Hello, I trained as an industrial designer, then found myself training as a D&T teacher (great choice!). I've been at it for nearly 20 years now. I was a subject leader for 10 years, leading one of only 10 schools in the country to be recognised by the SSAT as leading edge for D&T. I'm also a past recipient of the DATA annual awards for leadership. I am now in senior leadership, but still teach D&T to KS3,KS4 & KS5 weekly. All resources are well designed, and do what they say on the tin!
Hello, I trained as an industrial designer, then found myself training as a D&T teacher (great choice!). I've been at it for nearly 20 years now. I was a subject leader for 10 years, leading one of only 10 schools in the country to be recognised by the SSAT as leading edge for D&T. I'm also a past recipient of the DATA annual awards for leadership. I am now in senior leadership, but still teach D&T to KS3,KS4 & KS5 weekly. All resources are well designed, and do what they say on the tin!
A 17 slide powerpoint covering material testing in readiness for NEA. This focusses on testing techniques you can easily do in school (tensile, hardness, toughness, energy (heat) transfer etc.
Within the powerpoint are photographs and videos of each test taking place in the workshop (they are made by me - not just a youtube video).
The theory works as a standalone presentation, but if you wanted to make your own testing rigs, I have made a few simple contraptions to make testing more controlled which are also shown in the powerpoint photos/videos in use - all 3 would be easy to make in any DT workshop in a few hours.
There is an accompanying handout for recording any practical tests that students do.
Always one of the favourite lessons of year 12, and they get to complete a piece of NEA in the process too!
As with all my lessons, they come with a retrieval exercise to begin and relevant exam questions (with mark scheme) to conclude.
A 17 slide PowerPoint addressing the product life cycle: introduction - growth - maturity - decline.
The presentation includes case studies, connect activity and consolidation exam questions with a student facing mark structure.
Powerpoint designed to support the teaching of Inclusive Design
21 slides including starter/consolidation tasks along with a case study summarising exercise.
A 17 slide PowerPoint, running through the needed knowledge for AQA A-level D&T.
This covers the types of composites, along with examples of each. Several curated youtube videos are also included to bring the theory to life.
Powerpoint designed to cover the required theory for Major Developments in Technology within A-level D&T.
Sir Clive Sinclair Case Study
Age of Microelectronics
Gordon Moore and Moore’s Law
Information Age
Impact of ICs
Product History Task
2 exam questions are also included.
23 slides - lesson includes spaced retrieval starter, questions for show-me-tell-me boards and consolidation activities.
8 Slide powerpoint covering the necessary elements of theory for AQA GCSE Design & Technology.
Lesson has a starter question.
The lesson also includes a practical activity investigating some fittings (you can make up some demos if desired - photos enclosed, and a CAD file for 3D printing some feet for an M8 bolt)
Powerpoint designed to cover the required theory for IP within A-level D&T.
Patents
Registered Designs
Copyright
Trademarks
Combinations
How to apply & examples
13 slides - lesson includes spaced retrieval / starter and consolidation activities.
Powerpoint designed to support the teaching of UCD.
14 slides including starter/consolidation tasks along with a card sort task based on Maslow’s hierarchy.
Card sort task: Print off the PDF using the ‘multiple’ option, and 2 x 2 pages per side, double sided. There being 5 steps makes this a bit wasteful - sorry!
Hand out: This was just to make the notes easier!
I readiness for this year’s exam season, this is a 3 page countdown calendar made in powerpoint which asks a key question each day in the run up to the exam.
Dates are from Easter to the end of June.
I usually encourage my children to pin the 3 sheets up in their kitchen, and answer the question whilst making breakfast! The students like it, and it often brings about greater revision as the questions lay bare the gaps in knowledge.
Although in powerpoint, the page is set up to be A4, so will print perfectly on a sheet (tip: I usually save as pdf before printing and then print that, as you can get it closer the edges as a pdf!)
NB: The template has questions for GCSE D&T within, and the exam date is also for AQA GCSE D&T, but just needs editing to suit your own subject, Key Stage and classes.
English / Maths / Science / Geography / History / RE / French / German / Drama / Music / Food / CS / Business Studies / ICT
Also enclosed is a few hints for good revision (including a slide you can use when launching this)
Hope it helps!
