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This pack contains everything you need to know about visiting the Design Museums Designing Modern Britain exhibition with your pupils, including preparation information, background notes to accompany the exhibition and KS2 pupil activity sheets to support your class while working in the galleries. The pack also contains follow-up, creative design briefs to inspire you and your pupils after the visit, along with useful information about resources, skills and techniques, a glossary and practical teaching tips to support your pupils development as young designers and makers.
This pack was written by Sarah Richardson and was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
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SELF-DIRECTED VISITS
Primary school groups are welcome to explore the museums exhibitions, including Designing Modern Britain, on independent, self-directed visits to the Design Museum. Visits for pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2 are free. Designing Modern Britain Exhibition Notes for Teachers and activity sheets for pupils at Key Stage 2 are included in this pack.
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OUT-OF-HOURS ACTIVITIES
Design Museum Education offers a range of out-of-hours activities for primary aged children, including after school design and make projects, and Saturday Design Challenge courses for Gifted and Talented pupils, both for KS2 groups. Out-of-hours provision can be arranged with individual schools and tailored to meet the needs of your pupils.
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DESIGN EDUCATION
Design affects us all. We live, work and play in a designed environment. Designed objects, products and systems surround us, yet in our day-to-day life we tend to take familiar objects for granted. Perhaps only when something does not work properly do we notice it. Good design is often taken for granted because it works well. If children are to make sense of their world, they need to be able to make informed judgements about design. By developing visual skills throughout their education, children learn to appreciate the value of design. By looking at existing products in a clear and structured way, they begin to look at designed objects, networks and environments with more critical eyes. Design education encompasses a wealth of learning and has links to many areas of the curriculum. It develops visual literacy and appreciation of aesthetics, and extends childrens thinking skills as well as their verbal skills and vocabulary. Well-thoughtthrough design activities allow children the opportunity to think out of the box, exploring their areas, thinking creatively and problem solving while employing a variety of skills, techniques and processes. Children become familiar with researching, investigating and evaluating a wide range of materials and their properties. Through learning about design, children are encouraged to explore their world, enabled to have an informed opinion about it, and equipped with a vocabulary with which to express those opinions.
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Use collections of everyday products in the classroom and ask children questions to encourage them to evaluate the products (See product evaluation section). Designers are constantly making things better for people. Allow children to come up with a range of their own design solutions to solve a given problem or design brief. Encourage creative thought and dialogue. Begin a project with a relevant design brief or reality based project. Encourage children to think about their target audience and market when developing designs. Encourage children to focus on the advantages and disadvantages of a design and to give reasons why. Plan Design and Technology projects with a focused block of teaching time preferably 3-4 days per project. Research important designers and familiarise children with their work. (Design at the Design Museum at www.designmuseum.org is an extensive archive of designers and a fantastic research resource for you and for upper KS2 pupils). Develop and use a basic design vocabulary with your pupils during D&T sessions to encourage their use of design language, to help them to articulate their ideas and to evaluate their designs and the work of others. (Photocopy, laminate and display the GLOSSARY terms included in this pack in the classroom). Create a design environment in the classroom with a workshop atmosphere: CREATE SPACE! Rearrange the tables in the classroom or book the hall for large-scale making projects. Creativity needs room to flourish!
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Organise a central table on which to store materials. Everyone needs to know which materials are available, how to use them and where they are. Stick working drawings, initial sketches, research and visual images on the walls or cupboards to keep design ideas safe, accessible and visible. Check there are materials and tools fit for the purpose and sufficient for everyone to use. You cannot expect children to achieve good-quality work with poor quality resources! For example, blunt scissors will chew through materials whereas a good pair of scissors will cut cleanly. Take digital photographs of childrens creative work in progress so that they can evaluate their work as well as document their ongoing work. Evaluate work by going back to the original design brief you set them. A designer works to a brief and sets out to find a solution, therefore children need to be mindful of their brief throughout their project.
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As a brainstorming activity or during thinking skills sessions, choose an object or product and ask the children to think of three ways they could modify it for a particular audience or purpose. This actively encourages creative thinking and sharing of ideas as well as generating a whole host of rapid design solutions. Promote the use of ideas, inspiration or concept boards (collections of samples and visual images). Individually price the materials for the project and give the children a budget for their design brief. Treat children like designers. Allow them to work individually or to have specific roles in small design teams. Encourage the teams to think of a company name and identity.
Good design is innovative. Good design makes a product useful. Good design is aesthetic. Good design helps us to understand a product. Good design is unobtrusive. Good design is honest. Good design is durable. Good design is consequent to the last detail. Good design is concerned with the environment. Good design is as little design as possible.
Back to purity, back to simplicity.
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WHY DRAW?
Children are independently motivated to use drawing to represent and interpret the world around them. Drawings are useful because they can be quick, immediate and can communicate ideas. Drawings do not depend on a childs written or oral literacy skills; they are a vehicle of expression and communication and a useful way of ordering thoughts. Drawing helps children develop observational skills and offers them an alternative means through which to investigate and understand the world in which they live. By looking carefully at and creating close observational drawings of objects in the designed and made world, children begin to develop a greater understanding of their world and to become more visually literate.
