Design and Technology in the Primary School: Case Studies for Teachers (Subjects in the Primary School)

This series of case studies shows how real teachers across the primary age range have put design and technology into practice as a focus for their topic work. Through these examples Hind Makiya and Margaret Rogers show what is meant by design and technology in the primary school and how problem solving activities can be used to fulfill the requirements of the National Curriculum across several subjects. In the process they tackle such areas of concern as the gender and cultural implications of design and technology, topic planning and classroom organization and whole school curriculum policies. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Plates......Page 8 Figures......Page 9 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Design and technology in the primary curriculum......Page 12 What are design and technology activities?......Page 13 Where do design and technology activities fit into the primary curriculum, and what do they offer pupils?......Page 14 Is there a place for teaching design and technology across the curriculum in the National Curriculum?......Page 20 What is the gender dimension of design and technology?......Page 21 Where is the cultural dimension of design and technology?......Page 23 The potential of design and technology in the primary curriculum......Page 25 The early years......Page 27 Topic: 'Ourselves'......Page 28 Project 2: making puppets......Page 32 Project 3: where we live......Page 33 Summary of the three projects......Page 34 Other infant work......Page 36 Starting in the classroom......Page 39 Topic: 'Farms'......Page 40 Topic: The two dragons......Page 43 Topic: 'Dragons'......Page 44 Topic: Chinese New Year......Page 48 Links with mathematics......Page 56 Topic: 'The environment'; measurements and scaling......Page 64 Science and technology......Page 68 Topic: 'Mechanical toys'......Page 72 Topic: 'The transport problem'......Page 78 Topic: 'Water'......Page 83 Links with information technology......Page 89 Topic: 'The environment'......Page 91 Topic: 'Myths and legends'......Page 96 Topic: 'Robots'......Page 98 Whole school development......Page 101 Design and technology as a focus for language work......Page 102 Individual classroom topic plans of activities......Page 108 Design and technology as a focus for curriculum development......Page 120 Topic planning......Page 125 Conclusion......Page 141 Appendix......Page 143 References......Page 157 Index......Page 159 The inclusion of technology among the National Curriculum foundation subjects is an exciting , but at the same time somewhat daunting challenge for primary teachers. This series of case studies shows how real teachers across the primmary age range have put design and technology into practice as a focus for their topic work. Through these examples Margaret Rogers and Hind Makiya show what is meant by design and technology in the primary school and how problem solving activiies can be used to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum across several subjects. Useful appendices summarize the technology requirements of the National Curriculum and give extra guidance in common areas of difficulty such as the introduction of electricity and the use of electricity and the use of technical lego. Features case studies which show how teachers have put design and technology into practice. The authors explore problem solving activities, the National Curriculum and areas of difficulty such as electricity and the use of technical lego.