Activities related to Technological Products

Activities to support student learning related to the Technological Products component could include:

The teacher could bring in a range of different technological products and discuss the materials each is made from. In particular, discussion could focus on the performance properties of each material and how and why these properties make them suitable for use in each product. Depending on prior experience, it might be useful to first check students' understanding of what a technological product is and how it differs to other objects.

Students could choose two or three technological products and make a list of the materials used, then discuss how they think each material may have been manipulated (cut, shaped, finished) so that it could be used in the product.

Students could explore the materials used in the construction of Harakeke, Reflection on Time and Eos and explain why these particular materials were chosen.

Their explanations should include reference to the material properties, other factors (such as cost, availability, sustainability) and how it could be manipulated to realise the design intention and/or ensure the costume's ability to 'function' on stage in the way they wanted and the WOW specifications require.

Link to Technological Practice learning:

If the students are involved in designing and/or making a piece of wearable art themselves (or any other outcome), they could complete a PMI analysis of the materials they are thinking of using or have used. Each student could complete a justification of choices made based on this analysis. They could also update their planning decision-making, to update the 'materials needed' section if required and to note any implications for changes to the ways they will need to work with materials to meet their own brief.