Water for our vines
Year 8
Stem Unit Preview
Problem / Challenge
Our school vineyard is on a slope so some parts of the vineyard receive more moisture than others. This causes irregularities in the quality, water content and sugar content of the fruit resulting in inconsistencies in the wine produced.
How can we design a watering system to ensure that all plants on a sloping land are watered to the level they require?
Brief
Design and build a prototype of a water delivery system, including design options and plans to ensure that all the vines on a sloping land are watered to the level they require.
Resources
- Unit Preview (PDF, 388KB)
- Planning Template (Word, 2.3MB)
Australian Curriculum Links
Science
Science Understanding
- Multi-cellular organisms (ACSSU150)
Science as a Human Endeavour
- Use of science understanding in occupations and influence on development of human activity (ACSHE136)
Science Inquiry Skills
- Identify questions and problems to be investigated scientifically (ACSIS139)
- Conduct a range of investigations (ACSIS140)
- Measure and control variables, select and use appropriate equipment (ACSIS141)
- Construct a range of data representations (ACSIS144)
- Summarise data (ACSIS145)
- Reflect on investigation and evaluate quality of data (ACSIS146)
- Evaluate claims based on findings from investigation (ACSIS234)
- Communicate scientific ideas and information (ACSIS148)
Design and Technologies
Technologies and society
- Products, services & environments and the impact of social, ethical & sustainability (ACTDEK029)
Engineering principles and systems
- Motion, force and energy (ACTDEK031)
Food and fibre production
- Food and fibre (ACTDEK032)
Materials and technologies specialisations
- Characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment (ACTDEK034)
Design Process
- Investigating and defining (ACTDEP035)
- Generating and designing (ACTDEP0036)
- Producing and implementing (ACTDEP037)
- Evaluating (ACTDEP038)
- Collaborating and managing (ACTDEP039)
Digital Technologies
Knowledge and understanding
- Transmission of data in wired, wireless and mobile networks (ACTDIK023)
Processes and understanding
Mathematics
Measurement and Geometry
- Units of measurement for area and volume (ACMMG195)
- Perimeters and areas of parallelograms, trapeziums, rhombuses and kites (ACMMG196)
- Circle features: circumference, area, radius, and diameter (ACMMG197)
- Volume of rectangular and triangular prisms (ACMMG198)
Number and Algebra
- Problems involving percentages (ACMNA187)
- Problems involving rates and ratios (ACMNA188)
- Problems involving profit and loss (ACMNA189)
Statistics and Probability
School Overview
Lilydale District School is a co-educational government school with 380 students located in a rural setting of Lilydale in Northern Tasmania. The school is 30 kilometres from the centre of Launceston, Northern Tasmania’s regional city.
The K–Year 12 school is organised into four sectors: K to Year 4, 5 to 8 and Year 9 to 12. The school farm has a vineyard which provides the context for this STEM unit.