DRAWING WARM-UPS
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Encourage children to warm up with simple exercises: shaking, wiggling and stretching fingers, hands, wrists, arms. Stretch to get oxygen to the brain. Give children the opportunity to draw freely. Begin a drawing session with expressional mark making, scribbles, straight lines and curves to help relax and build their confidence and pencil control. Draw anything and everything, exploring a variety of media, pencils (hard and soft), chalk, charcoal, felt tip pens. Try to vary the pressure. Challenge children to a drawing task. Try drawing an object using one line. The challenge is not to take the pen off the paper until the drawing is complete. Its okay to trace over a line more than once, as long as the pen remains on the paper. (Taking your pencil for a walk). Encourage children to not cross out or rub out. They need to add to the drawing, not subtract from it. As well as practising drawing skills, children need to be encouraged to practise, explore and experiment with 3D sketching, prototype or mock-up model making. Use modelling materials such as Plasticine, silver foil, (safe) wire, pipe cleaners, art straws, paper or card to stimulate 3D mock-ups. (See Skills and Paper Technologies for ideas.) Once the children have completed their 3D models, encourage them to draw them.
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BRIEFING
The design process always begins with a design brief. This identifies the task to be achieved and states the requirements of the design and the available budget.
RESEARCH
There should be a period of time at the start of any project spent thinking about the brief and researching the subject. The process of researching helps to deepen an understanding of the subject and inspires ideas. Set aside some time for the children to research their project, looking on the internet, at books in the class or school library, or at objects in their own homes or in the local environment. Research can be on history, trends and lifestyle, materials, processes, costs, marketing, ergonomics. Think about the needs of the market and target audience. Who is the product for? What are their needs?
INITIAL IDEAS
Encourage children to mind-map a product as an excellent way to begin a project. If, for instance, the design brief is to design a chair, list all the different types of chairs, their features and where you find them. Next, discuss ideas and make sketches, notes and references. At this stage it is important to be open minded, allowing ideas to be limitless and to let them flow. Recording every thought and idea on paper is essential; everything is valid at this stage.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
After generating initial ideas, next comes the making stage. This is when prototypes or models are created. During the making process, children will be modifying, adapting and evaluating their ongoing work. Children should feel free to explore and experiment with their ideas and with the materials they are using.
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PRODUCT EVALUATION
By asking questions about products and their design, children can begin to evaluate them. This leads to deeper understanding and knowledge of design. In product design it is important to analyse objects, to raise questions, identify problems and try to find solutions. Listed below is a suggested framework for looking at objects, with a range of questions to stimulate childrens thinking and discussion skills, and to increase their awareness of design.
FUNCTION
What is the object? Is it obvious what it is? What is it for? Who was it designed for? How does it work? What does it do? Why was it designed that way? What are the drawbacks? What are the problems? What are some possible solutions? Would you use it? How is it assembled? Does it fit together well? Does it have safety in mind? What information does the object give us? Can you see a recycling symbol? Can you see instructions for use? Are the instructions easy to follow? Try following them and see. How would you rewrite the instructions? When is it used? Does it open? If so how? What are the fastenings and how effective are they? Can you see the name of the designer?
AESTHETICS
Draw the object. How does it look? Do you like the way it looks? Do you dislike it? Why? Can you describe it? Where has the designer got their inspiration from for the design? Can you see any natural shapes or forms? Does it look new or old? Do you think it is modern? Why? Is it outdated or old-fashioned? Why? Is it comfortable? Does the shape remind you of anything else? What colour is it? Does it have a pattern or is it plain? Are there any graphics, writing or images on it?
MATERIALS
What is it made from? Is it made from natural or man-made materials? How many different materials have been used? Make a list of the materials used. Why were these materials used? Are the materials appropriate to the product? Why? Are the materials appropriate to the function? Why? What other materials could it have been made from? How have the materials been assembled and attached together? What is the surface texture like? Smooth? Rough? Shiny? Can you describe how the product feels when you touch it?
MANUFACTURE
How do you think it was made? Was it made by machine or by hand? How well was it made? Where was it manufactured? When was it made? How is it packaged?
DESIGNER
Who designed it? When was it designed? Where was it made? Can you see a copyright sign? Do you know about any other products this designer has made? Can you find out?
INSPIRATION
What does the object or its shape remind you of? What do you think was the inspiration for this product?
DESIGN MODIFICATION
How would you improve this design? What would you change? How would your changes improve the design? Page 9
TARGET AUDIENCE
Who is this product for? Is it for an elderly person or a young person? People with special needs? A family? A couple? People with lots of money or people with not very much money? If this product was going to be used by a child would it need to be modified? How could you change the design to suit another target group? What do you think this product might cost? Where could you buy it? When you have considered all these questions you can make the judgement: is it a successful product? Does the product or design solution fulfill the need?
