Design Technology - Teddy Explorer (Key Stage 1)

Teddy Explorer is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 5-7.
Design Brief: Design and make a toy buggy for teddy to explore the world

The package provides the medium-term plan, six lessons (each lesson has a MS Powerpoint presentation). Any additional resources are provided as PDFs or as Powerpoint Presentations. This unit of work fulfils the National Curriculum (England) Design Technology requirements for this age group in the following strands of learning:

• Structures
• Mechanical Systems
  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.