Design and Technology
At Gipsey Bridge, we teach DT because it develops our children's designing, planning, making and evaluating skills through a subject focus of structures, mechanisms, cooking and nutrition or textiles.
Class 3 have been investigating 'Moving Mechanisms' and looking at pneumatics and making prototypes. The children were tasked with making a useful object or game that could be powered by compressed air. For this, they had to use a balloon, syringe or plastic pipe to make their object or game move.
For their 'Cook Well, Eat Well' companion project, Class 2 learned about the different food groups, including thinking about which ones we need more or less of in our diets. The photos show us organising different foods into their groups. We then had a go at peeling potatoes and talked about the different ways we can cook them. We decided that boiled potatoes are the healthiest options and chips are the least healthy.
Class 2 cooked ratatouille! We explored the different vegetables (red, green and orange peppers; courgettes; aubergines; red onion; tomatoes), making sure we knew what they were. Then we chopped them into small chunks, before following a recipe to create our dish. We used the slow cooker to cook the food so that we had a delicious snack to try just before we went home!
Class 1 had a great time learning all about how bees make honey today. Then they tasted some different types of honey and followed instructions to prepare some honey shortbread biscuits! Yum! Yum!
Children in Class 1 have been selecting from a range of construction and craft materials to make ships inspired by Christopher Columbus and his voyages.
Class 3 used different fabrics and sewing stitches to create their own moon landscape.
Class 2 made different types of simple machines. In groups, we chose to build a lever, a compound pulley, a fixed pulley, an inclined plane or wheels and axles by following detailed instructions. Each group then presented how they had created each machine to the class, informing others the difficulties they had and also what went well.
We really concentrated on the types of materials, thinking about when things needed to be rigid or strong and how this effected the working of the simple machine.
Which simple machines will we place into our own tomb building machine prototype designs next week?
Class 2 had amazing fun creating simple machines and using them to make our lifting easier! Experimenting with the lever, inclined plane, pulley and wheels and axle, really made us think about the forces we were using and how helpful these machines would be for building within ancient civilisations.
Class 2 began their new project by exploring simple machines. These machines included a wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw and a pulley. They looked at pictures of different everyday items in action and thought about which machine was being used. Using arrows, we showed how forces were being used to change direction of an object to make the job easier.
Class 1 reflected on everything they had learnt about carnivals and samba dancing. The children then choose from a range of materials to create their very own Samba headdress.
Class 1 discussed different celebrations and cakes we might eat during these celebrations. The children then had the opportunity to taste some different cakes we might eat at different celebrations. The children then made some traditional Brazilian Brigadeiros celebration cakes.
Class 2 have been learning about existing products in DT, in relation to the items a mountain climber might use. Luckily for us, Mr Clarke climbed Snowdon during half term so he was able to share his experiences and photographs with us!
We used this information to fill out backpacks with essentials for our own mountaineering expedition, thinking about the properties of each item and their suitability for our purpose.
Class 2 looked at the packaging for a variety of foods. Thinking about the work we have been doing on teeth and the effect of too much sugar in our diet, we analysed the packaging to see how much sugar is in one portion of each of the foods.
Class 2 followed different recipes to make healthy lunch box ideas. We talked about the different ingredients, identifying the healthy ones and the ones we should be eating in moderation (e.g. cheese and mayonnaise). We had a very successful afternoon, making cheesy coleslaw pittas, hummus salad wraps and a tasty bean and tuna salad!
Class 2 recreated Cornelius Drebbel's submarine, using the principle that if there was air inside our model, it would float and if the air was compressed, it would sink. Using a straw, some Blu Tac, some water and a plastic bottle, we saw this effect working perfectly! We trialled the model in a cup of water to make sure there wasn't too much or too little Blu Tac, meaning that the model could float. We then transferred it into the full bottle, sealed it and squeezed (very hard!) to see the effect on the model when the air in the straw was compressed. It sank to the bottom and then floated straight back up to the surface when the pressure was released. It was so fascinating that even Mr Clarke couldn't resist having a go!
Class 1 thoroughly enjoyed making their own play dough this afternoon by selecting and using different materials. They followed the instructions and added a mixture of herbs to make smelly dough.
In D+T this week, Class 1 have been working hard to design and make some junk model guitars. They had great fun investigating how they could create different pitched sounds using the elastic bands.
Having talked about the ways we can remain hygienic throughout the food preparation process, especially at the moment, Class 2 followed some instructions to prepare some delicious Greek feta pittas! They worked in groups, sharing the responsibilities and roles, including squeezing the lemon juice, cutting the vegetables and mixing the ingredients together. They had great fun and revised the features of instructions at the same time!
Class 2 have been busy painting their Anglo-Saxon jewellery using acrylic paints. They chose acrylic paint because it would not soak into the clay and it would create bright colours, just like the amber and amethyst we found in research.
Week 3 of Class 3's Tomorrow's World topic, saw the children looking at features of a good website. They looked at our Gipsey Bridge site and gave their opinions on the layout and content of it. They gave suggestions as to how it could be improved. The children were tasked with designing their own logo's for a website about anything of their choice. They then had to create a mock homepage using the logo they had created.
In DT, Class 2 have been focusing on relationships and resilience in order to build Anglo-Saxon homes. After so long apart, it was lovely to see the children working together and sharing their ideas! Super DT vocabulary too, “This will make it stronger.”
Using recyclable materials, the children created their own weapons, based on their research. They were asked to focus on the properties of the materials and choose them on the basis that they were strong and sturdy enough to be effective during battle!
In D+T, Class 1 have been designing a Lego enclosure for a Meerkat. The children thought carefully about all of the things the enclosure would need to include in order for the meerkat to survive.
What a fabulous investigation! Class 2 identified the key features of some headphones and discovered which would offer the best soundproofing.