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You are welcome to make a free preparatory visit to the exhibition before bringing your class. Please arrange this visit with the museums education department. Familiarise yourself with the museum layout including where the toilets are; gather some useful resources as well as visiting the exhibitions in your own time. Make sure you have planned the route from your school to the museum prior to the visit and made a risk assessment for the visit. A template version is provided in this pack. Before your class visit think about design and designers with your pupils. Remind the children that design affects all aspects of our lives from the clothes and shoes we wear, to the buildings we use, to the parks we play in, to the knife and fork we eat with. Design has a huge impact on our lives and it shapes our world. Make a list or mindmap the different job titles for designers, for example an architect, a fashion designer, an interior designer, a graphic designer, and note what they are responsible for designing. Photocopy the Designing Modern Britain exhibition background notes for all the adults accompanying your class on the visit to familiarise them with the exhibition in advance. Go through the gallery activity sheets with your pupils to familiarise them with what is meant by an annotated diagram and why it is important to make careful observational drawings. Divide your class into groups of 5 or 6 pupils before you leave school. They should work in these groups in the exhibition to avoid congestion around particular exhibits. Remind children that the objects on display at the museum should not to be touched and the exhibition pieces or display cabinets should not be used to lean on when filling in their worksheets.There are some chairs in the exhibition that the children can sit on. Please remind your class to be considerate of other members of the public visiting the exhibition at the same time as them.
AT THE MUSEUM
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If you are coming to a workshop, we provide clipboard, pencils, paper and photocopied KS2 gallery activity sheets for the children to use in the exhibition. If you are on a selfdirected visit, please photocopy these sheets and bring them together with clipboards and pencils. Although there is a cafe on site, there is not a specific lunchroom for school groups. If there is not an afternoon booking for the education room, it may be possible in bad weather to eat lunch in this room, however, we cannot guarantee this facility. A five-minute walk from the museum will bring you to the City Hall where there is a large, open grassy area for picnics.
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On your arrival, a member of the education team will meet you downstairs, at the main entrance. Both the shop and the toilets are in this area. Please make sure the children go to the toilet before you are escorted upstairs to start your session in the education centre. All coats and bags can be left in the education room during your visit. It is advisable, however, to keep personal or valuable items with you. Ask the children to make a presentation about something they enjoyed, studied or researched at the museum. Create a handling collection in your class (see HANDLING COLLECTIONS). Plan a design-and-make activity using the design brief ideas set out in this pack (see BACK AT SCHOOL). Encourage your children to continue to look at, think about and respond to design within their environment. Organise a Design Week in your school, a design competition, or design awards.
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HANDLING COLLECTIONS
WHY USE A HANDLING COLLECTION?
Using a handling collection as part of good design education is highly recommended because children can interact with a range of similar objects, comparing and contrasting materials used, function, aesthetics, manufacturing processes, features etc (see PRODUCT EVALUATION). They can explore elements of texture, ergonomics, ease of use, comfort etc, by interacting with and holding the objects. A handling collection enables children to make informed decisions about aesthetics versus function while identifying the pros and cons of each object. A handling collection makes product evaluation more meaningful, real and fun. By becoming fully engaged with a group of products, children can find inspiration and ideas for their own designs while developing a critical eye for design solutions and familiarising themselves with the work of designers. Always prompt children to think about what modifications they would make to any product they are interacting with.
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Toothbrushes: childrens, travelling, electric, left-handed, adults, novelty. Spoons: teaspoon to tablespoon, ice cream scoop, serving, cooking, long-handled, ladle, souvenir, decorative, wooden, babys spoon, antique spoon. Belts: tie belt, leather, fabric. Different fastenings: buckles, Velcro, press studs. Different functions: money belt, workmans belt, decorative, chain belt, childrens snake belt. Cups: plastic baby cup, disposable cup with lid, travel, novelty, cups and saucers, mugs, different shapes, sizes, logos, types of ceramics (china etc). Bags: rucksack, handbag, clutch bag, swimming bag, shopping trolley, string bag, decorative evening bag, plastic supermarket bag, overnight bag. Footwear: wellies, trainers, football boots, Converse boots, deck shoes, flip-flops, high heels, slippers, baby shoes, wedges, platform shoes, knee length or ankle boots, brogues, suede shoes, slip-ons, lace-ups, shoes with Velcro fastenings, ballet shoes, Doc Martens.
If your budget allows, include a couple of high design objects by well-known designers in your handling collection. This gives your children the opportunity to handle objects which may be unfamiliar to them. Display the collection with interactive labels and questions about the products.
