top of page

Mechanical Systems

Click on the icons to find out more

Mechanical Systems (Sliders, Levers and Pop-Ups)

In Key Stage 1 children build upon their experiences from Early Years when creating products that have elements of movement. They design and make celebration cards that incorporate some kind of moving part. This could be a slider, a simple rotating lever using a pivot or a pop-up mechanism. They design their card for a particular celebration or festival and begin to understand that products in DT are designed and made for a particular purpose and often for a client. As an alternative children design and make a page for a class book about traditional tales. This book page must include an element of movement produced by either a slider, a rotating lever or a pop-up mechanism.

​

Celebration Cards

Great Teddy Race

Mechanical Systems (Wheels and Axles)

In the Great Teddy Race children are introduced to the wheel and axle mechanism and learn how it used to create linear and rotational movement. They apply this knowledge to create a buggy for their favourite soft toy that is entered in the class Great Toy Race. When designing their buggy they are tasked with theming their buggy to match the size, shape and look of their soft toy. As an alternative to the Great Teddy Race we have developed the Teddy Explorer project where children design and make a toy buggy for teddy to explore the world.

​

Traditional Tales

Teddy Explorer

Click on the icons to find out more

In Lower Key Stage 2 children have the opportunity to extend their knowledge of mechanical systems and build upon their learning from Key Stage 1 when creating a mechanical book page. They consolidate and extend their knowledge of sliders and pop-up mechanisms and learn how to link levers together to create more complex moving parts when making a mechanical book page. This unit of work can be linked to learning in other areas of the curriculum. 

Mechanical Book Page

​

For the Rainforest Monsters project, children can extend their knowledge of mechanical systems when creating moving monster toys using simple pneumatic systems. They learn how air can be used to produce movement in simple toys and extend their understanding of how theming can be used to create a product that is authentic.

​

Rainforest Monsters

 

Shadow puppets is an exciting project that covers a range of learning in design technology and also offers children the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding from science lessons. Children design and make a wooden framed shadow puppet theatre to present a play for their frames. Children learn how the properties of materials are important when making a product and how an simple electrical system can be incorporated into a product. When making a movable puppet, children learn how a simple linkage hinge system can be used to create moving arms and legs.

Shadow Puppets

Automaton Toy

Cam Mechanisms (Automaton Toy)

In Upper Key Stage 2 children extend their knowledge of mechanical systems further when learning about cams. They investigate how cams are used to change the direction of movement and how this system can be used to create automaton toys. We have developed four units of work focusing on cam mechanisms

  • Christmas Toymaker

  • Halloween Toymaker

  • Habitats Toymaker

  • Automaton Toymaker (a generic version of the unit of work that can be adapted to suit a theme of your choice)

 

Cam Mechanisms (Orrery)

Cam mechanisms are also used when children design and make an Orrery (mechanical model of the solar system). This unit allows children to link their learning in science about the solar system to learning in design technology.

Click on the icons to find out more

Orrery

Fairground Ride

Pulley Mechanism (Fairground Ride)

When designing and making fairground rides in Upper Key Stage 2 children have the opportunity to study how simple pulley systems (a belt and drive mechanism) can be incorporated in to product to create a toy model. Children make a simple pulley system and then apply this learnt knowledge to create a model of a fairground ride. This unit can be extended to incorporate motors and a microcontroller so that children understand how products can be controlled using program systems.

​

bottom of page