Design a place setting for a party

Get ready for a street party celebration and introduce basic maths with this fun activity

In this engaging STEM activity, learners will design and make a place setting for a party or celebration. They will identify the items required, measure the space needed for themselves and the items, and use this information to design and make the place setting.

This challenge is perfect for 5–7-year-olds and could be used as a main lesson activity to teach about designing within a theme or practical applications of measurement. It could also be used as a part of a wider scheme of learning focusing on practical skills within graphics or graphic design.

Activity: Design a place setting for a party

This is one of a series of free resources designed to allow learners to use the theme of a celebration to develop their knowledge and skills in Design and Technology and Mathematics. This resource focuses on the designing and making of a place setting for a party to celebrate the event, so you can adapt to any celebration.

Students will use basic maths skills for KS1 to practice with a ruler as they work out how much space is needed to sit and dine together for a party banquet. This exercise will take approximately 80 – 120 minutes and can be carried out in school or at home.

Tools/resources required
Paper and card
Colouring pencils or pens
Scissors
Pencils and rulers
Glue sticks
Access to plates, cups and cutlery for measurement
Disposable cutlery, if available
Paper tablecloth (for extension activity)

Suggested learning outcomes

By the end of this STEM project students will be able to design from a brief, they will be able to measure dimensions and use these when designing and they will be able to create an attractive and fun place setting for a special party.

The engineering context

All designers and engineers need to be able to produce ideas related to certain themes and follow a design brief. This ensures that the products they design will meet the needs of the end users, customers or clients.

Download the free Design a place setting for a party activity sheet!

All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs.

The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

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