Year 8
Design & Technology
Design, make, evaluate and cook
Unit 1
From brief to specification
Turn a design problem into a clear, testable specification.
0 of 2 done
What this unit covers
- Identify and solve their own design problems and understand how to reformulate problems given to them
- Develop specifications to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that respond to needs in a variety of situations
Unit 2
Materials and mechanisms
Choosing materials and using simple mechanisms to make things move.
0 of 3 done
What this unit covers
- Select from and use a wider, more complex range of materials and components, taking into account their properties
- Understand how mechanical systems such as levers, linkages and gears create movement and change forces
Unit 3
Food, nutrition and provenance
What makes a balanced diet, and where our ingredients come from.
0 of 3 done
What this unit covers
- Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and health, and cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes
- Understand the source, seasonality and characteristics of a broad range of ingredients
Unit 4
Generating and communicating design ideas
Creative idea generation and clear ways to present a design to others.
0 of 2 done
What this unit covers
- Use a variety of approaches to generate creative ideas, including biomimicry and user-centred design
- Develop and communicate design ideas using annotated sketches, detailed plans, mathematical modelling and computer-based tools
Unit 5
Making skills and structures
Using tools and equipment precisely, working safely, and understanding materials and structures.
0 of 3 done
What this unit covers
- Select from and use specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment and machinery precisely
- Work safely and accurately, planning the order of making and managing time and resources
- Understand and use the properties of materials and the performance of structural elements to achieve functioning solutions
Unit 6
Systems, electronics and cooking techniques
Mechanical, electrical and computing systems in products, and competent cooking techniques.
0 of 2 done
What this unit covers
- Understand how more advanced mechanical and electrical systems can be used in their products, and apply computing to embed intelligence in products
- Become competent in a range of cooking techniques, including selecting and preparing ingredients and using a range of equipment safely
Unit 7
Evaluating design and its impact
Analysing existing products, testing your own work, and understanding design's impact on society.
0 of 3 done
What this unit covers
- Analyse the work of past and present professionals and others to develop and broaden their understanding
- Test, evaluate and refine their ideas and products against a specification, taking into account the views of intended users
- Understand developments in design and technology, its impact on individuals, society and the environment, and the responsibilities of designers
Unit 8
Cooking and nutrition
Nutrition, food safety, provenance and practical cooking choices.
0 of 3 done
What this unit covers
- Apply nutrition principles to meals
- Use safe food preparation methods
- Explain provenance, seasonality and sustainability
Unit 9
GCSE design and technology: materials and manufacture
Material properties, working properties, scales of production and processes.
0 of 1 done
What this unit covers
- Select materials and processes with justification for a given design context.
Unit 10
GCSE design and technology: designing and iterating
Design contexts, user-centred design, specifications, iteration and evaluation.
0 of 1 done
What this unit covers
- Develop, test and evaluate iterative design solutions against a user specification.
Unit 11
Year 8 Design and technology: brief to prototype
Turning a real user need into a specification, a modelled idea and an honest evaluation.
0 of 2 done
What this unit covers
- Develop specifications to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that respond to needs in a variety of situations
- Test, evaluate and refine their ideas and products against a specification, taking into account the views of intended users