All lessons › Design a Cooler Schoolyard › Lesson 1
Australian primary science · Years 5–6 · Lesson 1 of 1
Design a Cooler Schoolyard
Inquiry question: Which changes could make a hot play area cooler?
Marked no materials needed
Analysing a supplied case file
What students learn
Use supplied sun and shade temperatures to make an evidence-based design.
Success criteria
- I can read the supplied evidence accurately.
- I can support an explanation using two details.
- I can identify a claim that goes beyond the evidence.
Preparation and materials
Before this lesson: Understand shade, sunlight and temperature measurements; surface temperature differs from air temperature.
- Charged iPad per individual or pair — One per student or pair
- Projector — One
Teacher setup
- Open the assigned lesson and present the slides.
- Show the lesson QR; students enter one or two names and start.
- Use the lesson timings: allow 45–55 minutes plus first-use sign-in time. Do not add copying to fill a full hour.
- All evidence is supplied in the lesson. No equipment, worksheets or external websites are necessary.
Safety and adaptations
- Screen-based evidence inquiry only. Do not perform physical experiments or imitate hazards described in the case files.
Review your school policies and curriculum requirements before teaching.
How to investigate
The lesson sequence should leave pupils with evidence to interpret, not only an activity to finish.
- Predict which surface has the biggest sun–shade difference.
- Calculate the differences for all three surfaces.
- Identify the lowest shaded reading.
- Choose a design for the reading-space brief; defend cooling and access choices to another pair.
- Describe a fair repeated test that could evaluate your suggestion.
Teacher modelling prompt
Subtract asphalt shade from asphalt sun temperature and label the result a surface-temperature difference, not an air-temperature change.
Record and explain evidence
Recording question: Which changes could make a hot play area cooler?
| Surface | Sun − shade (°C) | Design reason |
|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Example recording headings; record actual observations, including inconclusive results.
Discussion prompt
Which claim is more strongly supported? Quote evidence and explain why.
Provided example or reference data
Fictional matched surface readings (°C)
| Surface | Sun | Shade |
|---|---|---|
| Dark asphalt | 52 °C | 35 °C |
| Light paving | 41 °C | 33 °C |
| Grass | 34 °C | 30 °C |
Check the data source in the teacher lesson. Illustrative or fictional data are not measurements collected by your class.
Check understanding
What should pupils know? Which surface is hottest in full sun?
Explain with evidence: What is the asphalt difference?
Apply the idea: The firm path must remain. Suggest one cooling design and one measurement needed before committing.
Teacher answer guidance and saved classroom work are available through the main lesson experience where supported.