Shelleymccuk

NC Programme

of Study

LearningObjectives

MainActivites

Resources

Links withICT

5ainvestigate andevaluate a range of familiar products, thinking about how theywork, how they are used and the views of the people who usethem

* To investigate,disassemble and evaluate a range of musical instruments

in order to learnhow they function

* To identify thedifferent parts, materials used & methods of assembly used in theinstruments

Investigatingmusical instruments

* Each group ofchildren to investigate 2-3 different instruments & answerquestions about each:

- How do you playit? What is it made of? What materials have been used to make theinstrument?

- What is thestructure of the instrument? Is it solid or hollow?

Does it have abox/arm/stem/board?

- What parts haveto be strong? What parts make the sound? How do you make differentnotes?

* Each group tofill in a sheet to answer the above questions & feed back to theclass about one of their instruments.

A collection ofsimple musical instruments or pictures including (if possible) somefrom other times and cultures

Recordingsheet

Research ofmusical instruments on the internet (time permitting)

1agenerate ideas forproducts after thinking about who will use them and what they willbe used for, using information from a number of sources

1bdevelop ideas andexplain them clearly, putting together a list of what they wanttheir design to achieve

1cplan what theyhave to do, suggesting a sequence of actions and alternatives, ifneeded

1dcommunicatedesign ideas in different ways as these develop, bearing in mindaesthetic qualities, and the uses and purposes for which theproduct is intended

4ahow the workingcharacteristics of materials affect the ways they are used

4bhow materials canbe combined and mixed to create more useful properties

5bfocused practicaltasks that develop a range of techniques, skills, processes andknowledge

5cdesign and makeassignments using a range of materials, including stiff andflexible sheet materials

* To understandthat different types of sounds can be made using differenttechniques, e.g. Scraping, hitting, scraping, plucking, etc.

* To understandthat the working characteristics of materials affect the soundsmade

* To assemblematerials in temporary ways

* To considerdesign needs & show their design ideas using annotateddiagrams

Investigatingand designing musical instruments

* Explain that thechildren will be making their own musical instruments over the nextfew weeks.

* Demonstrate howa range of materials could be combined to make an instrument playby striking, plucking, shaking and/or hitting. Use easily availableresources to make shakers (margarine pots withrice/gravel/pasta/sand), scrapers (plastic bottles withridges/dowel rods/sandpaper), drums (food containers/biscuittins/material to stretch over the top) & string instruments (foodcontainers/elastic bands/string). Allow time to experiment withsome of the materials.

* Children to planout their instrument & complete a design brief (list possibleresources, etc.) Give the children access to books for research &ideas. Discuss the children's ideas as a class.

Margarine pots,plastic bottles with ridges, food containers, biscuit tins, carrierbags, rice, sand, gravel, sandpaper, etc.

Designsheet

NC Programme

of Study

LearningObjectives

MainActivites

Resources

Links withICT

2aselectappropriate tools and techniques for making their product

2bsuggestalternative ways of making their product, if first attemptsfail

2cexplore thesensory qualities of materials and how to use materials andprocesses

2dmeasure, markout, cut and shape a range of materials, and assemble, join andcombine components and materials accurately

2euse finishingtechniques to strengthen and improve the appearance of theirproduct

3areflect on theprogress of their work as they design and make, identifying waysthey could improve their products

3bcarry outappropriate tests before making any improvements

* To produce aquality musical instrument that will produce a series ofcontrollable sounds when played

* To evaluatetheir own work & that of others, suggesting futureimprovements

Makingmusical instruments

* Emphasise to thechildren that the instruments must be made to a high standard &that accuracy of making is very important to creating the rightsounds.

* Children to maketheir instrument, recording any modifications they have had to makein response to their initial designs & why.

Paper, colouredcard, sellotape, masking tape, PVA glue, string, rubber bands,etc.

Range of basictools for cutting and shaping paper, card, etc.

Take photos duringvarious stages of the making process

3areflect on theprogress of their work as they design and make, identifying waysthey could improve their products

3crecognise thatthe quality of a product depends on how well it is made and howwell it meets its intended purpose

* To evaluatetheir own work & that of others, suggesting futureimprovements

Evaluatingmusical instruments

* Children to testtheir finished instruments.

* Return to theirinitial designs and complete an evaluation.

* Allow time forchildren to look at & evaluate the work of others, suggestingfuture improvements.

Completed musicalinstruments

Evaluationsheets

Take photos ofcompleted instruments as a record for DT books