Overview:
In Term 2, students explored the lost art of cardboard game design by repurposing packaging materials alongside MakeDo kits. Working in groups, they responded to a thematic brief and constructed unique arcade games that incorporated simple engineering principles such as gravity, friction, compression, and tension, using mechanisms like levers, axles, wedges, wheels, and pulleys. The games were then curated into an arcade-style gaming space designed to draw students away from their screens and reawaken the excitement of hands-on, tactile challenges.
In Term 3 the class created Uber Eats time machines and travelled to the past and future to explore food from different cultures. Beginning with research into what their local environment looked like 100 years ago, the class went on to plan their own journeys and create short travel documentaries, which were played in a movie night-style showcase with drinks and popcorn.
Main Curriculum Focus
Project 1: Design & Technology, engineering principles, push and pull forces
Project 2: HASS, how people and places change, peripheral devices
WHAT WE DID
In Term 2 the students worked in small groups to explore arcade game design using cardboard, paint and a range of craft materials in conjunction with basic engineering principles. The use of MakeDo kits allowed for easier construction and safe cutting through thick layers of card. Once the students had familiarised themselves with the MakeDo tools and how to wield them, focus shifted to game design, planning and feedback sessions that reinforced the importance of reflection, persistence and creative problem solving. The class also voted on the “Underwater” theme, which set the context for the games. Over the weeks, the students worked through various construction challenges such as catapults, towers and pulley systems, and refined their game strategies, including a link to water and ocean conservation.
In Term 3 we moved to HASS and looked at how people and places change over time using time travel. The students worked in pairs to design and build a small time-machine that was not allowed to be “just a box”. From here we all travelled back in time to Mindarie Keys and imagined what we would discover and who we would meet. After completing a trip together, groups were able to select their own destinations and time periods. They had to consider what food they would take with them and what dish they would return with, keeping a record of their travels and experiences via a short documentary. Both projects culminated in a “movie night” screening of the documentaries followed by an Underwater Arcade showcase.
How did we make the curriculum come alive?
The curriculum came alive by creating strong narratives that fed into the construction challenges to give purpose and meaning alongside warm up activities that focused on developing fine motor skills and teamwork. We also made good use of the classroom and outdoor spaces, giving students options for where they would prefer to work. We tried to introduce real world connections to initiate conversations about how our actions today might impact the future, particularly in relation to animals, nature and education.
How did we make the 5 Habits of Learning come alive?
We used drawing and storytelling to support the development of original ideas and then built on these concepts using class critiques. There were many planning and construction challenges that tested the students’ persistence and resilience, so we made sure to properly acknowledge these moments. Most of our warm-ups and main activities involved working in pairs or teams, which reinforced the need for sharing ideas and encouraged clear and respectful communication, so that everyone felt seen and heard.
How did we activate student voice and learner agency?
We regularly checked in to ask how everyone was feeling about the project. If most of the class didn’t like something we pivoted and let the students make suggestions for next steps. If we felt the students were giving up too quickly then we held group discussions about the benefits of persevering through difficulty so that everyone felt supported and willing to try again. We also gave plenty of time for questions and exploring alternatives.
How did you develop creative and critical thinking skills in the students?
Creative and critical thinking skills were developed through a variety of activities that challenged students to think beyond the first response and annotated drawing was used to communicate ideas more effectively. We also made sure to keep checking in to ask what was working and what could be improved. If many students had the same idea we discarded it, simply to see who could come up with something more original.
How did you link your project to the UN Sustainability goals?
Our first project was a response to keeping oceans and waterways clean with the intention to gamify ocean conservation. For the second project we shifted our goal to learning for everyone - what we might learn from our future selves and how our actions today will impact the future.
WHAT WAS THE IMPACT?
(What was the impact of the project on different stakeholders and how do you know? Try to provide evidence for each area you identify.)
Student: “Yeah, I’ve seen a difference. I’ve been thinking outside the box a lot more, and my partner has been saying ‘good job.’ I think it’s helping everyone get more creative.”
“Sometimes we have to do really hard things I don’t get at first, like making time machines. I didn’t understand the first time, but I got it by the third time. They’re really cool—like the one I made where you wear a bracelet, press a button, and teleport. My partner and I decided you could teleport anywhere, but our favourite place was an AI school where teachers are robots and teach you new technology.”
Which habit is your strongest? Which do you need more practice with?
“Probably Inquisitive – I like to ask a lot of questions and know the answers before I start. My big questions are things like: What part of your body gives you consciousness? What is consciousness? Are there aliens outside the solar system?
I think I need more practice being Imaginative – I don’t always make things up from scratch, I usually take concepts and add to them.” (Student)
Teacher: "Creative Schools has been really great. The kids are being so creative, using their imaginations, and I love hearing and talking about all the different ideas they come up with. At first, they were very shy, but now their imaginations are really getting a workout, and they’re doing a fantastic job with it. Working with the Creative Practitioner has been awesome – they’ve brought in lots of brilliant ideas to use in the classroom, and the kids are absolutely loving it." (Teacher, Grace Salleo)
Creative: “The kids are collaborating much better. They’ve learned to be more vulnerable, knowing they’ll be heard and understood instead of feeling like they have to protect their ideas. There’s now a lot more sharing, more constructive feedback, and I think overall they’ve become much more supportive of one another. Their teamwork has really improved. I love the raw curiosity that comes with this age group. Every time I come in they teach me something new.” (Creative Practitioner, Stephanie Reisch)
School: “Having Creative Schools in our school has had a fantastic impact. The change in some of our students’ engagement with learning has been astronomical—especially in one of our classrooms where attitudes towards curriculum and learning have really shifted.” (Principal, Sarah Chaloner)
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