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

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

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

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

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

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