-based teaching unit. Major focus: Understanding the historical nature of flight and how it has had a positive and major effect on how we interact and view the world.

Most suitable for Years 4-10. Pdf contains live links to websites and videos.

Nassa Story Book – How Planes Fly

                What Makes Airplanes Fly?

                 How Do Airplanes Fly – Youtube Video Series

HYDRO POWER 01.pdf : Subscription Only Download [122 KB]

Technology and Science based unit exploring hydro power generation on the Waikato River System. Strong links to science, social sciences and English.

HYDRO POWER VIDEO – how it works

MAKING AN IMPACT.pdf : Subscription Only Download [206 KB]

Students use the technology of video film making to create a road safety video to get important safety messages across.

Film/Video Making for Beginners: (5 Videos)

NewZealand's Predator Problem.pdf : [1 MB]

New Zealand has a Serious Predator Problem

In this unit, students will research and identify the causes of the destruction of our native flora and fauna, discover the successful work carried out by Goodnature in conjunction with DOC, identify the actions we can take to stem this decline and become involved in practical ways to use the latest Goodnature technology to protect the biodiversity in their local areas.

Cross curriculum unit with links to Science, Technology, Social Sciences and English. Yrs 4-8

Website Links Supporting this Unit

Pest Control Methods

Animal Pests A-Z

Threats to Our Environment

GoodNature Web Page

 Videos Supporting this Unit

Meet the Locals Okiwi Primary School 

Meet the Locals Oakley Creek 

A24 Traps in Action 

A12 Traps in Action

Native Island Rat Control

Wellington School Rat Problem

PATTERN DESIGN.pdf : Subscription Only Download [72 KB]

After completing the above unit, work through the following unit with students. This is a 'real life' example of how architects use a formula called pattern design to design educational facilities.

PATTERNS.pdf : Subscription Only Download [229 KB]

Use in conjunction with the above unit. This pdf shows in graphic form, the patterns that an architect will use when planning a classroom or part of a school.

PROTECTING OUR SPECIAL HABITATS AND ANIMALS.pdf : [5 MB]

PROTECTING OUR SPECIAL HABITATS – BIODIVERSITY IN ACTION

New Zealand has a richness of distinctive and unique habitats including: alpine, drylands, estuaries, forests, freshwater, marine, farms, wetlands and built environments. Put simply, habitats are environments where plants and animals live.  In this unit we explore these habitats to discover the diversity of plants and animals that  live there and how we value them. We then identify pests and diseases that pose threats to these habitats and the measures we must all take to eliminate or minimise these risks. We then apply these learnings to our own district and how and why we must all become part of a New Zealand-wide ‘biosecurity team’ of 4.7 million to protect our environment. 

This 4 page cross-curriulum unit (science, social sciences, technology, English and environmental) is best suited to Years 4/5 – 10+ students

RESPECTING COPYRIGHT.pdf : Subscription Only Download [111 KB]

A cross curricular unit where students explore the ethics of respecting creativity and copyright and understanding that modern computer technology must be used with care and in an ethical way.

RIDE THE WIND.pdf : Subscription Only Download [165 KB]

How do we know wind exists? Can we measure it? Explorations and design challenges for students on a 'wind' theme.

LEARN ABOUT WIND

CLASSROOM WIND PROJECTS

THE WIND SPEED CHALLENGE

SPINNING TOPS.pdf : Subscription Only Download [89 KB]

A design brief based on the every popular toy – the spinning top. Covers main technology strands and demonstrates how technology is used across the curriculum.

Additional Resources for this Unit

Making Spinning Tops Instructions Website

Spinning Top Video

SURROUNDED BY TECHNOLOGY.pdf : Subscription Only Download [92 KB]

Dozens of activities to make students aware of the technologies that we take for granted and use in everyday life – from bar codes in supermarkets to CTV in banks. Students are encouraged to demonstrate competence in using technology.

Making a Fibre Optic Tin Can Phone – Video

NB: This is exactly the same as making a traditional tin-can phone with string. The fibre optic just sounds modern!

Websites supporting and extending this unit.

Technology Facts, tv, video, cell phones,robots, internet …

Links to Technology Videos

TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGE.pdf : Subscription Only Download [98 KB]

Kelly Tarlton's is a perfect example of the nature of technology and how it reflects the changes in society and increases people/s capability of understanding and enjoying the underwater world. In this technology based unit we challenge groups and the class to design and create an underwater world.

THE BENEFITS OF AGGREGATE.pdf : Subscription Only Download [1 MB]

THE BENEFITS OF AGGREGATE

Aggregate may not seem like a particularly interesting topic for study but when we begin to realise that without the mining of aggregate on a fregular basis, our lives would change drastically. In this Science, Social Sciences and Technology based unit, students discover why and how we depend on aggregate and the major part it plays in our everyday lives and for New Zealand industry. 

By conducting in-depth investigations, students will discover the dozens of ways aggregate is used at school, at home and in their local community – eg roads, houses, footpaths, walls, tennis courts, driveways, patios, airport runways, monuments, drains … etc. The unit concludes by having students explore the major part that rehabilitation of old quarries plays in providing us with beautiful places to enjoy and explore including parks, native reserves, waterways etc and debunks the notion that we should never quarry

THE PERFECT HOME.pdf : Subscription Only Download [143 KB]

What is the most important room in a house? What special requirements do certain rooms have? What considerations should we take into account when designing a house. Students ask experts and then complete their own 'perfect house' design.

WIND ENERGY.pdf : Subscription Only Download [176 KB]

Understanding how new technologies can change society in a positive way and improve its relationship to the environment.

Developing an understanding of how wind turbines work in the context of generating electrical energy. Understanding that we must make the best use of our natural resources and ‘do our best’ for planet Earth. Gaining a basic understanding of the process of how we generate electricity – wind generation in particular.

Wind Energy Video

Website links supporting this unit.

Wind Energy Facts

Windpower – Images, Pictures and Photos

WONDERFUL INVENTIONS.pdf : Subscription Only Download [97 KB]

Can students imagine there was a time before we had fridges and freezers? Do they know that there was a time when there was no television, no iPods, no computers … What would life be like without these wonderful technologies? A major investigation into the past and how wonderful new technologies have changed our lives for the better – or have they?

TOP 10 Inventions of 20th Century– Video

TOP 10 Inventions of the 19th Century – website and videos

ANOTHER PICKED TOP 10 Inventions of 20th Century – Website and videos