How can you tell they’ve got it: Comparing Possible Solutions?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Generate at least three possible solutions to a defined design problem; Compare solutions against the specified criteria and constraints; Select the most promising solution with reasoning for the choice. Or just try it together: Can your child brainstorm several different solutions to a design challenge and then compare them to decide which one best meets the requirements?

Science Scientific Inquiry Ages 8–11

Comparing Possible Solutions

Your child can think up several ways to solve a design problem. They weigh each one against what is needed and pick the most promising, giving reasons.

In curriculum terms

Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Generate at least three possible solutions to a defined design problem
Compare solutions against the specified criteria and constraints
Select the most promising solution with reasoning for the choice

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Try this together

Can your child brainstorm several different solutions to a design challenge and then compare them to decide which one best meets the requirements?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Simple Design Problemsages 8–11Must define a design problem before generating and comparing multiple solutions

Comparing Possible Solutionsthis skill · ages 8–11

Unlocks

Fair testingages 8–11Must compare solutions before planning fair tests to improve prototypes

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

Show candidate curriculum codes · 2 ACARA · 2 NSW · 3 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9TDE6P01low confidenceYear 5–6 · Processes and production skills

investigate needs or opportunities for designing, and the materials, components, tools, equipment and processes needed to create designed solutions

AC9TDE4P01low confidenceYear 3–4 · Processes and production skills

explore needs or opportunities for designing, and test materials, components, tools, equipment and processes needed to create designed solutions

NSW syllabus codes & stages only

ST3-DDT-01medium confidenceScience and Technology K-6 · Stage 3

ST2-DDT-02low confidenceScience and Technology K-6 · Stage 2

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2TDE4D04medium confidenceDesign and Technologies · Levels 3 and 4 · Creating Designed Solutions strand

VC2TDE4D05medium confidenceDesign and Technologies · Levels 3 and 4 · Creating Designed Solutions strand

VC2TDE6D04medium confidenceDesign and Technologies · Levels 5 and 6 · Creating Designed Solutions strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

Correlation vs Causationages 8–10 Fair testingages 8–11 Simple Design Problemsages 8–11 Accurate Measurementages 9–11

All Scientific Inquiry skills →