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St StephensCommunity Academy

DT - Structures - Baby Bear's Chair

This term our DT unit is structures and we designed and made Baby Bear's chair from Goldilocks and the three bears.
 

Children who were secure at the end of this unit could - 

  • Identify man-made and natural structures.
  • Identify stable and unstable structural shapes.
  • Contribute to discussions.
  • Identify features that make a chair stable.
  • Work independently to make a stable structure, following a demonstration.
  • Explain how their ideas would be suitable for Baby Bear.
  • Produce a model that supports a teddy, using the appropriate materials and construction techniques.
  • Explain how they made their model strong, stiff and stable.
 

Lesson 1 - Exploring Stability

Learning objective

  • To explore the concept and features of structures and the stability of different shapes.

Success criteria

  • I can identify natural and man-made structures.
  • I can understand what is meant by stability and identify when a structure is more or less stable than another.
  • I can explain that shapes and structures with wide, flat bases or legs are the most stable.

Lesson 2 - Strengthening Materials

Learning objective

  • To understand that the shape of the structure affects its strength.

Success criteria

  • I can understand the meaning of the words strength, stiffness and stability.
  • I can understand there are different ways to fold paper to improve its strength and stiffness.
  • I can build a strong and stiff structure by folding paper.
  • I can test the strength of my structure.

Lesson 3 - Making Baby Bear's Chair

Learning objective

  • To make a structure according to design criteria.

Success criteria

  • I can remember that chairs are structures that need to be strong, stiff and stable.
  • I can create joints and structures from paper, card and tape.

Lesson 4 - Fixing and testing Baby Bear’s chair

Learning objective

  • To produce a finished structure and evaluate its strength, stiffness and stability.

Success criteria

  • I can identify that the chair I design needs to be strong, stiff, stable and support Teddy.
  • I can create joints and structures.
  • I can evaluate my structure according to the design criteria.