Lesson video

Hi, everyone, I'm Mrs. Courts and I'm very pleased join you for today's lesson on designing playground structures.

This is part of the Freestanding Structures, Playgrounds unit.

Our lesson outcome for today is I can plan and design playground structures.

To do this, we have four new keywords.

I'll say them first and then you can repeat 'em after me.

Are you ready? Super.

Stable.

Stable.

Super, stable means something that is balanced and doesn't fall over.

Design specification.

Design specification.

Super, a design specification describes what a product has to do.

And sketch model.

Sketch model.

Super, a sketch model is a quick, low-cost way to make a 3D model or an idea or design.

And our final word is unique.

Unique.

Excellent.

Unique means something that is one of a kind.

In our lesson today of designing playground structures, we have two parts, two learning cycles, and our first part is creating a design specification for a playground.

So to create a playground, a designer will start with writing a design specification.

Jun says, "A design specification is something that describes what a product has to do." Well done, Jun.

We're ready for our first check for understanding now, so I hope you're listening really, really carefully.

Excellent.

A design specification is A, something that describes what a product sounds like, B, something that describes what a product looks like, and C, something that describes what a product has to do.

Pause the video now and have a little think.

Welcome back.

So a design specification is something that describes what a product has to do.

Well done, everyone.

The design specification would consider the following: the users, who will be using the playground.

The users of the playground equipment are usually children; the purpose, what is the playground and the play equipment for.

The purpose of the playground equipment is to allow children to play, climb, and enjoy learning; and the needs of the play equipment.

What does the playground and play equipment need to do? The playground equipment, the structures, need to be, "Colourful, bright, and fun so the children want to use it," said Laura.

"Strong so it'll take lots of children playing on it," said Andeep.

And, "Freestanding so that it won't fall over," said Sofia.

Sometimes, a design specification is written based on a problem.

A designer will often have a problem that needs solving and will have to come up with a solution.

A solution is a way of solving the problem.

So the problem, what is wrong? Well, the pupils are very upset because their playground is broken.

As you can see, Sam, Jun, and Alex are all not very happy.

So the solution, what could be done to solve the problem? Their school is getting a new playground, so they're going to help the head teacher to design a new one.

Lucas said, "Before creating a new design, we can look at things that have already been designed and made." That's a very good point, Lucas.

Andeep said, "That's a brilliant idea.

We can look for things we like or dislike about a design." We're now ready for our next check for understanding, and I'd like you to match the parts of the design specifications.

Think about the users, purpose, and needs and see if you can match 'em to these questions.

Why are you building a playground? Who is using the playground? And what is important about the playground? Pause the video now and have a little think.

Welcome back.

Did you manage to match them? Super.

So why are you building a playground is the purpose, the reason why.

Who is using the playground would be the users.

And finally, what is important about the playground would be the needs.

We're now ready for task A, and I'd like you to write a design specification.

Think about the problem.

What is the problem? The solution, how can we solve the problem? Who will be using the playground? What will the playground be used for? The purpose.

And finally, the needs, what is important about the playground design? Pause the video now and join me when you've written your design specifications.

Welcome back, hope you had lots of fun writing your design specifications.

Super.

Did you identify the problem, the solution, the users, the purpose, and the needs of your playground? Super.

So therefore, the pupil's Oak class created their own design specification.

They put the problem being the pupils were upset because their playground was broken.

The solution is that the school is getting a new playground, so the pupils are helping the head teacher to design it.

The users will be the pupils and the purpose is for children to play, climb, and enjoy learning.

And finally, the needs are that it needs to be fun, freestanding, and strong.

Your design specification may be a little bit similar.

We're now ready for the second part of our lesson on sketch modelling a final design.

Design specifications are used to create design ideas, and these ideas are a starting point for a designer, and they can be added to and changed as the designer finalises designs and starts on the making process.

Jacob said, "The playground designer will design a unique playground that meets the design specification." That's a great idea, Jacob.

I wonder what the word unique means.

Do you remember? That's right.

Well done.

Unique means one of a kind.

Well done, everyone.

Well, design ideas can be shared using a quick sketch.

You may have done sketches before, and to sketch, you normally create them with pencil and paper, and they're ideas and quick details that you are drawing.

However, when working with ideas are 3D, that means three dimensional, this could be quite tricky.

One solution is to show your designs without drawing, and that's by making sketch models.

Well, modelling dough or other materials can create these quick outline models or something, and this is called sketch modelling.

Can you say sketch modelling? Super.

So Laura says, "Sketch models are quick, low-cost way of 3D modelling an idea or design." Well done.

