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Design Technology 

Good buildings come from good people, and all problems are solved by good design.”

Stephen Gardiner 

 Our mission in KS3 Design and Technology is to provide opportunities for students to develop and show their creative abilities. Students use their design skills and imagination to produce workable plans for a real-world scenario. This is done in a variety of materials and involves using a wide range of tools and equipment.

Here at B.G.G.S, prior learning from other subject areas, such as Maths and Science, combined with DT skills, knowledge & understanding enable students to create quality products. Students will have the opportunity to analyse and evaluate existing product and review their own work critically.

Students at Bordesley Green Girls' School and Sixth Form will understand the design process and how new innovations and technologies can shape our future world.

Assessment

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Year 7 DT (Resistant Materials) Technology

Term

Topic /  Key Enquiry questions

Type of Assessment

On rotation once per year

Students carry out a practical and a theory module during the term.  The practical module involves the production of  a Gumball sweet dispenser.

Students will understand how to identify a need in a product and be able to create a design brief.

Students will use research skills, be able to develop their design ideas and sketch ideas using pencil crayons.

Students will look at the properties of some materials and be able to select the most appropriate for a given task.

Students will be able to evaluate their products and suggest improvements.

The theory module will look at methods of sketching and modelling. Students will have the opportunity to create a model prototype.

End of half term assessment to include:

Marking of their design booklets and their design ideas, these will be given a level.

Students will be given guidance and feedback on their practical skills when carrying out practical work.

Each topic will include independent research, a design and evaluation of their product.

The sketching and modelling module will be assessed by an end of unit exam.

Extra-Curricular Activities:

Watch the ‘The Repair Shop’ or ‘How it’s made?’.

Encourage students to take up hobbies such as painting, origami or indeed anything practical that encourages hand skills.

Students are offered the opportunity to attend "Technology Tuesday" Club.

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Year 8 DT (Resistant Materials) Technology

Term

Topic /  Key Enquiry questions

Type of Assessment

On rotation once per year

Students study a theory module called "Mechanical Systems and Movement"; this looks at different forms of movement, levers, linkages, gears and cams.  This knowledge is used later in the term to carry out the second, practical module.  This module involves the production of a mechanical child’s toy.

Students will carry out research skills and carry out an analysis of an existing product to investigate the decisions that have taken place.

Students will look at CAMS and the types of movement they can create, examples will be given.

Students will research properties of different materials and how to select the most appropriate materials for the product.

Students will be able to evaluate their products and suggest improvements.

End of half term assessment to include:

The assessment of the theory module, "Mechanical Systems and Movement" is assessed by an end of unit exam.

Marking of their design booklets and their design ideas, these will be given a level.

Students will be given guidance and feedback on their practical skills when carrying out practical work.

Each topic will include independent research, a design and evaluation of their product.

Extra-Curricular Activities:

Watch the ‘The Repair Shop’ or ‘How it’s made?’.

Encourage students to take up hobbies such as painting, origami or indeed anything practical that encourages hand skills.

Look for examples of CAMS at home and how they are used.

Students are offered the opportunity to attend "Technology Tuesday" Club.

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Year 9 DT (Resistant Materials) Technology

Term

Topic /  Key Enquiry questions

Type of Assessment

On rotation once per year

Students carry out a practical module of work involving the production of a personal phone/ MP3 amplifier.

Students will carry out independent research and look at existing products that are available.

Students to understand the importance of accurate measurement of raw materials in preparation for the practical skills.

Students will create an electronic circuit board to amplify the music from their personal stereos. They will understand the idea of input, process and output.

Students will look at the properties of several different materials and how these materials should be used for the correct selection of materials for a product.

Students will be able to evaluate in detail and be able to change design ideas in light of feedback given.

The second module studied is called "Common Specialist Technical Principles".  The areas covered are; forces, stresses, ecological and social footprint and the 6Rs.

End of half term assessment to include:

Marking of design booklets and their design ideas, these will be given a level.

Students will be given guidance and feedback on their practical skills when carrying out practical work.

Each topic will include independent research, a design and evaluation of their product.

The theory module, Common Specialist Technical Principles", is assessed by an end of unit exam.

Extra-Curricular Activities:

Watch the ‘The Repair Shop’ or ‘How it’s made?’.

Encourage students to look for electronic devices around the home, try to understand the design decisions that have taken place to produce that product.

