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Teddy Explorer

Design Brief: Design and make a toy buggy for teddy to explore the world
Strand of Learning: Structures & Mechanisms
Overview: In this unit of work children design and make a toy buggy for their teddy to explore the world. They begin by investigating toy vehicles to see how they work, identifying their different parts and learning about linear and rotational movement and how a wheel and axle mechanism makes a vehicle move. They then learn about the invention of the wheel and its impact on ancient civilisations. Children are taught woodworking skills to create a simple wooden frame that is used to create the chassis for their buggy. Attaching a wheel and axle mechanism children are able to make a moving vehicle. They research and investigate vehicles in the world around them and toys that have wheels and axles. When designing their toy buggy, they consider all the different objects that teddy will need when exploring the world. They make the body of the buggy and attach it to the wooden frame chassis. Adding a wheel and axle mechanism completes their model.

Gallery

Images from the Lesson Presentation Slides

  • 6 x Lesson Presentation Slides

  • Additional Presentation: Working with Wood

  • Toy cars and vehicles to investigate

  •  PDF Vehicle Stickers

  • PDF Suitcase Template

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Medium Term Planning includes:

  • 6 x lesson overviews

  • Vocabulary List

  • Knowledge Organiser

  • Learning statements linked to Curriculum

  • Support and Challenge

  • Assessment - Keeping up with the curriculum

Teaching Pack

Curriculum Scope and Sequence

Substantive & Technical Knowledge

Pupils should know:

  • A product is something that is made to do a job or fulfil and need.

  • A design brief describes the product that is to be made

  • Drawing out design ideas is useful to see how the product will look.

  • Using model and construction kits can help to develop their ideas and designs.

  • To keep themselves safe when making things.

  • Improving a product whilst making it is an important part of design technology.

  • Evaluating existing products can help them to design and make their own product ideas.

  • Evaluating a product is about identifying what is good about the product and ways it could be made better.

 

Structures

  • Different structures are used for different purposes.

 

Mechanical Systems

  • Know that mechanisms cause things to move. 

  • Linear movement is movement in a straight line.

  • Rotational movement is circular movement.

  • A wheel needs to be attached to an axel to rotate.

Practical Knowledge (skills)

Pupils should know how to:

Designing Skills

  • Use knowledge of existing products to help with generating their own ideas.

  • Explain what their product is and how it will work.

Drawing Skills

  • Generate and communicate ideas using sketches, drawing and digital software.

  • Create clearly labelled drawings to explain how their product works.

 

  • Select and use tools most appropriate for a practical task.

  • Measure and mark out different materials when working with them.

  • Cut and shape a range of materials using different tools and techniques.

  • Assemble, join, and combine a range of materials using different methods and techniques.

  • Apply a range of different finishing techniques to their made product.

  • Reflect on a finished product explaining their likes, dislikes and suggesting improvements.

 

Structures

  • Join different materials to create a structure.

  • Create a simple rectangular framework with corner struts for added strength.

 

Mechanical Systems

  • Add wheels and axles to a frame or chassis to create a moving vehicle.

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