Visiting Vines - Level 6 Sample Unit

Introduction

In Visiting vines students explore concepts and skills that have relevance to work in a vineyard. They apply their mathematical skills to estimate and calculate different aspects of the wine production process and participate in activities where they are encouraged to develop their problem solving strategies and reflect on the quality of their thinking shown throughout the unit. Students will also monitor and reflect on their progress as autonomous learners.

A visit to a vineyard is an essential component of this unit and illustrates how an excursion to an industrial setting can provide context and motivation for learning. This unit could be modified to suit other industries which may be more accessible or appropriate for your students. When organising an excursion teachers must consider the requirements of safe work practices and food handling, and the environmental issues that arise in a visit to a vineyard.

Present Activities 1, 2 and 3 as a sequence. Activities 4, 5, 6 and 7 stand alone. This unit is to be implemented over two to three weeks, or about six to nine hours. Some of the sections can be covered in a single session, such as Activity 1, while others, such as Activity 3, will require several sessions.

Suggested duration: six to nine hours over a three week period.

For further information see the Teaching, learning and assessment section.

Assessment

This unit provides opportunities for students to demonstrate achievement of elements of Level 6 standards in Mathematics, Personal Learning and Thinking Processes.

It will also help teachers identify ways in which the Level 6 standards support students to develop facets of employability skills.

For further information see the VELS and employability skills section.

Students are assessed on their ability to:

apply mathematical knowledge and skills to calculate area, volume, quantities and costs
estimate the capacity of containers
interpret and create mathematical models
employ appropriate methodologies for creating and verifying knowledge
reason logically and critically
select and use thinking processes and tools appropriate to particular tasks
apply a range of problem solving strategies
monitor and identify areas for improvement in their learning.

For further information see the Assessment section.

Acknowledgments

The VCAA acknowledges teachers from Billanook College who contributed ideas or materials that helped shape this unit.

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Visiting vines (PDF - 999KB)