Producing

📑 Article

Planning a T4R Unit for Let’s Build a Boat For Years 1/2

Plan a T4R unit for Let’s Build a Boat. Blend literacy, design, testing, and engineering with collaborative benefits in fun Year 1/2 classroom lessons.
📑 Article

Teaching Ideas for Let’s Build a Boat for Year 1

Teaching ideas for Let’s Build a Boat by Jane Godwin. Explore teamwork, design, testing, and engineering in fun Year 1/2 literacy and STEM lessons.
✎ Activity

Taming Anger with The Red Beast
📔 The Red Beast by K.i. Al-Ghani
• We are learning how to recognise and manage anger using strategies from a story

FREE

AC9HP2P03 (Health and Physical Education – Year 1, Year 2) AC9TDE2P02 (Design and Technologies – Year 1, Year 2)
✎ Activity

Paper Weaving for Year 2
📔 Afloat by Kirli Saunders
• We are learning to use paper weaving as a way to design with care and practise our producing skills using sustainable materials.

AC9TDE2P01 (Design and Technologies – Year 1, Year 2) AC9TDE2P02 (Design and Technologies – Year 1, Year 2)
📔 Book

Afloat

Written by Kirli Saunders
Illustrated by Freya Blackwood
Published by Little Hare Books
Theme/topic: Culture, First Nations, Identity, Producing, Sustainability, and Weaving

The book is a poetic and reflective story that gently explores connection to Country, identity, and community through the metaphor of water and weaving. Rooted in Aboriginal perspectives, the text provides a meaningful opportunity to learn about weaving as a cultural practice that strengthens identity and builds unity within community (AC9HP2P01 – Years 1 and 2, Health and Physical Education).

The story also opens conversations around sustainability and traditional knowledge, showing how weaving products are crafted from native plants found in local environments (AC9TDE2K01, AC9TDE2K03 – Years 1 and 2, Design and Technologies). By recognising the environmental sources and cultural significance of materials, Afloat supports an appreciation for First Nations practices and their role in caring for Country.

RESOURCES BUY

AC9HP2P01 (Health and Physical Education – Year 1, Year 2) AC9TDE2K01 (Design and Technologies – Year 1, Year 2) AC9TDE2K03 (Design and Technologies – Year 1, Year 2)
📔 Book

Let’s Build A Boat

Written by Jane Godwin
Illustrated by Meg Rennie
Published by Little Hare Books
Theme/topic: Colaborating, Evaluating, Friendship, Narrative, Persistence, Producing, Rhyme, and Teamwork

This inspiring picture book celebrates teamwork, creativity, and determination. As a group of children come together to build a boat for their picnic on an island, the story naturally lends itself to discussions about the purpose of a boat in general and context of the text (AC9TDE2K01 – Years 1 and 2, Design and Technologies). The story also highlights the importance of preparation before they begin (AC9TDE2P01 – Years 1 and 2, Design and Technologies), innovation and problem-solving when they face the challenge at sea (AC9TDE2P03 – Years 1 and 2, Design and Technologies).

Throughout their journey, they experience challenges and moments of joy, allowing students to reflect on how they manage emotions in different situations (AC9HP2P03 – Years 1 and 2, Health and Physical Education). The story also supports children in understanding how teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving help them to achieve shared goals (AC9HP2P01 – Years 1 and 2, Health and Physical Education).

Let’s Build a Boat is a perfect launchpad for hands-on STEM or creative projects, as well as social-emotional learning discussions around collaboration, effort, and celebrating differences.

RESOURCES BUY

AC9HP2P01 (Health and Physical Education – Year 1, Year 2) AC9HP2P03 (Health and Physical Education – Year 1, Year 2) AC9TDE2P01 (Design and Technologies – Year 1, Year 2) AC9TDE2P02 (Design and Technologies – Year 1, Year 2) AC9TDE2P03 (Design and Technologies – Year 1, Year 2) AC9TDE2P04 (Design and Technologies – Year 1, Year 2)

Planning a T4R Unit for Let’s Build a Boat For Years 1/2

Teaching Ideas for Let’s Build a Boat for Year 1

Taming Anger with The Red Beast

Paper Weaving for Year 2

Afloat

Let’s Build A Boat