GCSE Design and Technology 9-1 Examination practice, but with practical 2018 AQA examination theme is remote control storage, here are a few simple resources to get groups thinking about the task. This is a mini practical project that pupils can complete in one or two lessons and there are also two other homework type sheets as well. Pupils will have to produce 5 different designs, so by giving them mini practicals they will have physically made a number of possible designs before the exam. There is a question worksheet in the style of the usual AQA batch production question. There is a worksheet to show the different shapes and sizes of existing remote controls. Pupils can approximate the sizes and enter them onto the sheet There is also an example of a product that is quick and simple to make, using cheap easily accessible materials and made with a coping saw and either a glue gun or nails. Pupils could extend the task by developing a jig to hold the pieces so they could be assembled accurately. A printable sheet of templates is also included. I am then going to have pupils make a simple storage device based on their own remote controls but this is a quick way to show them how easy it is to collect the sizes and then to produce a quick product.

GCSE Design and Technology 9-1 AO2-E - REALISING DESIGN IDEAS & AO3 - ANALYSING AND EVALUATING (4 pages) For the 1-9 GCSE. As this is still a new GCSE there is going to be confusion amongst both teachers and pupils. AQA have not provided any great depth of information for anyone, and so I think this will be the best way to go forward. Yes it is a workbook and AQA have said that we should not use them. This just gives the pupils and us a foundation structure. I use it with Yr10 to make them aware of the new assessment criteria. I have found that lower ability candidates use this in Yr11 as a framework to guide them and help them to collect the right information, and that it can then be used a little like a scrapbook to ‘cut and paste’ their work into another folder. This is a 4 page document for the AO2- E and AO3 sections, and worksheets guide pupils to achieve the AQA assessment criteria.

AO2 C&D - GENERATING & DEVELOPING DESIGN IDEAS (5 pages) For the 1-9 GCSE. As this is still a new GCSE there is going to be confusion amongst both teachers and pupils. AQA have not provided any great depth of information for anyone, and so I think this will be the best way to go forward. Yes it is a workbook and AQA have said that we should not use them. This just gives the pupils and us a foundation structure. I use it with Yr10 to make them aware of the new assessment criteria. I have found that lower ability candidates use this in Yr11 as a framework to guide them and help them to collect the right information, and that it can then be used a little like a scrapbook to ‘cut and paste’ their work into another folder. This is a 5 page document for the AO2-C&D section, and worksheets guide pupils to achieve the AQA assessment criteria.

Booklets to allow pupils to work independently at the start but then merge into teams, keeping an evidence based paper trail to appease the gods of assessment and progress. It is difficult to engage in team activities as the evidence is usually spread between member of the team and so folder can look empty if their is a book trawl etc. This is an excellent competition to run in Yr9 and again at the start of Yr10 when pupils have opted for the subject. It also prepares them for aspects of their NEA.

This is aimed at pupils who struggle to collect research normally. This gives them focused activities and breaks up the task into more manageable ones. These pages are sold separately but buying all three at once is nearly 50% cheaper.

A project suitable for KS3 and KS4 groups. Best run as a group activity. Build a solar powered water heating device and use scientific methods to collect data, use Mathematics and ICT to interpret the data, and Physical and Human Geography to correctly align the device and local HWRC's to educate children, and hopefully of course their parents in the types of materials that can and cannot be recycled. This can be set up in a few lessons and the data collection and project folder work generated can go on for as long as you wish to.

A slight take on the 4x4 exercise apart from pupils just work on their own sheet. It has been very useful with RM & Product Design pupils to allow them to top up the A02 Developing ideas section for AQA coursework. They have either added sketches in the boxes or the higher end pupils have attached photos of models. It also allows pupils to consider the modifications they have made at an earlier stage and helps with the A04 Evaluation section. It also works well with KS3 design projects too. An A4 sheet that should ideally be blown up to A3 size. Attached is also an example.

Two separate sheets one for practicing shading with tone and one for practicing with texture. I find getting pupils to consider the background as part of the drawing can be difficult. When these sheets are filled in pupils can really appreciate how the shapes have a different look to them than when they leave the background white.

An enjoyable cover lesson for KS3 pupils, who use a resource sheet of existing sole designs to produce their own personal design. This can then be rendered in greyscale or in colour.

Useful for GCSE projects for Mid to Low ability pupils. Can also be used for KS3 projects as well.

GCSE Design and Technology 9-1 Presentation of 10 different CAD designs with evaluation in the notes. Also a Design sheet for pupils to produce their own specification points and then produce a design to answer that specification. Pupils have completed two sheets for me and are now making a model of the best design. Going down a storm with my Yr11 who are a little bored by paper revision and GCSE Pod videos.

A spreadsheet to help staff and pupils to keep a track on pupil progress in the NEW Technology GCSE from AQA. Coursework, Exam results and exam questions will all accumulate to give a predicted grade for the pupil. The grade boundaries are based on previous ones released by AQA I have spoken to them and unsurprisingly they do not as yet have any idea what these will be, but suggested that the one I have used will ‘do for now’. If you go to the LOOKUPS page you can edit these yourself if you feel they are too high or too low. I have found that pupils appreciate being able to graphically see the progress they are making, and this enables them to take more ownership of the project and become more independent. For the 1-9 GCSE. As this is still a new GCSE there is going to be confusion amongst both teachers and pupils. AQA have not provided any great depth of information for anyone, and so I think this will be the best way to go forward.

This is a great project and pupils love it. It uses 12cm squares of plywood but can be done with hardboard though this is not ideal, you could also use acrylic or foamex for details such as eyes or letters but pupils generally are happy to saw away using good quality birch faced plywood for hours. It can be shortened to just a practical task for a few weeks or spread over a whole term, and this helps to improve all the basic skills as pupils are drawing and peer evaluating, modelling their designs, learning to use the tools (a mini keyring project) Then they can evaluate their skills and produce the final design to produce a quality product. It never fails to please and pupils always take them home as a permanent ‘memory aid’. Everything is quantifiable for assessment purposes and assessment criteria based on a “making progress & Even better if” is included on key pages -winner. It is a full project, involving research of existing products, producing a specification, creating designs that are then modelled in card to produce templates. Then a few practical sessions producing a keyring. Evaluation of skills learned, then on to the final design manufacture and final evaluation.

Sheets with assessment criteria that can be given to pupils as you start each section with them. Using highlighter pens they/you can assess their progress and they can visually see their current mark. Each sheet has the AQA grading criteria, also a check list for relevant contents, and space for planning. I find that giving the pupils one sheet at a time helps them to focus on the specific area they are working on and doesn't overload them with too much at one time.

NOW UPDATED Please re download to update your copy. New page added at end for final prototype. Thanks to everyone who has purchased and downloaded, I hope it is working for you as well as it is for me. I shall add to the files if anything comes to mind as I continue to use it. For the 1-9 GCSE. As this is still a new GCSE there is going to be confusion amongst both teachers and pupils. AQA have not provided any great depth of information for anyone, and so I think this will be the best way to go forward. Yes it is a workbook and AQA have said that we should not use them. This just gives the pupils and us a foundation structure. If pupils have no ICT access print it out as a rough booklet that they can take home and work on then bring in to school to write up into their proper folder. I use it with mainly Yr10 to make them aware of the new assessment criteria. I have found that lower ability candidates use this in Yr11 as a framework to guide them and help them to collect the right information, and that it can then be used a little like a scrapbook to ‘cut and paste’ their work into another folder. This is now a 22 page document for the whole project. All section AO1 to AO4 are covered and worksheets guide pupils to achieve the AQA assessment criteria.