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Organise a trip to the Design Museum as part of the children's research and inspiration for the project. Either book a workshop at the museum with the education department, book a self-directed class visit or take a virtual visit on the internet to www.designmuseum.org within the comfort of the schools IT suite! Invite a local designer into the school to give a talk or masterclass on their particular area of design. Send a letter to parents asking for help or contacts, there may be a designer among them! Allow a block of time, 2 days minimum, 3-4 days ideally, to work through a design-and-make project. With this approach children have time to contemplate their ideas, fully engage in their practical work, complete their design brief and finally to evaluate and present their ideas. At the museum we offer whole day INSET or twilight sessions tailor-made for your staff to help kickstart the project. Inspire your staff and arrange Design & Technology INSET to give teachers time to plan, try out ideas, design objects and discuss how the week will work. Invite specialists design educators/artists into school to support the class-based work. Create handling collections of everyday items, belts, and toothbrushes, drinking vessels, spoons etc to display around the school. Label the display with questions to stimulate thought and discussion. Encourage children to handle the products on display. (See PRODUCT EVALUATION for suggestions). Each class can research the work of a famous designer and make a presentation in a special Design Assembly. (See Design at the Design Museum at www.designmuseum.org for information about designers). Extend the research project to the whole school by asking children to vote for their favourite designer from those researched. Set a graphic design competition to create a poster either to advertise the forthcoming Design Week or an invitation to invite parents/carers to the special assembly or for an after-school private view to celebrate work generated during the week. Ask the children to collect basic recycled materials to use for the production of 3D models, mock-ups and products (see DESIGN AND MAKE RESOURCES.) This reinforces the theme of recycling and the use of sustainable materials, plus it helps to keep down the cost of resources for the project. Relate a design brief to an existing class topic or identified need in the school. Talk to other schools that have organised design weeks for advice and to share ideas. Have fun, be creative and generate lots of designs! Page 14
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1920 -1930s
DESIGNING MODERN TRANSPORT
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One of the worlds most progressive public transport systems was established in London during the 1930s. A total of five underground railway companies, 17 tramways, and 66 bus companies were merged together in 1933 to form the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB). Prior to the amalgamation, each company had its own signage, maps and vehicle liveries, resulting in long, complicated and confusing journeys for passengers. Frank Pick, the vice-chairman of the LPTB, saw the need for a strong new identity. He believed this could be achieved by implementing a comprehensive design policy covering station architecture and furniture, signage, posters, maps and clothing worn by workers. Pick believed there should be clear, coherent and exemplary design. Architect Charles Holden was responsible for developing the aesthetic buildings, which were revolutionary at the time, using glass bricks as a new building material. Contemporary artists such as Man Ray were commissioned to design posters to advertise and celebrate the possibilities of travelling in London by public transport. British artist Paul Nash designed the upholstery.
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1930s
DESIGNING MODERN HOMES
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By the early 1930s, advances in construction technology had created a new style of housing which we still associate with the modern home. As electricity became more widely available, homes were painted in pale colours rather than darker tones, which were previously needed to disguise the grime of gaslights. Windows were enlarged because buildings could be supported by newly developed types of industrial material such as aluminium, steel and glass. The Government established a Board of Trade advisory panel in 1942 to produce specifications for furniture of good, sound construction in simple but agreeable designs for sale at reasonable prices. Some 20 designs, simple in style, and devised for speedy production, were manufactured. The principle materials were wood, as plastic and metal were needed for the war effort.The utility style proved too austere for the public. By 1952, materials were more readily available, and the Utility Scheme ended.
1930s -1940s
DESIGNING FOR A CRISIS
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The Utility Scheme is an example of a design solution to a national crisis. During World War II, all suitable materials were reserved for the military, with little left for daily use in the home. Demand for new housing and furniture was unprecedented as tens of thousands of homes (and their contents) were destroyed in the Blitz. Wartime trauma prompted half a million couples to marry in each year of the war. The problem seemed set to worsen in peacetime, when the service people would return, hoping to set up new homes.
1950s
DESIGNING FOR MODERN CONSUMERS
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The 1951 Festival of Britain was conceived to celebrate the centenary of the 1851 Great Exhibition and the end of post-war austerity. A 12m budget was allocated to the festival. More than 8.5m people visited the South Bank site alone. Millions more enjoyed the Industrial Power Exhibition in Glasgow, the Farm and Factory exhibition in Belfast, the roving Land Traveller exhibition, local celebrations in towns and villages, and the arrival of the festival ship, the Campania, at ports around the country. Page 16
1960s-1970s
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1970s
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1980s
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2000s
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The exhibition also includes iconic 20th century British vehicles, including the Mini, a classic E-type Jaguar, the Sinclair C5, and the Raleigh Chopper.
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DESIGNING MODERN BRITAIN GALLERY ACTIVITY SHEETS FOR KS2 PUPILS 1 CHAIRS
Take time to look at the collection of chairs in the exhibition and choose two of your favourite designs. Draw the chairs carefully in the spaces below, paying attention to details and features you can see. Annotate your diagram with labels noting: I Which materials have been used and why? I What shape does it remind you of? I Use of colour. I Design features, such as wheels to move the chair, armrests and back supports.
chair 1
Name of design Name of designer Date of design I like this chair because I think this chair has been designed to be used in Page 19
chair 2
Name of design Name of designer Date of design I like this chair because I think this chair has been designed to be used in Page 20
2 THEATRE DESIGN
Name the play these amazing masks were made for Which animal has inspired this mask? What are the masks made from? Do they look comfortable to wear? How would you change the design of the mask?
Draw the mask in the space below. Give yourself a drawing challenge and try to draw the mask using one line. Think about where you will start and then keep your pencil on the paper until you have finished your drawing. Annotate your drawing with your thoughts about the materials used and how you would make any modifications.
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Choose a different car or bicycle. Draw it below and annotate your diagram, making notes on the use of colour, shape, function, materials used etc.
List five things you find interesting or unusual about the cars and bicycles on display. 1 2 3 4 5 Page 23
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Look at different forms of transport, such as boats, hovercraft, planes, helicopters, cars, trams, skateboards, scooters and bikes. Look at different forms of transport used in other countries, for example tuk-tuks in Thailand and rickshaws in India. Compare and contrast how they move, the advantages/disadvantages of each. Which features are suitable for a city vehicle? Why? How does each vehicle affect the environment? How many people do they carry and where do they sit. Do they sit? How many wheels does it have? Does it need to have wheels? What are the safety features? How do they work?
