KS2: Electrical systems
This list supports learning about electrical systems including activities such as: designing a light for a particular purpose, making a doorbell and creating a steady-hand game for children to play. There are lots of ideas for developing skills used in D&T through focussed practical tasks, so children are able to apply these techniques to the designs that they make. The resources provide opportunities to explore different electrical systems looking the casings that circuits may sit in and the purpose of the circuit in the product design. There are a range of authentic contexts for children to design, make and evaluate their own designs and made any modifications they feel are needed to make them suitable for the purpose and audience that they have been designed for.
Unit 6D Controllable Vehicles
Applying knowledge in this D&T unit is a great way of applying knowledge of circuits to a practical activity. Children are challenged to make a moving toy vehicle using a battery powered electric car which is able to move forward and reverse as well as having lights that can be switched on and off.
This activity is an extended project which could be carried out over several days. It will need advance planning and ordering in of component parts for building the cars.
What Sort of Light Will Work for You?
In this activity children design and make a light that is suitable for use in a particular situation. The device will be constructed from card, found materials and technical components. It will be powered by a battery and controlled by switches. This activity allows children to apply science learning about electrical circuits. By designing a light for a particular situation they are choosing appropriate materials for the product and using the knowledge of how the product will be used to influence its design. The task could be adapted to design a light for use by a particular person, which also will impact of the design of the light, for example a very young child may need a different way of turning the light on to say a person with arthritis in their hands. By thinking about the end user of a product before designing it, children will be developing problem solving skills and will gain a better understanding of why designs differ in terms of functionality.
Super Sucker: Designing a Machine to Clean up Litter
This project provides a design and technology project in which children focus on electric circuits, motors and batteries to build their own mini-vacuum cleaner. Children take a detailed look at a hairdryer identifying its different parts and their functions. Applying previous learning about circuits, they then look at motors and fans, focussing on how differences in design change the effectiveness of the fan. They then make a switch for their device. Working in groups they design and build their own vacuum cleaner, thinking about materials and component parts and how they will work to solve the initial problem.
Rudolph the Reindeer Christmas decoration with push switch on/off
This resource describes how to make a Rudolph Christmas decoration using a PCB LED that sits under the fabric and lights up when you hold the switch hidden in his cheek. The decoration is made out of felt fabric and is lightly stuffed to give a 3D effect. It uses embroidery stitches to decorate the surface and to join the edges. The cell holder can be easily accessed via a hole in the chin area, held closed by a small popper. As the decoration is made from scratch, it does require some knowledge of basic textiles skills as well as a basic understanding of how to create a circuit. A great project, which combines working with textiles and electrical components.
Though this project is Christmas themed, it would be easily adapted tp suit a different themed decoration.
What Message Will Your Billboard Send?
From the Nuffield Foundation, this resource contains a series of teacher support sheets and student record sheets that provide seven and a half hours work. In this activity, children work in groups to design and make a moving billboard for a specific purpose within their school or classroom.
The project gives children the opportunity to apply what they have previously learned about computer control during ICT lesson time.
During this activity, children will:
* generate ideas for a product after thinking about what it will be used for
* mark, measure, cut and join materials with increasing accuracy
* use a variety of tools with precision and care
* use gears to provide a transmission system
* use ICT control software and a control interface box to control a motor and lights
* use input from sensors to monitor events and respond to them
* use ICT to produce good quality graphics
* work as a group.
Make a doorbell circuit
In this activity, students assemble a doorbell circuit. This develops understanding of how switches are used and how electric circuits function. This could be used at Key Stage 2 as a design and make project.
Drawing an electrical circuit diagram with symbols
This resource supports learning about circuits children should have carried out in science. It may help to review knowledge of electrical circuits and components before children can apply these ideas in D&T. In this activity learners will construct a series circuit using a battery, switch, resistor and an LED. They will learn about why symbols are used instead of pictures to represent components and produce a circuit diagram for the circuit that they have constructed.
Make a steady hand game
Steady hand games are a fun way to learn about how simple circuits work, as well as testing hand-eye coordination. In this activity children apply knowledge of circuits to design and make a steady hand game. This involves preparing a suitable housing for the circuity, assembling the circuit and producing a wand and maze layout for the game. It's fun to test the games out and tweak them to make them more difficult or harder for the people who they are designing the game for. For example, younger children may still be developing hand-eye coordination, so will need a much easier game than many other people.