One Planet Packaging

These materials, from Waste Watch (part of Keep Britain Tidy), have been developed to make explicit links between sustainability and packaging for students following GCSE level design and technology courses. The scheme of learning includes suggested activities for five active learning sessions, supported by the...

Biomimicry inspired concepts for transport

This resource was developed by a STEM Ambassador, working with St Bonaventure’s School. It looks at how the natural world has inspired design. Student research and developed ideas for their biomimicry-based modes of transport, and modelled them.Students then presented their ideas and models, explaining...

Design Challenges in different material areas

A collection of mini design challenges, themed around different material areas.

Zones 5 and 6: Smart Buildings

This Crystal exhibition resource from Siemens highlights the high levels of inefficiencies in most buildings and offers solutions such as smart buildings, reducing resources and making buildings more efficient. Super Cool Uniform is a design project where students need to research optimum working temperatures in...

Passive Solar Design: Zero-energy Housing

This resource challenges students to design and build a one‐bedroom model house within the design constraints, utilising passive solar heating techniques to warm up the house as much as possible and sustain that temperature for as long as possible. After the design and build process, students test their house and...

Flight Test

This activity requires students to design and construct a payload fairing and vibration rig to test a protection system for a satellite (an egg).  Students are given limited materials (this can be differentiated accordingly) to produce their model, the success of the model is initially measured by the egg...

Designing the Mirrror

In this activity, students will use memory metal wire to create a model of a deployable structure.  The James Webb Space Telescope has several structures that must be deployed in space, including parts of the primary mirror.  Students must create and evaluate a design to enable the primary mirror to...

Design and technology: homework choice board

This resources provides a homework choice board for students of design and technology. It suggests a number of homework challenges, differentiated into three areas: junior designer, senior designer or creative director. Homework tasks are varied and could be used to compliment exam revision.

Graphic design idea book

This book serves as an introduction to the key elements of good design. Broken into sections covering the fundamental elements of design, key works by acclaimed designers serve to illustrate technical points and encourage readers to try out new ideas. Themes covered include narrative, colour, illusion, ornament,...

Think inside the sketchbook

Sketchbooks and journals are often a vital tool in the creative process. A space, a playground where ideas, imaginings and observations can be coaxed, teased and worried into existence. They are a site for gathering information, exploring possibilities, making connections, resolving problems through trial and error...