PRIMARY DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
Ensuring outstanding teaching in Design Technology
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Garden Escapes (Lower Key Stage 2)
Design Brief: Design and make a small animal home to encourage wildlife to visit the school grounds.
Strand of Learning: Materials & Structures
Overview: In this project, children design and make a prototype animal home for the school garden or a local park. They are introduced to using computer software to help design products and use this software to design an animal home. Children learn about frame and shell structures and apply this knowledge when making their animal home prototype. As part of the evaluation process children participate in a Dragon’s Den activity where they present their prototype design and model to a ‘panel of experts’.
A version of this project without the use of computer-aided design is also available.
Gallery
Images from the Lesson Presentation Slides
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6 x Lesson Presentation Slide
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Medium Term Planning includes:
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6 x lesson overviews
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Vocabulary List
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Learning statements linked to Curriculum
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Support and Challenge
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Assessment - Keeping up with the curriculum
Teaching Pack
Curriculum Scope and Sequence
Substantive & Technical Knowledge
Children will know:
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The difference between a design brief and design specifications.
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Design specifications describe how a product should be made, how it works or what it should do.
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How computer-aided design software can help in the design process.
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Rules and procedures for keeping themselves safe when making products.
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The properties of materials that they are working with and how these determine the tools and techniques that they use.
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That a list of the main stages of turning a design into a product will aid the making process.
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When evaluating products, it is important to use the design brief and the design specifications as a guide.
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To use a range of information sources to identify areas in which their product could be improved.
Materials
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That products are made of materials that are chosen because of their properties.
Structures
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Whether a structure is a frame structure or a shell structure
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Suitable techniques to strengthen materials.
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Suitable techniques of making structures more stable
Practical Knowledge (skills)
Children will know how to:
Designing Skills
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Conduct research, including consumer surveys to find out needs and wants of the client
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Generate ideas for a product, considering its purpose and who the client is.
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Design a product that meets client’s needs and the design brief.
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Use design specifications as a guide to the making process.
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List the design features that will appeal to the client.
Drawing Skills
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Communicate and draw out their designs using three-dimensional techniques such as ‘crating’ and isometric drawing.
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Use computer software to show what their final product will look like.
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Follow instructions to ensure that they work safely.
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Select suitable tools, equipment, materials, and components for the task.
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Explain their choices of materials, techniques and tools when making a product.
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Measure, mark out, cut and shape materials with increasing accuracy.
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Select and apply a finishing technique to create a quality product.
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Identify and implement ways of improving a product whilst making it.
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Identify the characteristics of a design which makes the product useful and successful.
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List the ways in which a finished product meets the design specifications.
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Evaluate their product using a range of sources including client review, peer review, design brief and the design criteria.
Materials
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Measure, mark-out, cut and shape a wide range of materials.
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Cut internal shapes and joining slots in sheet materials.
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Join and combine materials and components using a variety of methods.
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Manipulate different materials to create different effects by cutting, creasing, and folding.
Structures
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Choose suitable materials, techniques, and tools to construct or repair products.
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Apply a range of techniques to create shell structures using paper and card
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Apply a range of practical skills and techniques to create stable and strong frame structures.