11 Slide powerpoint covering the necessary elements of theory for AQA GCSE Design & Technology.
Lesson has a starter question.
Main focus of lesson is a production line activity manufacturing a small laser cut slot together rocket as a class, then packaging in a carton.
All CAD files (2D design) are enclosed to make up the parts.
11 Slide powerpoint covering the necessary elements of theory for AQA GCSE Design & Technology.
Lesson has a starter question, and further questions as a consolidate.
31 Slide powerpoint covering the necessary elements of theory for AQA GCSE Design & Technology.
This would cover 2 lessons.
Lesson has a starter question, and further questions too.
2 worksheets outs are enclosed too.
Powerpoint written to support the understanding of manufacturing efficiencies, particularly:
Modify designs to make them more efficient to manufacture, including:
Why and how you would reduce the number of manufacturing processes to make a product
How choice of materials affects the use, care and disposal of products
Application of the six Rs of sustainability
Product maintenance (fixings, parts, and even software)
An 18 slide powerpoint, with a mixture of theory, tasks and youtube links as relevant.
** Now updated to widescreen format! (October 2024)
A silly one off lesson which takes around an hour. Works well for induction sessions. Lesson starts off with a deadpan question about if students saw the news? What follows are some slides to support a highly spurious tale about rockets being fired from the Isle of White into deep space, supported by some faked newspaper articles about aliens. It all comes down to a meeting is needed, and it will be in the O2 arena (The Millenium Dome as it’s visible from space), but what will they sit on? How do you design a chair for a creature you’ve never met?
The lesson is designed to encourage interaction within groups of students who don’t know each other, and also raises some questions about user centered design.
Pairs / Groups then present their ideas (with good evidence about where the tail goes).
It lasts about an hour, brings a smile to the face, and engages students.
Included is a powerpoint (and a pdf version too). There is no lesson plan, it somewhat ‘runs itself’ from the powerpoint.
Enclosed is a printable self contained cover lesson based on the Red Bull Air Race. Essentially students sketch a series of primitive forms in isometric, then add an arrow to show the path of the plane.
Arrows to show openings, swings, drawers etc. are not used very well by students in product design, so this task was designed to bring on that skill.
The sheet is printable in A3, and would has instructions enclosed. It also has a PowerPoint to accompany it, including stage steps, if that facility is available (including a 3 minute video to engage the students on what an air race is like).
All files are fully editable (hand out made in PowerPoint too).
I have used this for many different age groups successfully, and usually leads to a very quite and engaged cover lesson!
A lesson which could be used as part of an induction process for KS4 or KS5.
Lesson focusses around refelctions on a user profile, followed by the design of a water bottle for the user (handouts include space for itterations).
This resource was designed to be used alongside ‘user profile boxes’ which is where you make up 4 boxes, with each box containing 10-15 posessions of a key person e.g.
Retired lady - china mug, saga magazine, item of clothing etc.
Young boy - plastic dinosaur, lego magazine, etc.
Initial ‘investigation’ and user profile would be carried out in groups (one group per box). Students complete profile sheet. NB: you will never answer all questions from the items in a box, so assumptions are needed reflecting on evidence to hand.
Students then individually design their bottles, but then present them back to the sub groups afterwards, and a ‘professional argument’ to cross check the design suitability is structured in.
21 Slide powerpoint covering the necessary elements of theory for AQA GCSE Design & Technology.
Lesson has a starter question, consolidate question and activity throughout (VOCAPPS).
Enclosed in this pack are three resources for distribution.
Parental/Student focussed help sheet for installing the classroom app, and accessing via the web (you will need to personalise some elements of this to your own school, but will save you hours!)
Teacher’s help sheet as to the best ways of accessing and using Google Meets.
A teacher’s help sheet for making more efficient use of assessment within Google Classroom (such as rubrics, voice dictation and such).
All have been used for a few months, and have had positive feedback.
A one hour theory session covering the elements needed for energy generation and storage. Includes course textbook page links. The powerpoint has been written to aid note taking (i.e. when you move to the next slide the key elements of the previous are still seen) - I have found this very useful for early in year 10.