b. how mechanisms can be used in different ways [for example, wheels and axles, joints that allow movement]. .
During the foundation and key stages, pupils should be taught the Knowledge, skills and understanding through: .
a. investigating and evaluating a range of familiar products [for example, talking about how they work, and whether they do what they are supposed to do] .
b. focused practical tasks that develop a range of techniques, skills, processes and knowledge .
(www.ncuk.co.uk).
While designing and making things children also begin to decide what is good about what they make and how to improve it. In the process of designing and making, children will also draw on what they learn in subjects like math, English, science and art. This helps them to see how school subjects fit together and why they are used.
Children enjoy the diverse learning that Design and Technology gives them. They can learn at home as well as in the classroom. At the nursery where I was on placement, the children were given activities to do at home where they could learn through D&T. They would come back to nursery, talk about it, and show their classmates their work. The parents are asked to put together a collection of products to investigate with their child. For example, looking around the home for different types of puppets; toy cars or dolls; clothes or shoes; packaging and cakes and biscuits. They are asked to talk about the products with their children, look at them carefully and try to work them or copy them. Some of the things suggested for parents to help them focus their child's learning while looking at different objects are listed below.
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• how they have been joined together or mixed.
• what they are made from.
• what they look like - have they been painted? dyed? baked?.
• whether they work well.
Share ideas as you design and make. Try talking through these questions with your child:.