Discussion point
Collect a variety of images showing different forms of transport to make a visual resource and generate a bank of ideas for inspiration. I Develop a class handling collection for the project. You could use toy cars, small models and real objects, for example a pair of roller blades, a skateboard or child's scooter. This forms a bank of real objects to inspire the class and for the children to explore, draw and discuss. I Allow children time to make drawn studies of toy cars, vans, planes etc, while researching the brief and developing their ideas. Ask the children to annotate their diagrams, including labelled features, materials, and functions. I If you plan to use recycled materials for the children's models or mock-ups, a blunt cocktail or barbecue stick threaded through a straw makes a simple and effective axle mechanism. Plastic lids added to either end of the wooden stick make good wheels. Similarly, plastic bottles, milk containers etc, form a strong, sturdy body for a vehicle. Children may need help cutting through the plastic. I Develop creative thinking skills by using five minutes of carpet time to discuss existing designs and possible modifications. It is important to remember that part of the design process is the generation of ideas and a range of possible solutions. It is not always necessary to make the final products discussed. I Use a Barbie doll or Action Man to add context and scale to their model.
Teaching tips I
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Giving children a chance to assess their own work is a valuable experience. Choose 3-5 assessment points, write them on the board and ask the children to give themselves marks out of 5 for each point (5 = highest, 1 = lowest). Add the scores together to give an overall score for each design.
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Explore the model-making techniques set out in this pack to give children time to practise their skills and experiment with ideas. (See PAPER SKILLS AND TECHNOLOGIES). I Contact a local architect to see if they have any old models they would be willing to donate, to use as a stimulus for discussion and reference. I Ask if someone from an architects office would be prepared to come into the class and give a talk or masterclass about their work. I Link the project with Architecture Week in June. I Collect empty cardboard boxes to use as the basic material for children's model making. If you break the boxes down flat they become much easier to store. I Use torn pieces of sponge and scouring pads, small blocks of oasis or scrunched tissue paper to represent foliage within a landscape.
Teaching tips I
SUGGESTED MATERIALS:
Blunt wooden barbecue sticks/single-layered brown cardboard/drinking straws/cocktail sticks/coloured and textured paper/green sponge or oasis for trees and foliage/Plasticine.
Giving children a chance to assess their work is a valuable experience. Choose 3-5 assessment points, write them on the board and ask the children to give themselves marks out of 5 for each point (5 = highest, 1 = lowest). Add the scores together to give an overall score. Page 27
Develop a class handling collection of headwear or shoes for the project. This forms a bank of real objects for the children to explore, try on, draw and discuss. I Collect images of animals, carnival masks, African masks and make a visual resource for inspiration. I For design brief 1, ask the children to collect old newspapers and bring them into school. Spend a session making newspaper rods or spills (see PAPER SKILLS AND TECHNOLOGIES.) These rods could be used as the basic material for the animal masks. I Single corrugated cardboard provides an excellent base for solid masks. Children could cover the cardboard with tissue paper and watered-down PVA glue (half water to PVA glue) for a bold, colourful, varnished finish. If the masks are large, use cheap decorating brushes to apply the glue to the tissue.
Teaching tips I
SUGGESTED MATERIALS:
Newspaper rods and thin wire, masking tape or duct tape (silver sticky tape purchased from a plumbers merchant), art straws and wire, barbecue sticks, single corrugated brown cardboard boxes, tin foil, decorating brushes.
Giving children a chance to assess their own work is a valuable experience. Choose 3-5 assessment points, write them on the board and ask the children to give themselves marks out of 5 for each point (5 = highest, 1 = lowest). Add the scores up. Page 28
Teaching tips
Collect images showing a variety of recognisable symbols/logos (for example the recycling symbol, washing instructions, Nike, BBC and your school logo), to make a visual resource and ideas bank for inspiration. Compare and contrast the success of these graphic design solutions. I Use graph paper to draw out the final designs.
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SUGGESTED MATERIALS:
Graph paper/pencils/rulers/tracing paper/plain paper/felt tip pens or colouring pencils/collaging materials.
Giving children a chance to assess their own work is a valuable experience. Choose 3-5 assessment points, write them on the board and ask the children to give themselves marks out of 5 for each point (5 = highest, 1 = lowest). Add the scores together to give an overall score.
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Have you ever flown? What did you like/dislike about it? How is flying made comfortable for passengers? List five advantages and disadvantages of flying. What are the main design features of an aeroplane? Why was Concorde different from other passenger planes? Compare and contrast a modern aeroplane with a plane made 100 years ago. How has it changed? Look at Australian designer Marc Newsons Kelvin plane on the Design Museum website for inspiration.
Discussion point
Collect images showing different forms of airborne transport: planes, helicopters, rockets, hang gliders, hot air balloons etc. Make a visual resource of ideas for inspiration. I Develop a class handling collection of model aircraft: you could use toy helicopters, aeroplanes, model aircraft, aeroplane souvenirs etc. This forms a bank of real objects for the children to explore, draw and discuss. I Make paper aeroplanes and test them in the playground. Try making planes using different weights of paper. How does this affect their flight? Investigate the factors that helped or hindered their flight, eg folding techniques, shape of plane, choice of paper etc. I Look at flight and airborne travel in nature, for example insects, birds, seed pods and bats.These provide ideas and help children understand the inspiration man has taken from nature to develop forms of flight.
