Create, Experiment, Build, Question and Learn.
I am a specialist Product and Graphic Design Teacher, specialising in the Iterative process of designing, prototyping and evaluating. With a particular focus on entrepreneurship and making, rooted in real-world contexts and challenges.
My mission is to plan and deliver creative, fun and engaging lessons for KS3, 4 and 5, ages 11-18.
Create, Experiment, Build, Question and Learn.
I am a specialist Product and Graphic Design Teacher, specialising in the Iterative process of designing, prototyping and evaluating. With a particular focus on entrepreneurship and making, rooted in real-world contexts and challenges.
My mission is to plan and deliver creative, fun and engaging lessons for KS3, 4 and 5, ages 11-18.
A simple introduction to Google Sketchup. Pupils go through the basic features of the software with a differentiated hand-out to create a model toothbrush. This lesson observation was graded as ‘outstanding’.
The lesson consists of a starter activity, step-by-step instructions for each tool, clear assesment criteria and a review.
Also included is a homework task and teacher example.
How does a computer understand instructions?
This lesson acts as a short introduction to what coding is and explains the principles of input, process, storage, and output through the use of Scratch, in a practical and fun way.
♦ Introduction to coding.
♦ Introduction into process - storage - process - output.
♦ Introduction to Scratch programming language.
♦ Practical activity where students code each other before moving onto computers. Students love this activity which teaches them about logic and writing commands that a computer will understand.
♦ Practical coding activity to understand the basics of how to move a Sprite and apply what they have learnt in the previous practical task.
This is the first introductory lesson of a unit/project that introduces students to the exciting world of coding! In the project, students will design and code their own educational game for primary year students. The full scheme will be uploaded in March 2023 when it is fully complete.
If you enjoyed this project/scheme of work please leave a review and visit my shop where there is a range of creative and engaging design and engineering projects.
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Pupils’ love being creative with this hands-on project. Students are tasked with creating a mini prototype piece of flat-pack furniture for a furniture manufacturer. I have used Cardboard and envelopes (to personify flat-pack packaging) with a craft knife and tape or glue gun but this project but it could be adapted for other materials such as HIPS or wood. Also Included are differentiated resources and student/teacher examples.
In this first lesson, students are introduced to the benefits of flat pack furniture in logistics and manufacturing through class discussions and group tasks. They they create their own piece of furniture that can be disassembled and placed flat inside an envelope. There is also an extension task where they can draw ‘wordless’ instructions for another student to try to assemble there design.
Introduction to SOW
Class discussion/group tasks on flat pack furniture
Modelling
Optional extension
Activities should be spread over 2/3 lessons
If you enjoyed this lesson, please see the other lessons in this or other Product Design series/SOW (where the full iterative design process is covered). In this unit, pupils will gain an understanding into what is product design and the creative process of a designer, from initial ideas, final isometric sketching, writing a specification and clay model making (prototyping).
One of a series of Graphics Personification lessons, where students are introduced to graphic design, typography and advertising.
In this first lesson, students are introduced to graphic design, personification and anthropomorphism through various questioning activities and a Pixar video. Finally they are shown how both are used effectively in advertising (M & M’s and Kellogg’s) before creating their own Pixar research page, demonstrating an understanding of the key words learnt; in a visual way. Also included is an instructional video to aid with delivery of content.
If you enjoyed this lesson, please see the other lessons in my personification graphics scheme. This scheme was designed for KS3 but could also be used with KS4 students.
One of a series of Graphics Personification lessons, where students are introduced to graphic design and typography to create a piece of ‘positive advertising’. Also included is an instructional video to aid with delivery of content.
In this fourth lesson, students are tasked with personifying type to form the text for a piece of ‘positive advertising’. This is in response to an industry style, client brief by the NHS for their ‘Change 4 Life’ campaign. This lesson could be extended over several lessons.
If you enjoyed this lesson, please see the other lessons in my personification graphics scheme. This scheme was designed for KS3 but could also be used with KS4 students.
