Design Technology - Torches (Lower Key Stage 2)

Torches is a Design Technology unit of work aimed primarily at children aged 7-9.
Design Brief: Design and make a ‘hands-free’ headlamp for someone walking their dog at night.

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
• Materials
• Electrical Systems

In this unit of work children are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge of creating simple electrical circuits to design and make a torch product. Using a range of electrical components, they create a hand torch that lights up when the switch is on. Children have the opportunity to develop brainstorming skills to investigate how a torch works and then use the same skills to develop ideas and to design their product. In this unit children are taught how cut-away drawings, labels and annotations can help to understand how a product has been made and functions. They use this knowledge to create an authentic ‘hands-free’ headlamp product for somebody who walks their dog at night. Having made their product and thinking about the appeal to the intended client, children design a poster to market and advertise their product.

This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:

1. IDEA Task 1: All About Torches
2. IDEA Task 2: Investigating Torches
3. Focused Practical Task 1: Making a Torch
4. Designing the Headlamp Torch
5. Making the Headlamp Torch
6. Evaluation Session