Teaching tips I
SUGGESTED MATERIALS:
Plastic containers such as milk and fizzy drinks bottles, fabric conditioner bottles, vegetable containers/plastic drinking straws/blunt cocktail and barbecue sticks/glue guns/single corrugated cardboard.
Giving the children a chance to assess their own work is a valuable experience. Choose 3-5 assessment points, write them on the board and ask the children to give themselves marks out of 5 for each point (5 = highest, 1 = lowest). Add the scores together to give an overall score.
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Develop a class handling collection of four or five chairs for the project. You could use childrens chairs, folding chairs, toy chairs, stools etc. Compare and contrast the design features, materials, aesthetics, and comfort. (see PRODUCT EVALUATION). I Collect images from the internet, from the wide selection of chairs on the Design Museums website, furniture catalogues, design books and magazines showing a variety of chairs. Make a visual resource of ideas for inspiration. I Plan time to allow children to make observational drawings of chairs in their design books and annotate their drawings. I In the generating ideas stage allow time for several short, playful design exercises. In groups, give the children a large handful of plastic lids and ask them to design a seat for two people. Selecting from the different sizes, shapes and coloured lids, children arrange the lids into chair designs, assembling them without gluing or sticking them together. Give only two or three minutes for the task and then ask the children to draw their idea and give their chair a title. Repeat, giving a different brief. For example, a seat for a baby, a chair for a restaurant. Remember this activity is aimed at encouraging children to think rapidly and creatively and to generate lots of design solutions. It is not an exercise in making.
Teaching tips I
SUGGESTED MATERIALS:
Single-layered corrugated cardboard/correx/pipe cleaners/telephone wire/foam board/fabric offcuts and decorative odds and ends/foam padding or cotton wool/a Barbie to use as an ergonome, to add context and scale to the model chair. Page 31
Giving the children a chance to assess their own work is a valuable experience. Choose 3-5 assessment points, write them on the board and ask the children to give themselves marks out of 5 for each point (5 = highest, 1 = lowest). Add the scores together to give an overall score.
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Develop a class handling collection for the project of chocolate bars and food packaging. This forms a collection of graphics packaging, lettering and font styles that are designed for different audiences and purposes, which the children can explore, draw and discuss together. I Carry out some market research in your class to find out which chocolate packaging is the most popular. Analyse the winning bar. Why is it the favourite? I Ask around the staff: somebody may have old newspapers or comics that can be used to compare design styles, past and present. I Introduce the children to typography and the art of graphic design by analysing letters and words from packaging, magazines, newspapers, carrier bags, book covers and of course, the computer. Look at size, shape, spacing, use of colour, outlines etc. Look at fonts on packaging etc and explore how they relate to the product inside. In an IT lesson look at different styles of font, and print them (see EXAMPLES OF FONTS). I Study the construction of lettering using guidelines and typesetting. Enlarge a selection of fonts on the photocopier and encourage the children to trace them and also copy them freehand on graph paper. Annotate drawings, including the names of parts of the letters. For example, the header, serif, etc. I Discuss traditional printing methods, such as printing stamps and newspapers, and look at how new technologies and the computer have impacted on this profession. I Establish a graphics tray in the classroom stocked with an ample supply of different-sized graph paper, tracing paper, lettersets, rulers, black biros and pencils. Laminate sample sheets showing different fonts and typefaces for children to use as reference material. I Develop the childrens newly designed logos by printing them onto paper bags. Remember, a printed image is always reversed, so any lettering needs to be drawn or placed back to front on the printing tile; use tracing paper to help reverse the lettering.
Teaching tips I
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Study the construction of lettering using guidelines and typesetting. Enlarge a selection of fonts on the photocopier and encourage the children to trace them and also copy them freehand on graph paper. Annotate drawings, including the names of parts of the letters, for example, the header, serif, etc.
SUGGESTED MATERIALS:
food packaging, leaflets, magazines, newspapers, carrier bags, comics, graph paper, tracing paper, lettersets, rulers, black biros and pencils.
Giving the children a chance to assess their own work is a valuable experience. Choose 3-5 assessment points, write them on the board and ask the children to give themselves marks out of 5 for each point (5 = highest, 1 = lowest). Add the scores together to give an overall score.
EXAMPLES OF FONTS
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Carefully match the corners and edges of the paper together. Firmly hold the corners with one hand. Run your finger down from the middle towards the fold. (fig. 1) Crease well at this point. This secures the fold. Crease well. Run your finger along the fold from the middle to the left and then to the right. (fig. 2)
Cut a square approximately the same size as the required circle. (fig. 3) Hold the scissors straight with one hand, opening and closing the blades. Hold the square with the other hand, and slowly rotate the shape. Keep moving this hand as the scissors cut away the corners. (fig. 4)
Fold a piece of paper once and cut a circle. This will produce two circles exactly the same. Fold a piece of paper twice and cut a circle. This will produce four circles. Fold a piece three times and cut a circle. (fig. 5 & fig. 4) This will produce eight circles exactly the same.