This product design (design and technology) lesson introduces students to market pull and technology push as well as planned obsolescence, in line with assessment criteria for design technology specification criteria.
Lesson consists of a starter, class discussion, relatable examples, videos (contextulisation), main activity and a homework design activity (consolidation activity).
If you enjoyed this lesson, please see other product design theory lessons in my shop, that are all linked to Design Technology theory exam assessment criteria.
Students love being creative with this hands-on project and it is a great introduction into graphic design, branding and how to evaluate a product for KS3 with strong cross-curricular links. Homework tasks are also included.
In this project students are set a brief; to create a desk tidy for WHSmith yet this could be ammended to suit a diferent brief.
Branding
Logos
Packaging
Packaging symbols
Sketching techniques (2-point, isometric)
Evaluating with CAFE QUE
Project requires Card, vacuum formed acrylic (optional)
In this lesson, students are introduced to fossil fuels and their impact on the environment through global warming in line with GCSE assessment criteria for Design and Technology. The lesson consists of videos, class discussions, a writing task and finally a design task.
Starter activity
Preparatory theory task
Class discussion/questioning and videos
Design (consolidation) Task
If you enjoyed this lesson, please see the other lessons in this or other Product Design series/SOW (where the full iterative design process is covered). In this unit, pupils will gain an understanding into the importance of sustainability and applied practical Science in Product Design.
In this lesson, students explore the various needs, wants, interests etc of a target market and how designs can use this information to influence their design decisions, then are given a specific target market to explore through a creative exercise. They then consolidate this information to present their findings to the rest of the class. This lesson can be used for KS3, 4 or 5 in a variety of lessons around the ideas of user-centred design and entrepreneurship.
The only materials required are large sheets of paper and marker pens. Also included are 2 students examples.
Product Design Teacher Modelling Examples; taking you through from initial ideas through to final conception of an innovative ‘USB Stick’ product.
Including;
Problem Analysis
Product Analysis
Existing Product Research
Market Research
Demographic Research
Client Profile
Anthropometrics Research
Research Review
Specification
Initial Ideas
Initial Ideas II
Final Design
CAD Modelling
Marketing
Great for exemplar modelling examples or homework examples for 3D Design, Product Design or Design Technology. Can be incorporated into lesson plans, used for moderation or used as additional resources.
Please note this has been created by myself for use as an exemplar student reference. It is not a copy of student work.
In this creative, though theoretical lesson, students are introduced to/or consolidate their knowledge of Access FM. Students are given a series of Ikea lamps (though this could be easily changed to other products), which they must analyse using the ACCESS FM criteria. Students then consolidate their analysis into a short presentation through group-work, in a ‘dragons den style’ format.
Introduction to ACCESS FM
Preparatory Task
Consolidation Task
Presentation
Peer assessment (vote)
If you enjoyed this lesson, please see the other lessons in this or other Product Design series/SOW (where the full iterative design process is covered). In this unit, pupils will gain an understanding into what is product design and the creative process of a designer, from initial ideas, final isometric sketching, writing a specification and model making (prototyping).
In this conceptual project, students are given a brief and apply their learning through the design and presentation of an artifact. Students love the challenge of speculating on the future and forming their concepts around a narrative. There have been some fascinating outcomes as students relish the creative freedom.
Speculative design is designing from a critical, political and/or ethical perspective in the form of an artifact from the near or distant future. There are several reasons why we might use speculative design:
To question and critique.
Raise awareness.
Start conversations.
Provoke, amuse or annoy.
The word ‘artifact’ is deliberate as the outcomes does not need to be a physical product. The outcome can be in the form of any 2D, 3D or digital ‘artifact(s)’. For example it could be a guide, a map, packaging etc. Trying to make the future artifact as believable as possible through storytelling.
Project structure:
What is speculative design?
Mind-map tasks
Case study
Imagining the world in 2067 in regards to society, housing, resources, economy, politics, technology, health and environment
Critique Sessions
Prototyping of artifact
Final presentation
The project can help students develop their rapid prototyping, storytelling, critiquing and presenting skills. It has been delivered to both college and university students.
