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Lea Village Infant School
Curriculum |
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Design
and Technology
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Design Technology teaches children how to
design and make things. These skills are important because they
provide a basis which children can build on in secondary school so
that they understand the engineering, manufacturing and other
processes which are vital in industry and the workplace.
Areas of Design Technology
General
Children study products in order to understand them (eg, by taking
them apart), design their own products with an eye to their
usefulness and aesthetic value, evaluate how successful they have
been, and work out how to improve on their work.
Materials
Children explore the use of a wide variety of materials (such as
flexible and stiff sheet materials, including wood, plastic and
fabric; materials that can be moulded, such as dough and clay;
construction kits; electrical components; and materials that can be
used to make frameworks).
Design Skills
Children develop ideas for projects using information from a variety
of sources, and communicate them in appropriate ways (such as
verbally, in writing and pictures, and by making temporary models).
They evaluate their designs bearing in mind their suitability and
effectiveness, and the needs of their target audience, and work out
ways to deal with problems by modifying their designs as they go
along.
Making Skills
Using skills and information gained from their work in maths,
science and information technology, children put their design ideas
into practice by selecting appropriate materials, tools and methods.
Working alone and in small and large groups, they decide how to
carry out their plans, including what to do if things go wrong. They
measure, cut, shape and modify these materials accurately, and join
them using permanent and temporary methods. They pay attention to
the way the product looks, and use appropriate techniques to improve
its appearance. Finally, they evaluate the product in terms of its
usefulness and appeal, and the reaction of users.
Knowledge and understanding
Children develop their understanding of products by taking them
apart to see how they work, and they learn to evaluate how well they
do their jobs - and how to distinguish between poor design and poor
build quality. They learn about the properties of materials and how
they can be combined and modified to produce a particular effect.
They learn how mechanisms can produce different kinds of movement,
and how to build simple electrical circuits, including switches.
They investigate structures and how - by the use of different
designs or materials - they can be made to bear loads better.
Finally, they discuss health and safety issues, and learn how to
recognise and minimise risks in workshop situations.
Helping your child at home
There are plenty of things that you can do to help your child at
home. Even children as young as four can expect homework, see
Parents On-Line for more information on helping your child at home.
http://www.parents.org.uk
Parents On-Line have developed a range of downloadable modules that
contain all the resources to help at home. These include games,
activities and printable worksheets |
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