A kitchen garden in school time?

Year 4
Stem Unit Preview

Problem / Challenge

Our school garden produced most of its fruit and vegetables over the summer holidays, when students were unable to water or harvest.  The school needs to find a way to grow food during the school terms when students are available to tend the garden and collect the produce.

Brief

Design a method which will assist with the regulation of temperature and moisture for plants during autumn, winter and spring. This system should be constructed from recycled materials and should fit around existing garden beds.

Resources

Australian Curriculum Links

Science

Science Understanding

  • Life cycles (ACSSU072)
  • Living things depend on each other and the environment (ACSSU073)

Science as a Human Endeavour

  • Science helps people understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE051)

Science Inquiry Skills

  • Questions and predictions (ACSIS053)
  • Plan an investigation (ACSIS054)
  • Elements of fair tests, measuring and recording data (ACSIS055)
  • Data representation (ACSIS057)
  • Comparing data with predictions (ACSIS215)
  • Reflecting on the investigation (ACSIS058)
  • Communicate scientific ideas and information (ACSIS060)

Design and Technologies

Technologies and society

  • Occupations and factors impacting on the design of products, services and environments (ACTDEK010)

Food and fibre production

  • Food, fibre and food technologies (ACTDEK012)
Materials and technologies specialisations
  • Suitability of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment (ACTDEK013)

Design Process

Mathematics

Number and Algebra

  • Develop mental and written strategies and use digital technologies for multiplication and division (ACMNA076)
  • Solve problems involving purchases (ACMNA080)

Measurement and Geometry

  • Use scaled instruments to measure (ACMMG084)
  • Compare areas of regular and irregular shapes (ACMMG087)

Statistics and Probability

School Overview

Kempton Primary is a small government primary school located in the historic village of Kempton in the southern midlands, 50 kilometres from Hobart, Tasmania. The school has around 50 students drawn from the local rural area.