Year 8 Invention and Innovation Project

Teacher: Student’s name:

Date Set: Due date:
Australian Curriculum Achievement Standard
Science Inquiry Skills

 Identify problems that can be investigated scientifically

 Consider safety and ethics when planning investigations

 Apply their own scientific knowledge and investigation findings to evaluate claims made by others.

Task Description

Inventions are original applications of technology which solve problems big and small. The scope for inventions is
limited only by one’s imagination. Apply knowledge of science to make a WORKING invention that has a practical
application. The invention may be a new device, method or process that has not existed before or look at an existing
device and invent a solution that works better.

The Innovation or Invention must either solve a problem/issue OR provide a different approach to a problem/issue:
 Solve a problem, for example:
o How to make plastic break down faster
o How to clean up the rubbish in the oceans more efficiently
o Large scale solar ovens to feed people in poor or very remote areas
o Inventions that help the everyday lives of people with physical disabilities

 Provide a different approach to a problem, for example:

o A new type of bicycle helmet
o A new way to filter water for drinking especially for people in poor or very remote areas
o A better way to detect or put out bush fires

The invention or innovation will be submitted for the Young Scientists Awards and/or the Darwin Middle School STEM
Expo (if the invention or innovation falls within the theme). The theme for the 2020 STEM Expo is “Deep Blue:
innovations for the future of our oceans” https://www.scienceweek.net.au/schools/

This assessment must include:

1. A typewritten report containing components of the rubric

2. A completed risk assessment form
3. Photos of the working model
4. A video (max 5 minutes) demonstrating the model’s use to solve the problem or issue.

Conditions
 Groups of up to 5 are accepted.
 Basic materials can be provided but specialised materials are to be provided by students.
 Any invention or innovation using high powered voltage will not be accepted. Students may only use power
packs or batteries, if required.
 Engineering Design Process

Note: This is a description of the engineering design process in a nutshell. Steps do not have to
occur in any particular order.
Adapted from STEM by Design by Anne Jolly. Copyright © 2017 Taylor

Define the
problem
Communicate Research

Redesign Imagine

Test and
Plan
evaluate
Create

Engineering Design Process

Define the problem. This is the specific challenge that students will address. Introduce criteria and
constraints.
Research. Team members gather needed information about the problem in a variety of different
ways. Experiments and technology are often useful in their STEM research.
Imagine. Team members brainstorm informed ideas on how to solve the problem and come up
with a number of possible solutions. Encourage creative and out-of-the-box ideas.
Plan. Team members choose the idea they think will work best and decide how to design their
experiment, model or prototype.
Create. Team members design the experiment, model or prototype they selected. All team
members play a role in the design process. At this point teams often discover that their design
isn’t practical, do additional planning, and redesign.
Test and evaluate. Teams test their designs to see if they work according to the criteria established.
They evaluate them based on how well the designs meet the criteria and solve the problem. Rubrics
and checklists are useful for this stage.
Redesign. Teams decide how to improve the design and they redesign the device. This may not
be the first time teams have redesigned. In fact, redesign is an ongoing part of the EDP. An
entire STEM challenge might actually focus on improving (redesigning) an existing device.
Communicate. Teams share specifics about the problem, their design solutions, and their results
with a variety of audiences, using a variety of communication approaches and method
BIBLIOGRAPHY GUIDE:

Type of How to reference in the Bibliography

source
Book Authors, Year the book was first published, Title of the book, Publisher,
City

For a single author, e.g. Joseph Smithers:

Smithers, J., 2010, Australia Through the First Billion Years, Penguin,
London.

For 2 authors, e.g. Fred Clark and Robert Joseph Cook:

Clark, F. & Cook, R.J., 2003, Geological science: Perspectives of the earth,
Australian Academy of Science, Canberra.

For 3 or more authors, e.g. Joe Bob Smith, Tom Boggs and Jim Dale:
Smith, J.B. et al, 2008, The Sands of Time, Braithwaite House, Sydney

Newspaper Name of journalist (last name, first initial), Year the article was published,
article ‘Title of the article’, Name of the newspaper, Date the article was
published, page number

Oaten, C, 2002, ‘Open your house to the sun’, The Advertiser, 6

September, p. 31.
Television Name of the program, Year it was first aired, ‘Title of the program’, Date
program, on it was aired, URL, date accessed
website
Lateline, 2009, ‘Torres Strait islands at risk from climate change’, 7
December 2012, http://www.abc.net.au/indigenous/tv_video
/video.htm, accessed 11 January 2013.
You-tube video Not required in reference list unless it forms a major part of your
document.

