Duration
2-3 hrs / Theme
Transport / Subject focus
D.T. / Age group
Upper KS2
Resources required
  • KWL boards (displayed from previous lesson)
  • The Future of Transport PowerPoint
  • Websites:

  • Junk materials for making prototypes (if doing)
  • Children’s designs from previous lesson
  • Exploded diagram – Bitzer’s bonkers bike

Adult Support
Support children through careful questioning to ensure they stick to the design brief
Follow up activities
Create an engineer’s gallery to showcase the final designs

Learning outcomes (differentiated)

MUST Create a final design with clear annotations depicting materials used

SHOULDCreate a final design with clear annotations depicting materials and mechanisms used

COULD Create a final design and make a 3D model prototype

Starter

The five stages of the engineering design process are ask, imagine, plan, create, improve.

Explain to the children that the world contains an abundance of mechanisms. A large proportion of man-made artefacts involve mechanisms - there are so many of them around that we tend to take them for granted. Everyday items such as scissors, bicycles and door handles are all based on mechanisms and more complex objects such as cars or animal skeletons, contain hundreds of mechanisms. Use the website explore different mechanisms which children may want to include in their design. If model vehicles have been collected they would be useful to show how these mechanisms have been put into practice.

Main activity

Tell the children they will now ‘create’ their design. Each child should present their final design as a series of sketches to include exploded diagrams and cross sections (use the exploded diagram from Bitzer’sbonkers bike). If time allows, consider making a prototype from junk materials.

As a class work together to write success criteria that the children can follow to help them complete the task. For example:

  • Annotate to show materials used
  • Use at least one mechanism for a moving part
  • Include an exploded diagram
  • Include a cross section sketch
  • Make the ‘green’ aspect of the design clear to show that the transport is a sustainable option
  • Ensure you have met the design criteria set by Shaun and friends. Incorporate improvements after taking advice from peers/thinking partner

Children should now draw their final design. Remind them to incorporate the advice their peers gave them at the end of the previous lesson.

Plenary

Discuss why engineers might use the Engineer Design Process, what are the five stages and what do they mean? Celebrate final designs.

Finally, children should reflect on what they have learned by completing the remaining section on the KWL board.

Curriculum links
Design Technology:
  • D.T. Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
  • Design: generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design
  • Technical Knowledge: understand and use mechanical systems in their products [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages]