Design & Technology

Learning Journey & Sequencing Rationale

Design and Technology is both a practical and academic subject. It provides our young people with the opportunity to actively respond to class based projects with creativity and rationality. Design and Technology teaches our children how to make important design decisions and how to become more resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable. Our learners also develop a critical understanding of the impact of design and technology in daily life and the wider world. Design and Technology delivers excellent opportunities for our learners to develop and apply judgements in relation to; aesthetics, economic, moral, social, and of a technological nature in both their own designing and when evaluating the work of others.

Sequence

There are 6 units covered across the 3 years of Key stage 3, two units in each year as part of a rotation of 7-8 weeks with 3 other subject areas from the school curriculum. Each unit has a practical task to complete either a model or a final prototype. Year 7s have the opportunity to make a product for themselves to take home. At the end of each unit learners will complete an assessment test which comprises of a knowledge multiple choice test and a written test, where their knowledge and understanding is secured.

In Year 7 Design and Technology begins with Problem Solving. This unit gives the learners an understanding of how a design problem is solved. It demonstrates the use of the iterative design process to develop design ideas from conception to the final product. The second unit, Mechanical systems and movement gives learners an incite to how products work in their everyday lives. They also have an understanding that there is a link between science and mathematics in design and technology. Both units introduce learners to the workshop where they are able to use some of the tools and equipment for the first time. They are also taught the importance of following the health and safety process at this stage.

As the learners move up into Year 8 the focus is on sketching, modelling and iterative design. Learners learn basic drawing skills which enable them sketch ideas from “2D drawings to 3D models. Learners generate a range of ideas through sketching modelling, testing and evaluating.

In Year 9 the focus is improving their designing skills by generating ideas inspired by nature. The first unit ‘Functionality and Aesthetics’ aims to show learners the link between function and form. The second unit in Year 9, ‘Making a prototype’ is a continuation of the first unit. Learners make design choices and create a list of instructions to make final prototype using sustainable materials.

D&T Ks3 learner journey

unit overview - Designing through sketching and modelling

Subject: Designing through sketching and modelling
Skills	To use a variety of medium to show concept designs Make effective scale models of their designs Use CAD throughout the development process of designing. Develop a specification and design ideas from a design context
Knowledge	Demonstrate an ability to sketch ideas in 2D Use a variety of mark making techniques to express their ideas on paper Effectively add depth and form using shading Understand how to create oblique and isometric views of simple forms Define ‘perspective’, ‘horizon line’ and ‘vanishing point’ and understand how they are used to create a perspective drawing Be able to create an accurate net for a cube and a pyramid Understand the importance of creating 3D physical models Work with materials and equipment to make physical models Understand the terms ‘brief’ and ‘specification’
Rationale	Learners will be able to initiate and create design concepts that are functional and suitable to a focus market. Be aware of why designers use freehand sketching to develop initial ideas Be aware of how we understand form through using our senses Be aware of how CAD has revolutionised designing

unit overview - Innovation through iterative design

Subject: Innovation through iterative design
Skills	Work in groups sharing ideas and giving critical and positive feedback Generate a range of ideas through sketching and modelling, testing and evaluating Use a range of tools and equipment to make a model or prototype Use a range of modelling material to produce a final prototype Use the iterative design process to develop design ideas
Knowledge	Demonstrate how to develop products through the iterative design process Generate a range of suitable design briefs for the project Generate a range of ideas through sketching and modelling, testing and evaluating Experiment with light and lighting Develop, test and evaluate design ideas through various media Present your design process and favourite prototype Explain how the iterative design process helped you to progress Demonstrate an understanding of ergonomics Test and evaluate your design based on feedback Differentiate between ‘good design’ and ‘design for good’ Apply experiments with lighting to design work Generate refined models and prototypes Use the iterative design process to make creative leaps
Rationale	This unit allows learners analyse critically, design challenges in products and prototypes. Come up with solutions that are adaptable and user friendly. Will have an appreciation of how the design of new products becomes actual in the real world. The unit provides the freedom of a truly iterative approach to designing enabling innovation and inspiration to flow free. There is enough scaffolding and various ways of generating new ideas rather than following the rigid structure of the linear approach to designing. Various strategies are used which focus on the design process with inspiring outcomes, where design fixation is avoided. This enables learners design and model in a way that suits them best.

knowledge organisers

A knowledge organiser is an important document that lists the important facts that learners should know by the end of a unit of work. It is important that learners can recall these facts easily, so that when they are answering challenging questions in their assessments and GCSE and A-Level exams, they are not wasting precious time in exams focusing on remembering simple facts, but making complex arguments, and calculations.

We encourage all pupils to use them by doing the following:

Quiz themselves at home, using the read, write, cover, check method.
Practise spelling key vocabulary
Further researching people, events and processes most relevant to the unit.