Fun Activities

On The Job

Research and Development - Inventor

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bullet.gif (981 bytes)Australian Inventions Timeline: Aussies are a clever lot

PrimaryPrimary  MiddleMiddle

LiteracyAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

NumeracyAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Numeracy

PhilosophyPhilosophy

 

1. Read the following articles: Reading

World changing Aussie inventions.

Australian Geographic Inventions

10 Aussie inventions that make your life easier

10 inventions

2. Put all these inventions on a timeline.

3. Select one invention that might interest you. Research this invention more thoroughly. Be ready to defend your selection. Why is it important? Interesting? Beneficial?

4. In March 2020, Landline showed a number of Agricultural Inventions

Bright Sparks: Agricultural innovators working smarter not harder - ABC News

Clutching Rye Straws: An organic alternative for drinking straws - ABC News

Technological Innovation I/V - ABC News

5. Discussion

Discuss, as a class, which is the most important earlier invention and why.  What would be your criteria for selecting the "most important"?

Which Agricultural inventions would you also classify as "most important" and why.

 

 

 

bullet.gif (981 bytes)Gadgets for Disaster Zones

MiddleMiddle High SchoolSecondary

LiteracyAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Ethical Understanding Australian Curriculum General Capability: Ethical Understanding

CriticalAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Intercultural UnderstandingAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Intercultural Understanding

 

1. Read the following article from BBC News 18 May 2011: Reading

BBC News

2. Draw up the following table in a notebook and fill it out using the information from the article and your opinion.

Invention Characteristics Pros & Cons Your Rating
(Best to worst)
Concrete Canvas Shelters      
Inflatable hospital      
LifeStraw      
PermaNet      
SolarChill      

3. Discussion

Discuss your opinions with a partner. Did you have the same ratings? Why? Why not?

4. Which invention has the greatest ramifications/impact on the world? Why?

5. You are to investigate further one of these inventions. How is it made? How long did it take to make? What initiated the invention?

6. Air, water and food are metabolic requirements for survival in all animals including humans. Clothing and shelter provide necessary protection from the elements.

You are to develop a protype for a simple piece of clothing that will protect humans from the elements after a disaster. You are to consider not only the design but the wearability; the availability of the material; its ability to protect; and, its impact on the environment when it ceases to be useful.

 

 

bullet.gif (981 bytes)CSIRO, Inventions and Cutbacks

MiddleMiddle High SchoolSecondary

LiteracyAustralian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Ethical Understanding Australian Curriculum General Capability: Ethical Understanding

 

1. Read the following articles: Reading

CSIRO Top 10

Top 10
CSIRO Blog

Blog
ABC News 12 May 2016

ABC News
News: 12 May 2014

CSIRO


ABC Rural News: 3 May 2016

Rural
Climate science to be gutted as CSIRO swings job axe - February 2016

Climate

2. What is your impression of the CSIRO? In pairs, discuss the contributions of the scientists at CSIRO.

How many inventions did you work out that were cited in these articles? Which one did you think was the most important? Why?

3. The CSIRO Staff Association are concerned about the impact of the cuts to their Scientists:

Staff Association

What is your opinion? Discuss with a partner.

4. "Scientist dismayed at CSIRO climate change research cuts, urges them to reconsider"

News

What is being said in this article? Do you agree with it?

5. Ethical Question: "How important is it to have the CSIRO funded independently of the Commonwealth Government so that innovation and invention has a prominent and sacrosanct place in the Australian Research & Development sphere?"

List the Pros and Cons of this question and debate the issue.

 

bullet.gif (981 bytes)Other inventions noted in On the Job website

Beekeeper

Beekeeper
Honey Flow
Drycleaner

Drycleaner
Plastics, Coat Hangers and Drycleaning

Shipwright

Ship Wright

 

Seabin - War on Waste

 

 

 

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