This unit of work forms part of the Primary Design Technology scheme of work which features over 60 units of work designed to deliver outstanding outcomes for primary school children in design technology. Each unit contains lesson slides for each session, downloadable resources, planning and a knowledge organiser. Comprehensive medium-term planning includes
Accompanying this unit is further information about the scheme of work and the progression chart and vocabulary list used when creating the scheme of work.
(Further details and free resources: www.primarydt.com)
Design Brief: Design and Make an Orrery to teach younger children how the Solar System works.
Sequence of Learning for Teachers
In this project, children apply their knowledge of gear mechanisms to design and make an orrery. They learn that an orrery is a mechanical model of the solar system that shows how the planets orbit the Sun. They investigate gears and understand how they can change the speed and direction of movement in a mechanical system. They will use this knowledge when designing their orrery model. Children create a wooden framework to house the mechanical system that works the orrery. They design and make a model of the solar system that will rotate as part of the model. Children decorate their orrery model using suitable images and theming. They evaluate their finished product against the design brief and design specifications and consider improvements they would make to their product. As part of the evaluation process, children create a Zine all about the orrery they have designed and made.
This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following six sessions:
Some activities / sessions can be re-arranged or delivered in different ways in the learning sequence to allow for whole-class teaching and/or small adult-led sessions to take place at the same time.
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