Introduction and tasks to develop students ability to recognise and describe a basic range of composite materials

A Powerpoint presentation designed to prepare students for the impending unit one exam based on the theme of seating for public spaces for adults and young children. The resource explores and explains design process terminology from the purpose of a brief to evaluation with lots of visual examples and illustrations. The final page is an exam style task that follows the AQA assessment criteria.

An information and research task for students and teachers to investigate a range of mechanical fixings, knock down fittings and adhesives. A wide range of examples are covered along with practical applications with reasons for use. The closing slides contain a comprehension exercise and question sheet for students to complete. The resource contains lots of images and reference to real world applications.

A Powerpoint presentation containing a range of inititial concepts and inspiration for seating design. I made it for the AQA resistant materials 2017 theme 'public seating for adults and young children.' It explores seating generally with some directly relevant to external seating concepts. Some of them combine hand drawn examples enhanced digitally which students enjoy.

A rich visual investigation into traditional timber construction methods along with their typical applications in the world of design and manufacturing. Each family of joining methods are described in photographs and diagrams together with the reasons for use.

An investigation with comprehension exercises to support the teaching of timbers and manufactured boards along with their typical applications in the world of design and manufacturing. Timbers and boards are described along with their physical and mechanical characteristics and reasons for use.

An investigation with comprehension exercises to support the teaching of modern and smart materials along with their typical applications in the real world.

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.

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.

A guided investigation into a variety of surface finishes and protection for a range of materials together with the reasons for their use in manufacturing. Students have a set of questions and tasks to complete to consolidate their learning.

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 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.

A resources to enable students and teachers to investigate nineteenth and twentieth century lighting as stimulus to designing an interior light using a range of materials and processes. The file contains an investigation into major design movements from the Arts And Crafts movement to the digital design of the present and how these philosophies and styles have influenced design. Students are prompted to critically analyse examples of lighting designs from each era to find useful features for their own work. The pack also contains a guide booklet to take them through each stage of the design task. Each resource can be edited or adjusted to suit the needs of the teacher and class.

A resource I designed and made for year nine or ten product design. Students study the basics of motion, mechanisms and force to produce a crank driven garden decoration. It isn’t a heavily prescriptive resource but offers opportunity for interpretation, differentiation and varying degrees of sophistication in terms of outcome. It contains lots of mini focused practical tasks to produce the key components for a complete, functioning garden whirligig. It contains a wealth of information to help analyze existing products, conceptualize and develop a working solution. I’ve also attached a complete production plan for the whirligig shown in the video.

A fantastic resource for an enrichment activity or craft club. Build this adorable, laminated, carved and polished birch plywood duck toy. A perennial push along favourite. Follow the easy to understand tutorial to complete your own push pull duck toy. The head rises and falls as you push him along causing the beak to snap open and shut making a lovely click. Two concealed cam wheels also cause the wings to raise and lower alternately. He’s carved and shaped from layers of stained and sealed birch plywood for durability. The tutorial contains all the information, templates and drawings needed to produce your own clattering duck that will be treasured for years.

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 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 .

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.

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 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.