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
Food Waste Solutions
Food waste is an environmental concern across the world, with 1.9 million tonnes of food and drink wasted by the food industry in the UK alone, and more than half of it is avoidable.
A company has crafted an intelligent bin that could cut down on food waste. The ‘Winnow Vision’ uses a camera and smart scales to recognise and keep track of the food items that are being disposed of. The thinking behind it is that it will help commercial kitchens reduce the amount they purchase and, in doing so, save them money.
Students are asked to think of a solution to a food waste issue in their own home and design a product to help overcome this issue. The extension task requires students to carry out some research in to how other designers and engineers have tacked the problem of food waste and evaluate how effective their own solution is.
Skills and learning:
Imagination
Lateral thinking
Environmental concerns for the present and future world
Real world tasks
Drawing and perspective skills
Fiscal and economic considerations
Annotation and technical drawing
Types of Motion - Rube Goldberg Machines
In this fun lesson students are asked to examine how Rube Goldberg’s over engineered machine works and examine the types of motion inherent within it. They will then design with their own contraption which has the same functions as the Goldberg machine and incorporate the types of motion they have discovered during their examination. The accompanying extension task asks students to research Rube Goldberg 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
This resource offers a design task, related questions and extension regarding the new royal coinage for Charles III. Students will answer questions and design their own coin as a response.
Topics and skills covered include:
Art and Design - portraiture and mark-making
Designing in response to a brief and set of boundaries.
History and politics - relating to public design.
“The Royal Mint has unveiled a new coin design introducing a portrait of King Charles III and, after production, the coins will be added to the 27 billion coins currently in circulation in the UK. The image was created by British sculptor Martin Jennings who used photographs as a reference for the design; the king has been said to be very pleased with the likeness!
Have you noticed that the King is not wearing a crown? This was a deliberate design specification to make the King appear more human and accessible, why do you think this is important?”
Reuse and Refill - Supermarket reduction of packaging
Waitrose is trailing a scheme to reduce product packaging by asking customers to bring in their own reusable containers which they can fill with unpackaged produce such as cereals, fruit and detergent. This cover lesson requires students to examine and design a way for customers to transport their containers to and from the supermarket.
The resource includes an extension task which requires students to further examine how Supermarkets can reduce packaging waste.
Skills and learning:
Imagination
Lateral thinking
Environmental concerns for the present and future world
Real world tasks
Drawing and perspective skills
Fiscal and economic considerations
Annotation and technical drawing
Escape Room cover lesson with extension task.
Students design their own Escape Room, imagining the themes, clues and mysteries that go in to it. The extension task asks students to create the marketing for their target audience.
Skills practised:
Imagination
Lateral thinking
Drawing and perspective skills
Fiscal and economic considerations
Narrative and storytelling
Annotation and technical drawing
Culture and Society - User Needs
Students are asked to examine three people with different user needs - which are complicated by physical challenges – and to design a product that will enable them to carry out a specified activity. The extension task requires students to think about designing a product that will help them or someone they know carry out an activity that they cannot currently perform.
Skills and learning:
Imagination
Lateral thinking
Problem solving
Consideration of others’ needs
Real world problems
Drawing and perspective skills
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
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