Take up hobbies such as painting, origami or indeed anything practical that encourages hand skills.

Students are offered the opportunity to attend "Technology Tuesday" Club.

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Year 10 DT

Term

Topic/ Key Enquiry Question

Type of Assessment

Autumn

Unit1 - New and emerging Technologies.

How robotics have affected the workplace, technology push and market pull, Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM).

Unit 5E. Textiles.

Main sources of vegetable, animal and synthetic fibres. How fibres are spun into yarn to make a fabric, the process of weaving with reference to warp and weft threads.

Unit 4. Common specialist technical principles.

Forces and stresses, how materials have been stiffened or reinforced, how deforestation, mining, drilling and farming affect our ecology, carbon dioxide is produced during the manufacture of products.

 Unit 3. Materials.

Primary sources of materials for producing a variety of materials in each of five key material areas, recognise and characterise different types of materials in each key area

End of unit test.

 End of unit test.

 End of unit test.

 End of unit test.

Spring

Unit 7. Making principles.

Select and use materials and components appropriate to a specific task, functionality, availability and cost affect the selection of materials and components.

Unit 6. Designing principles.

 Primary and secondary research, anthropometric research, the work of two designers, the work of two design companies.

Unit 2. Energy, materials, systems and devices

Power is generated from oil, gas, coal and nuclear sources, renewable energy is generated from a variety of sources.

NEA unit.

 The NEA is released by the exam board for students to start working on their coursework.

End of unit test.

   

End of unit test.

 End of unit test.

  

Graded according to exam board criteria.

Summer

Unit 2. Energy, materials, systems and devices

Finish off this unit, see details above

NEA (3 units)

See description above

End of unit test.

Graded according to exam board criteria.

Extra-Curricular Activities

How you can help at home

Encourage students to watch the BBC show ‘The Repair shop’ or ‘How it’s made’ TV shows.

Take up a craft hobby, painting, sewing, origami or anything practical that involves using your hands.

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Year 11 DT

Term

Topic/ Key Enquiry Question

Type of Assessment

Autumn

NEA (4 units)

See description above

Graded according to exam board criteria.

Spring

NEA (4 units)

See description above

Graded according to exam board criteria.

Summer

Examination revision and preparation

Past Papers

Summer examination.

Extra-Curricular Activities

How you can help at home

Encourage students to watch the BBC show ‘The Repair shop’ or ‘How it’s made’ TV shows. Take up a craft hobby, painting, sewing, origami or anything practical that involves using your hands.

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How we assess the impact of what your child is taught:

Design Technology

How will classwork be marked/

monitored/

graded/

self-assessed

KS3

Once every 3 weeks due to number of lessons per fortnight. Levels will be awarded at end of the unit of work. Verbal teacher-feedback. Teachers will use red pen.

KS4

Reviewed every 3 weeks, depending on practical activity taking place at the time marking could be once per month. Grades will be awarded upon completion of the piece of work. Verbal teacher-feedback. Teachers will use red pen.

KS5

N/A

What classwork will be marked?

KS3

Classroom notes and designs will receive teacher comments. Due to practical nature of subject, often verbal feedback is given, stamps are used in booklets to indicate if verbal feedback has been given.

KS4

Teachers will comment on classroom notes and give verbal feedback on assessments. Often Post It Notes are attached to practical work to provide feedback. Controlled assessment in some areas cannot be marked formally as work progresses due to exam board regulations.

KS5

N/A

How will students ‘reflect’ on marking/ feedback?

KS3/KS4/KS5

Students will read and respond to comments made in books in green pen. In RM students have levels within booklet to enable students to review levels and reflect how they can make improvements. Where Post It Notes are used, these can be transferred to booklets and their response is written in green pen.

How will Homework be marked/

monitored/

graded?

KS3

Homework is often part of practical booklet and marked as described above.

KS4

Revision workbooks are produced for homework and these are marked when needed. Some of the homework can be marked by stickers if work is practical.

KS5

N/A

What are the formal Assessments? When are they marked?

KS3 – students are given practical projects to complete each term, at the end of the unit of work students are given a formal level. Each subject area has a variety of differing projects they offer.

KS4 - Lots of verbal feedback and discussion to help students enhance their creativity and therefore increase their formal assessment level, often this is coursework. Some of the formal assessments are controlled assessments. Practice essay type questions are used, and revision booklets are distributed to students on the chosen theme for that year.