We're now ready for a next check for understanding.

So true or false, sketch modelling is using pencils and paper to draw? True or false? Pause the video now and have a little think.

Welcome back.

So true or false, sketch modelling is using pencils or paper to draw is false.

Well done, everyone.

Why? Excellent.

Well, sketch modeling's a quick, low-cost way to 3D model an idea or design.

Well done, everyone.

So before making a sketch model, choose the size of the equipment, and that means you need to choose an object to represent the size of the user, such as a plastic or wooden figure.

You may use a cardboard cutout or a person made from modelling dough.

Izzy said, "I'm going to use a piece of modelling dough to create my person." So to create a sketch model for the playground design, you will need modelling dough, your character, modelling tools, and scissors.

Izzy said, "The modelling dough can be a little tricky to work with and not as stable as you might like your structure to be.

It is lots of fun and makes modelling fast and exciting." That is very true, Izzy.

Well done.

So to make our sketch model, we might be using different tools, such as scissors or even modelling dough tools.

Well, scissors are a tool and we need to remember to hold them carefully.

Sit down when cutting, and only cut paper, card, and materials for your project with these scissors.

And you might use modelling tools where you need to keep them away from your eyes.

They can be quite sharp, be careful.

So to sketch model, first, get some modelling dough or other materials to model with, then model the outline of your playground equipment, and finally add a little bit more detail using the modelling tools.

So other materials can be used to complete a sketch model, such as lollipop sticks, boxes, paper, newspaper, and these are just a few different materials that work very, very well.

And depending on which material you choose, you may need to think about the joining techniques.

Alex said, "Masking tape is usually a very quick joining technique that can be used," and that's very true, Alex, well done.

However, PVA glue, for example, is harder to use.

It's messier and it doesn't drive very quickly either.

We're ready for our next check for understanding now.

So I hope you're listening really, really carefully.

Super.

So true or false, only modelling dough can be used to create a sketch model? True or false? Pause the video now and have a little think.

Welcome back.

So true or false, only modelling dough can be used to create a sketch model is false.

Well done.

Why? Excellent.

Sketch models can be made from many, many different materials.

modelling dough is just one material.

Lollipop sticks, card and paper, pipe cleaners are other examples of materials that could be used too.

Well done, everyone.

Great listening.

So once a designer has sketch modelled their playground equipment, they then think about the materials and the equipment they will need to make their mockup version of a playground.

Andeep said, "All of the sketch models in Oak class look very different, and I'm going to choose certain parts that I like and that worked well in my work, and that of others, do use in my final design." That's a brilliant idea, Andeep.

Designers often create a written list of the materials and equipment they will need.

And if something needs to move, like a swing, it may need extra materials to allow it to move.

Alex said, "A material is what something is made from." That's very true, Alex, well done.

So to make the playground equipment, you might need to use different joining techniques.

Scissors, recyclable materials, paper and card of different sizes and thicknesses, cardboard, or plastic straws, and pipe cleaners.

You might also need to use split pins, sticky tack, paper plates, or lollipop sticks.

There are many other resources that you could use in your playground structures.

We're now ready for our second task, task B, and I know this task is lots of fun so listen really, really carefully.

I'd like you to create a sketch model of your playground design as a group.

Your playground might include a swing or swings, slide or more than one slide, climbing frames, netting, ropes, roundabouts or carousels, wobbling animals or shapes, fencing to secure it, a bin and benches.

When you've completed this, make a list of materials for your final design.

Pause the video now and join me when you've completed task B.

Welcome back.

I hope you had lots of fun creating your sketch models and your lists of materials.

Brilliant.

Andeep enjoyed using modelling dough for his sketch models, and the dough was quite soft, and in heat, it lost its structure.

He said, "I worked with others in my class and we each made a sketch model of a different piece of playground equipment.

I made the slide and swing.

The dough became soft and the swing collapsed.

Making a sketch model helped me to bring my ideas together." Well done, Andeep, and well done to everyone else for creating your sketch models.

I hope you had lots of fun.

We reached the end of our lesson for today on designing playground structures, and I hope you've had lots of fun.

I'd like to show me a thumbs up if you feel you've met these learning points along the way.

Super.

So simple sketch models create different designs.

Brilliant.

A sketch model is a model that is useful for trying out ideas.

Excellent.

A sketch model's size can be determined by the use of toy figures, modelling dough figures, or cardboard cutouts.

Super.

And a sketch model shows key design features.

Excellent.

Well, well done for all of your hard work, and I'll see you soon.

Bye.