Year 2 Design and Technology

Baby Bears Chair (Structures)

Pupils experiment with different shapes and manipulate materials to explore and evaluate a range of structural properties. They apply this knowledge to their own design, make and test task 

1. How can we make a structure stable? To explore the concept and features of structures and the stability of different shapes.

2. What shape will help to make the chair strong? To understand that the shape of the structure affects its strength.

3. What will my chair need to be like for Baby Bear? To make a structure according to design criteria.

4. How can I improve Baby Bear's chair? To produce a finished structure and evaluate its strength, stiffness and stability.

National Curriculum Objectives

Design

• Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria.

• Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology.

Make

• Select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics.

Evaluate

• Explore and evaluate a range of existing products.

• Evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria.

Technical knowledge

• Build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable.

Pouches (Textiles)

Children design and make their own wallet or purse, learning to use running stitch to join two pieces of fabric together 

1. How can we sew? To sew a running stitch.

2. What parts are needed to make a pouch? To sew a running stitch.

3. How can I join the parts of my pouch? To join fabrics using a running stitch.

4. How can I decorate my pouch? To decorate a pouch using fabric glue or stitching.

National Curriculum Objectives

Design

• Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users.

Make

• Select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients according to their characteristics.

• Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks.

Evaluate

• Evaluate their ideas and products against a design criteria.

Making a moving monster (Mechanisms)

Pupils explore levers, linkages and pivots through existing products and experimentation, use this research to construct and assemble a moving monster.

1. How do pivots, levers and linkages move? To look at objects and understand how they move.

2. How can we make pivots, levers and linkages? To look at objects and understand how they move.

3. Which mechanisms will I use in my design? To explore different design options.

4. How will I make my moving monster? To make a moving monster.

National Curriculum Objectives

Design

• Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria.

• Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking and drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology.

Make   

• Select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics.

Evaluate

• Explore and evaluate a range of existing products.

• Evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria.

Technical knowledge

• Explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles] in their products.