Visual information I produced to describe a range of methods for generating movement for a mechanical toy. Also included are a range of possible construction techniques and ideas for possible outcomes.

What does a product designer do? How does craft production compare to product/industrial design? Investigate and study the factors for sucessful product design and analysis.

Combined graphics and Product analysis exercises. free hand drawing exercises combined with Analysys of design groups Allessi and Koziol. Students are then prompted to re-design an existing product using the influence of the products they have analysed together with the graphic skills developed during the previous exercises.

A guided investigation beginning with stock forms of availability and progressing into an analysis of the physical and mechanical properties of a range of materials together with their working properties. The resource then analyses basic fabrication processes and how these impact different scales of hand and commercial production for a variety of materials together with their uses in manufacturing. Students have a set of questions and tasks to complete to consolidate their learning.

A focused investigation into different types of paper and card together with their uses with reasons designed for AQA product design. The pack also explores printing techniques and processes with their uses. Students have a set of questions and tasks to consolidate their learning. Its a very visual resource designed for a board display.

Build this adorable push pull pull frog toy using the easy to follow instructions packed with explanatory text and images. The sequential guide guarantees completing every step easily and successfully with a full description of materials, tools and processes involved.A fantastic enrichment or production exercise task.

Fantastic extension task or after school activity.Build this timber push along crocodile toy that bites and waddles along with the push of his handle. Kids love him and shriek with a mixture of fascination and fear as he ambles toward them. The legs mimic a walking action as the wheels rotate causing the jaws to open and shut with with a realistic snap sound. The tail is articulated and designed to swish side to side as he moves. The production plan contains all the plans, instructions and templates to build your own menacing reptile.

A fantastic resource for an enrichment or craft extension activity. The chimp cycles furiously away as you push him along with a handle located at the back omitted for clarity. As he pedals, the torso tilts forward and back with the effort using a hidden pivot point located between the leg and trike frame. Make him by preparing and assembling the components shown in the detailed dimensioned diagrams and easy to follow assembly instructions. We don’t normally approve of performing primates but he volunteered and got a nice uniform for the gig as well.

A fantastic resource for an enrichment or craft extension activity. The snappy orcas mouth opens and closes as you push her along making a lovely wooden click sound as the jaws snap shut. She’s made from painted, recycled birch plywood for durability and sustainability. Begin making your own by downloading the detailed production plan! The PDF contains all the templates, easy to follow instructions and information needed to produce this adorable creature that will be loved for generations.

Ideal activity for an extension activity or enrichment opportunity. Download the detailed and easy to follow construction plans to build this terrifying push along dinosaur toy. He’s made from laminated, carved and painted timber. The dinosaur toy uses a linkage mechanism to cause the head to simultaneously lunge up and down as the jaws snap open and shut. A cavity inside the abdomen contains an eccentric cam to drive the head mechanism as the wheels rotate. Gravity keeps the head assembly in constant contact with the eccentric cam wheel. When you push or pull him, he charges along on legs connected to the wheels and makes a lovely snap sound as the jaws shut. The grasping forearms hang freely waiting to grab its prey. The figure is completed with an articulated tail made by gluing angled timber slats on either side of a canvas interface causing it to swing side to side as the figure is pushed and pulled along. The addition of some 4mm dowel teeth complete his air of reptilian menace.

A task designed to introduce simple mechanisms and develop work shop skills when possibly producing in quantity. This a comprehensive and very visual resource that lends itself to a production based, or focussed practical task for year nine or ten students. The task includes opportunity for some differentiation in terms of the level of sophistication of possible outcomes. Clear, concise instructions guide every step of production and assembly. A really fun task to explore batch production and team work. I also plan to use it to help develop students ability to plan the production of a chosen outcome by identifying the resources needed and the correct, logical sequence of construction and assembly.

Ideal opportunity for an enrichment or extension activity. Download these easy to follow, detailed construction plans, templates and instructions to build your own adorable hungry hound toy. With a push of the handle, he snoops, sniffs and yaps as he is pushed along. His legs generate a walking action. His tail eagerly wags, driven by an eccentric cam and follower hidden between the rear wheels. The head is basically a type of bell crank flipped up and down by two inside wheel pegs located on the interior of each front wheel. He can be pushed with a handle fixed into his top.

A fantastic resource for an enrichment activity or craft club. Build this adorable, laminated, carved and polished birch plywood kangaroo toy. Its a mechanical push pull action operated by a simple mechanism located secretly in the underside. Push or pull her along to make the head and tail oscillate. The legs mimic a big jumping action as she moves. The kinetic motion causes the head to nod and the front paws to swing freely. She makes a beautiful mechanical racket as she’s pushed along. A handle is conveniently located in the top to operate her .

A fantastic resource for an enrichment activity or craft club. Make your own chomping shark! A push of the handle is all that’s needed to bring him to life. He makes a lovely wooden snapping sound as the jaws open and close. The downloadable PDF contains all the plans, templates and detailed photographic instructions needed to produce this adorable playroom predator. He’s made of carved and painted recycled birch plywood. The easy to follow sequential instructions takes you through every step of making to ensure a successful outcome that will be loved for generations.

A great idea for an assignment or enrichment activity. Build your own terrifying T Rex bookend beast to guard your books with this detailed construction tutorial containing all the templates and construction plans needed to bring him to life. Adapt the detailed plans to suit your own KS3 scheme of work.

Production exercise for a key stage three group using timber and basic mechanisms. Sequential photo diagrams and notes explains how to construct a mechanical timber robot from stock size softwood. Each stage of making is described in sequence with all the dimensions and assembly instructions. Enrichment opportunity exists in prompts toward a more sophisticated outcome. The second booklet contains photographs only and more detail about production aids to explain assembly

A resource to explore the environmental and ethical and moral impact of design and manufacturing on the planet. Several case studies are used to explore sustainability issues and the ethical alternatives. I made it as an optimistic resource that shows students there are viable, sustainable alternatives to current, unsustainable design and manufacturing. Concepts and content includes, sustainable and unsustainable design, renewable and non renewable energy sources, product life cycle analysis, six R’s of sustainability, up cycling and the hidden costs of design.

An investigation into renewable and non renewable energy sources with a comprehensive description of alternatives and benefits for sustainable energy sources.

Preparation/practice questions for the theme of 'Public Seating for Adults and Young Children'. An opportunity to tackle exam style questions that help students prepare for the terminal exam. The questions tease out knowledge of materials, processes and terminology they will encounter for both part A and part B of the AQA exam paper for resistant materials. Students are prompted to answer using both words and pictures.

A comprehensive learning and revision resource for the AQA Resistant Materials summer examination theme of 'Public Seating for Adults and Children.' Its a very visual resource with focussed tasks and questions designed to tease out and consolidate the relevant key concepts and knowledge necessary to tackle the summer exam. I have attempted to address the whole program of study in a creative and challenging way which gets the students to think and make the links between the characteristics of materials, making processes and production requirements relevant to the exam theme. It was also really important to me that the resource contains information to prepare students to confidently tackle a design task within the exam.