Fold along the edge of a piece of paper or card and apply PVA glue. Hold the tab in place and count to three, allowing the glue a little time to stick. (fig. 5) Page 35
Fold a tab and cut up to the fold. This cut allows movement. Apply a small amount of PVA glue to the corner of the tab. (fig. 1) Join the cut tabs together. This makes a curved shape. Crease the paper at this point to make a corner. (fig. 2) Making more than one cut along the tab allows a lot of flexibility. (fig. 3)
Fold a tab and cut up to the fold four times. Crease the paper at the point of each cut. Apply PVA glue to the edge of the paper and fix into a tower. (fig. 4) By cutting the tab in different places and varying the amounts of cuts, different 3D shapes are created. Experiment and see. (fig. 5)
Cut around the base of the cylinder. Ensure that each cut reaches the same point. (fig. 6) Fold back each cut section. Apply PVA glue on each tab and hold down to allow the glue time to stick. (fig. 7) For a stronger fix, measure and cut out a circle from the base card. The circle needs to be the same size as the diameter of the cylinder. Slide the cylinder through the hole and fix the tabs securely to the base. Cover with tape to make it more secure. This creates a stable fitting when joining chair legs to the seat. (fig. 8)
Tearing
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Tearing paper creates a rough edge, which has a different effect to a straight cut edge.
Snipping
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Fold a piece of paper and make diagonal snips with your scissors. This will create a spiky surface texture. (fig. 9)
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Slotting Slotting is a simple technique which joins together two or more pieces of card or paper.
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Cut into the paper or card and slot them together. (fig.1 and 2)
fig. 1
Fringing This technique can be used for decoration in D&T projects, especially in textile projects if you are making clothes, shoes, bags and accessories. Fringing can also be used to trim models of soft furnishings, such as lampshades, chairs and curtains.
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fig. 2
Fold a piece of tissue paper in half. Cut towards the fold in regular intervals. Make sure you do not cut through the fold. Leave a small border from the folded edge. (fig. 3) To make a tassle, roll the paper fringe and secure the edge with PVA glue. (fig. 4) Roll the paper fringe around a pencil if you want it to be curly. (fig. 5)
I fig. 3 I
Experiment using different types of paper, sugar paper, tracing paper and explore the range of textures you can create.
fig. 4
fig. 5
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Mix an amount of cellulose paste with water. Spread it directly onto the newspaper with your hand. (Alternatively you can use watered-down PVA glue.) Turn the paper over and repeat. Make sure the paper is thoroughly covered with paste. (fig. 1) Tear long strips directly from the gluey paper. (fig. 2) Overlap the strips of paper as you apply them to your model. Smooth out any creases. (fig. 3) When you are finished, clean the table by rubbing away the excess paste with dry newspaper and then washing it with warm, soapy water.
How to make paper rods or spills Paper rods, or spills, are 100% recycled and a fabulous resource for construction, model making and art projects.
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Fold the corner of a newspaper tightly over a wooden barbecue stick. Roll the newspaper away from you, keeping your fingers spread out. (fig. 4) Remove the barbecue stick and continue to roll your newspaper. Keep fingers and hands spread evenly along the rod. Hold onto the rod as you work otherwise it will simply unroll. (fig. 5) Fix with a small piece of masking tape. (fig. 6)
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CARDBOARD
Sewing I Cardboard provides a firm base on which to sew. Using a large-eyed blunt needle and masking tape to secure the loose ends of the thread, practise making stitches and try out attaching objects to the board in different ways. (fig. 1)
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Cardboard is a great material to use as a firm (fig. 2a) base or inner sole if you are making slippers or shoes. Make sure the corrugation runs horizontally to allow movement and cover the card with felt. (fig. 2a and 2b)
Constructing I Cardboard boxes provide a strong, rigid material for model making. Push a barbecue stick into the corrugation to extend or attach extra card (fig. 2b) shapes. Feathers, pipe cleaners or cocktail sticks can also be attached in the same way (fig. 3, 4 and 5)
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Score into cardboard cuts through the outer surface, causing a clean cut and allowing movement. A single cut creates a hinged effect. (fig. 6) Scoring on alternative sides of the card creates a stepped effect. (fig. 7) Scoring many times on one side allows the card to be rolled up into a cylinder. (fig. 8 and 9)
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Clear instructions and regular reminders should be given about how to handle, use and carry tools. Set aside a table to accommodate special equipment during a project and consider supervision arrangements of this area at all times.
Using glue guns I When glue guns are integral to a project, make sure there is a separate table or space dedicated to this purpose. Cover the table with a layer of paper to catch any dribbles of glue; otherwise the table will be very messy at the end of the project.
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Demonstrate how to use the glue guns by highlighting any potential hazards. Make sure the lead for the glue gun is out of the way so that nobody is likely to trip over it. Children should be supervised at all times when using glue guns. Alternatively this job can be carried out by a parent helper, teacher or teaching assistant. Take particular care when gluing certain materials together. Plastics can melt at a high temperature even when coming into contact with a cold glue gun. Check before the lesson that there are plenty of glue sticks. Also check the glue guns are safe to use and not broken.
Using scissors I Make sure there are good quality scissors available for cutting. Blunt scissors can be more dangerous to use than effective, sharp scissors.
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Reinforce scissor safety. Show children how to carry scissors safely, holding them facing downwards by the blades and keeping the blades together when the scissors are not being used. When passing a pair of scissors to someone, it is important to hold onto the blades and pass the scissors with the handles showing. Scissors should be stored blade downwards in a scissor rack or pot.
