Year 4 have had a really busy start to the new half term, putting our practical skills to the test! Our DT project this week has been about kit cars. We built not one, not two, but three different prototypes to test different materials and manufacturing methods in order to make an informed decision before we create our final product.
During the market research stage, we carefully considered sustainability vs. durability, discussing the pros and cons of using plastic vs. cardboard or wood components to build the axle and chassis of our cars.
Children worked as a team to design and build each prototype, with one child taking on the role of Project Manager each day to ensure tasks were delegated fairly. We encountered problems and found solutions along the way – for example, our dowel didn’t fit into the wheels we wanted to use for the third prototype! However we realised we could dismantle prototype two in order to reuse those wheels, increasing the sustainability of the entire project.
After building the cars, we tested how far they travelled by carefully measuring in our distance trials.
Next week, the children will create their final designs. They will have to design assembly instructions so clear that another team can pick up their kit and build their car! It’s going to be an exciting lesson – we can’t wait!
Michael Faraday 