Agriculture a career for everyone: High school resources

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Design thinking in agriculture

Lesson Overview

Students will explore the place of design thinking and economics in agriculture through investigation of a successful Western Australian agricultural business and engage in activities that allow them to explore aspects of the design process including economic considerations.

Australian Curriculum: Technologies

Design and Technologies
  • Year 9 and 10 - Apply design thinking, creativity, innovation and enterprise skills to develop, modify and communicate design ideas of increasing sophistication (ACTDEP049)
  • Evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions against comprehensive criteria for success recognising the need for sustainability (ACTDEP051)
Resources

Tuning in

Students will read the article 'Let the creative juices flow bro’ by Caitlin Burling, Ripe Magazine, May 2015, vol 9, number 5, page 3. It profiles a pair of young agricultural entrepreneurs who are making cold-pressed juices from WA fruit.

Whole class introduction

Design thinking is a process that businesses use to identify innovations, invent and improve existing products.

Some businesses start with an existing product and use the process to make it more easy to use, stylish or interesting, and this is sometimes called value-adding. Products achieve a higher price if they are different and unique, or value-added.

Did you know that some of the most creative cities in the world have design strategies, including London and Melbourne? These strategies are used to make these cities places where people want to visit, to see new and exciting inventions, fashions and products and to experience new tastes.

Even the food we eat is designed. Agriculture has many careers for people who are creative and interested in design.

Throughout Western Australia there are businesses that promote themselves as destinations where you can try innovative, value-added farm products. Some businesses and communities band together to promote their region as a place to visit where these food experiences can be found.

You may recognise the following locations as places where you have sampled value-added products:

  • Swan Valley
  • Manjimup
  • Margaret River
  • Kununurra
  • Carnarvon

See if you can match these value-added products with a region or town where they are grown in Western Australia. Choose from the list of towns above:

 
Product Where is it produced in WA?
Black truffle Dukkha  
Choc-coated frozen banana  
Venison chorizo sausage  
Chia with cocnut juice/ ready-made breakfast  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher note: A handout is provided with a map of Western Australian towns.

Author

Nikki Poulish