DESIGN BRIEF Ask the children to design a poster or leaflet showing how to store and use D&T equipment properly. Make a study or close observational drawing of a piece of practical equipment or D&T kit. Annotate the children's drawings and display them in your D&T area if you have one. Health & Safety and Risk Assessment templates for your use when planning a visit to the Design Museum can be found at the back of this pack. Page 40
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11. Allow PVA glue time to stick. Encourage children to count to three while holding down whatever they are gluing. 12. Recycle hair accessories such as bows, flowers, beaded tassles etc and use them for final touches on textile projects. 13. Tape a carrier bag to the corner of each table and encourage the children to keep their working space tidy, systematically clearing as they go. At the end of the lesson recycle the waste and keep the carrier bag for another day. 14. Make sure there are good quality left- and right-handed scissors available for the childrens use. Children need to be able to cut through all sorts of materials with effective tools. Any child who finds cutting a problem will become more frustrated if the scissors are blunt. Left-handed scissors need to be provided for left-handed children. 15. Work on design-and-make activities in blocks of time. Plan a whole day or two, or arrange a design week so that children can become absorbed in the design process and complete and evaluate a design project successfully 16. Introduce the children to the idea of making duplicate copies of their work. Place a sheet of carbon paper and a piece of A4 paper inside their design books. When it is time for the children to plan and sketch their ideas, they will automatically produce a carbon copy of the original. This copy can then be kept for assessment purposes or mounted and displayed to show the process of childrens designs. 17. Use graph paper when the children are drawing out ideas and making technical drawings. 18. Give the children plenty of opportunity to draw. The more drawings children make, the more practised and visually articulate they will become. Also, through regular sketching and drawing, both in 2D and 3D, pencil control and fine motor skills will improve. 19. Set up a table of everyday designed products for the children to investigate. For example plastic cups, bottle opener, can opener, washing-up gloves, clothes pegs, brushes and cutlery. Ask the children to make close observational drawings of these products. Annotate the drawings, labelling the features of the object, their functions, materials used and why. 20. Make paper rods or spills out of newspaper. They are a great, cheap resource for construction work and are 100% recycled. (See skills and techniques for further instructions). 21. Use the internet for researching projects and finding information about designers. Here are some useful websites for design projects focusing on interior design, product design, architecture and fashion. www.designmuseum.org www.fashion.com www.habitat.com www.lloydloom.com Page 43
GLOSSARY
The following glossary lists the design vocabulary used in this pack. Aesthetic: the way something looks Analyse: to examine and look at something carefully to find out about it Annotated diagram: a labelled drawing, plan or sketch of an idea or design, recording thoughts and observations Architect: someone who designs buildings Assemble: to join together Budget: an amount of money available Client: the customer Compare: to find similarities between two or more things Contrast: to find differences between two or more things Construct: to make by fitting pieces together Copyright: the right to control or produce an original idea or product. Copyright is shown by this symbol . The date is also clearly stated Design: to draw a plan, pattern or 3D sketch of something Design brief: an outline of a given project or task Design process: the development of a product, from initial brief to finished product Ergonome: a cut-out pattern of the human body Ergonomic: the design of something that specifically relates to the human shape Evaluate: to judge the worth or value of something Form: the three-dimensional shape of an object Function: the way something is used; its purpose Inspiration: the source or creative influence of an idea Manufacturing: the process by which something is made Market: the people providing a demand for a product Material: a substance used for making something Modify: to change something slightly Plan: a way of doing something that you think about in advance Problem: something that is difficult to understand or answer Problem solving: a way of finding an answer to a problem Process: a series of actions for doing something Prototype: a 3D trial model of a product made so that a design can be tested before it is produced Recycle: to use something again Research: careful study of a subject to find out more information about it Reinforce: to strengthen something Secure: to fix firmly and safely Slotting: a way of fitting two or more pieces together without glue Solution: an answer to a problem Tab: a folded area of card or paper on which to glue Target audience: who is the product aimed at? Test: to try something out Page 44
In order to assist teachers with the completion of risk assessments for a group visit to the Design Museum, we can confirm that we have the following arrangements and documentation for Health & Safety in place:
Subject Health & Safety Policy (five or more employees) COSHH Assessments Risk Assessments including premises and risks to visitor Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of equipment Health and Safety Training for employees (appropriate to any activities/involvement in visit) Fire and Emergency procedures First Aid Accident Reporting Third Party Liability Insurance (a copy can be provided)
Yes / No Yes
Yes Yes
Yes
Yes
For any further information please contact Becky Nixson Education Coordinator 020 7940 8782 becky@designmuseum.org Page 45
Possible Hazards
Please tick or cross accordingly, identify who may be affected, and any other important details
Getting lost on the journey Crossing roads Using escalators/lifts/stairs Getting separated on public transport Getting trapped on transport Being injured by members of the public Being stung/bitten by an animal while on the journey Falling/being pushed into water Impact with something solid (falling onto something, or something falling onto someone). Getting lost inside the museum Losing items of clothes/accessories Risk of injury whilst in workshops, including use of hot glue guns, staplers, knives, pins, needles, scissors, etc Other:
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