Name of creator or the name of the channel, Year it was uploaded, Title
of the video, video, URL, date accessed

Rider, J., 2009, Urban Sprawl: A Sim City 4 Demonstration, video,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wp1e3UqGoQ&feature=fvsr,
accessed 11 January 2010.
Website: video Name of the program, Year it was first aired, ‘Title of the program’, Date
it was aired, URL, date accessed

Four Corners, 2004, ‘City limits: Australia’s urban water crisis’, 18

October 2014, http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20050209,
accessed 11 January 2015.
Website: article Organisation, Year, ‘Title of article’, URL, accessed <add the date>

United States Geological Survey, 2013, ‘The San Andreas Fault’,

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq3/safaultgip.html, accessed 18 November
2016.
Year 8 Science Invention and Innovation Project Student names: ______________________________________________
Australian
Curriculum Well Above Satisfactory Above Satisfactory Satisfactory Below Satisfactory
Achievement I can also…. I can also…. I can…. I can…
Standards
Science Inquiry  Hypothesize the likelihood of the  Document (either in an addendum to the 1. State the problem or issue to be solved  Does not state the problem/issue to be
Skills invention or innovation being written report or separate video) how the 2. Describe the problem or issue in solved
Students can identify implemented on a country-wide Engineering Design Process was used in context to society  Incompletely describes the problem/issue
problems that can be scale. the creation of the working model 3. Explain how the invention or innovation in context to society
investigated solution benefits society  Incompletely explains how the invention or
scientifically 4. Model construction is sound and made innovation solution benefits society
using appropriate materials e.g. no high  Model construction is not sound and/or
voltage materials or materials that are made using inappropriate materials
hazardous
Students can consider   5. Complete the risk assessment form,  Risk assessment form is incorrectly or
safety and ethics outlining all the risks to people and incompletely filled in so that the
when planning property, risk levels and precautions consideration of safety and ethics is not
investigations 6. Source of information in regards to the demonstrated
risks and precautions is provided in the
risk assessment
Students apply their  Justify the choice of science used in  Justify the source of information of the 7. The invention or innovation is based on  The invention or innovation is based on
own scientific this invention or innovation. science chosen for the invention or sound science unproven science
knowledge and (evidence to prove why the science innovation. 8. Explain the relevant science used in the  Incompletely explains the relevant science
investigation findings used in this invention and invention or innovation (model) used
to evaluate claims innovation was the best choice for 9. Explain how the invention or innovation  Incompletely explains how the invention or
made by others the solution) (hence the model) solves the problem innovation (hence the model) solves the
or issue problem/issue
10. Hypothesize the likelihood of the
invention or innovation being
implemented on a country-wide scale.
11. Justify the choice of science used in this
invention or innovation. (evidence to
prove why the science used in this
invention and innovation was the best
choice for the solution)

Curriculum HQ 2020 Darwin Middle School

 Students use 1. The report succinctly 3. Report is concise but addresses the 5. Correct and appropriate use of scientific  Incorrect or inappropriate use of scientific
appropriate language prioritises the key points key points in sufficient detail terminology in the written report terminology in the written report
and representations (rather than key points plus 4. Video has verbal explanation of 6. Report communicates the content  Report does not communicate the content
to communicate non-key points) how the model works, which clearly clearly
science ideas 2. Unnecessary parts of the complements the written 7. Report is proof read with correct  Report has blatant spelling and
video are edited out and explanation in the report. spelling and grammar grammatical errors
captions are used to make 8. Video clearly shows the working model  Video does not show the working model in
the video easily understood in action action
by an audience 9. Bibliography follows the bibliography  Bibliography is done incorrectly
guide
Create Analyse Combine Identify
Formulate Compare/ contrast Describe Name
Evaluate Criticize List Follow simple procedures
Hypothesize Justify Explain

Curriculum HQ 2020 Darwin Middle School