Design and make
The technical process
You make something in steps: you look at the problem, design a solution, make it, test it and improve it. Then you sometimes start again.
Year 5 to the first stage of secondary schoolDraft
Topics
All topics
Pick a topic. Every topic starts from an everyday question, shows a picture to play with, explains why, lets you practise and gives you something to make.
17 topics
Design and make
The design process, technical drawing, measuring and tolerances, and working safely.
- Design and make
Technical drawing
A technical drawing shows an object from the front, from above and from the side, with fixed line types, dimensions in millimetres and a scale.
First stage of secondary schoolDraft
- Design and make
Measuring and tolerances
With a tape measure, a ruler or a caliper you measure to the millimetre or even to 0.1 mm. A tolerance says how much a size may vary.
First stage of secondary schoolDraft
- Design and make
Working safely
In the technology room you work safely with the right protection, tidiness and attention. Pictograms use shape and colour to say what you must do, what is not allowed and where danger is.
Year 5 to the first stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
Forces and mechanisms
Levers, pulleys, gears, simple machines and structures.
- Forces and mechanisms
Levers
With a lever you lift something heavy with less force. What counts is force times arm: F₁×
a₁= F₂× a₂. There are three classes of levers. Year 5 to the first stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
- Forces and mechanisms
Pulleys and tackles
A pulley guides a rope over a wheel. A fixed pulley changes the direction, a movable pulley and a block and tackle share the load over more rope parts: F=
G/n. First stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
- Forces and mechanisms
Gears and drives
Gears pass a turning motion on. The ratio of the teeth decides how fast and how strongly the driven gear turns: n₂=
n₁× z₁/z₂. Year 5 to the first stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
- Forces and mechanisms
Simple machines
An inclined plane, a wedge, a screw and a wheel and axle: less force over a longer distance. The work stays the same.
First stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
- Forces and mechanisms
Structures
A structure carries a load without falling over, bending or collapsing. Triangles, folded profiles and a wide base make it strong.
Year 5 to the first stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
Energy and electricity
Circuits, sensors and control, energy in appliances and renewable energy.
- Energy and electricity
Electric circuits
How to build and switch a circuit: switches, push buttons and two-way switches, symbols in a diagram, lamps in series or parallel, and why a fuse protects you.
First stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
- Energy and electricity
Sensors and control
A sensor measures, a controller decides using a threshold, an actuator acts. That is how a night light, a thermostat and an automatic door work. Open loop or closed loop?
First stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
- Energy and electricity
Energy in appliances
Every appliance converts energy. Part of it is useful, the rest is mostly lost as heat. You learn to work out efficiency, power in watts and energy in kWh.
First stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
- Energy and electricity
Renewable energy
Sun, wind and water never run out. You learn how solar panels and wind turbines work, what Wp means, how much they deliver and why storage is needed.
First stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
Materials and sustainability
Materials and their properties, joints, technology at home and the life cycle of a product.
- Materials and sustainability
Materials and their properties
Wood, metals, plastics, textiles, glass and rubber each have their own properties. By testing you find out which material suits a product best.
First stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
- Materials and sustainability
Joints
Screws, bolts, zips, glue, rivets, welding and sewing: which joint can you take apart again, which cannot, and which suits wood, metal, fabric or cardboard?
First stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
- Materials and sustainability
Technology at home: lock, tap and bicycle
How a cylinder lock only turns with the right key, how a tap lets water through and mixes it, and how far your bike goes with one turn of the pedals.
First stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus
- Materials and sustainability
The life cycle of a product
From raw material to waste: every product goes through a life cycle. You learn the order of preference, from preventing and repairing to recycling, and how to sort waste properly in Belgium.
First stage of secondary schoolDraftWith Kaft Plus