Design a Christmas Cracker Legend has it that Christmas Crackers were first designed by confectioner Tom Smith to sell his sweets at Christmas time. He was inspired by the ‘bon bon’ wrapper design that he had seen on his travels in France. He added the ‘snap’ when the cracker was pulled apart and put in a joke or riddle along with the sweet and they have remained a popular part of the festive season ever since! Students are asked to design a festive cracker for Christmas – cutting out the template and using drawing and colour to create their own stand out Christmas decoration. The worksheet includes teacher instructions and an extension task for high achievers. Skills practised: Imagination Drawing skills Use of shape and colour Hand skills and accuracy Shape and function

Robots of the Future Robots, as we know them, came out of the late nineteenth century. They featured in films of the early 1950s as mechanical humans that would perform superhuman feats. Other robots simply carried out household tasks like cleaning and cooking while their owners relaxed. Students are asked to Design a robot of the future - thinking about what our needs might be in a hundred year’s time and what tasks robots will do for us? Skills and learning: Imagination Lateral thinking Problem solving Engineering Drawing and perspective skills Real world and future world problems Annotation and technical drawing

Anti-Litter Machine – Heath Robinson In this fun lesson students are asked to examine how Heath Robinson’s over engineered Anti-Litter Machine works and design with their own more effective contraptions. The accompanying extension task asks students to research Heath Robinson and to design ‘in the style of’. Skills and learning: Imagination Lateral thinking Types of motion Engineering Drawing and perspective skills Research and interpretation skills Annotation and technical drawing

Art Deco Christmas Bauble Students are asked to research and design an Art Deco inspired Christmas bauble decoration by the company John Lewis. The worksheet also contains an extension task for high achievers. Skills practised: Imagination Lateral thinking Drawing and perspective skills Use of shape and colour Narrative and storytelling Annotation and technical drawing

Cut Out and Keep Board Game Students are asked to: “design a ‘Cut out and Keep’ board game which could be printed on the back of a cereal packet for example. The design should include; The board; 6 playing pieces; A spinner; Instructions” Skills practised: Imagination Lateral thinking Drawing and perspective skills Use of shape and colour Narrative and storytelling Annotation and technical drawing