Lesson video

Hi, everyone.

I'm Mrs. Courts, and I'm very pleased to join you for today's lesson on making playground structures.

This is part of the "Freestanding Structures: Playgrounds" units.

In our lesson today, our lesson outcome is: "I can use my knowledge of structure to make a playground mock-up." To do this, we have got three new keywords.

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

Are you ready? Super.

Reinforce.

Reinforce.

Super.

Reinforce means to strengthen or to support an object or structure.

Mock-up.

Mock-up.

Super.

Mock-up means making an example of something to test or to learn new skills.

And our final word: design specification.

Design specification.

Excellent.

A design specification describes what a product has to do.

Well done, everyone.

In our lesson today on making playground structures, we are going to start with our first learning cycle, and that is preparing to make a mock-up playground.

Jun says, "A design specification is something that describes what a product has to do." Well, when you create a design specification, you often look for the problem.

What is wrong? And what is wrong is the pupils at Oak are very upset because their playground is broken.

The solution is what can be done to solve that problem.

And the solution for the Oak children is their school is getting a new playground.

Very exciting.

So they're helping the head teacher to design it.

Design specifications are used to help to create design ideas, and therefore, these design 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.

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

Super.

So, true or false? A design specification is something that describes what a product sounds like.

Is that true or false? Pause the video now and have a little think.

So, true or false? A design specification is something that describes what a product sounds like is false.

Why? That's right! A design specification describes what a product has to do, not what it sounds like.

Well done, everyone.

The Oak class created a design specification, and as we've already noted, the problem was that the children were very upset because their playground was broken.

The solution, the way of fixing the problem, is the school's getting a new playground.

So the pupils are helping the head teacher to design it.

The users of the playground will be the pupils at Oak Primary School.

And the purpose of the playground is to allow the children to play, climb, and enjoy learning.

Finally, the needs of the playground: it needs to be fun, it needs to be freestanding, and strong.

Therefore, after completing their design specification, the children in Oak class created a sketch model.

And remember, sketch models are a quick, low-cost way to three-dimensional model an idea or design, because drawing in 3D is very, very tricky.

They also created a model character to show the size of the user.

And Oak class made their models using modelling dough.

However, plastic, wood, or cardboard cut-out figures could also have been used for the character.

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

So, which image shows an example of sketch modelling? Is it A, B, or C? Pause the video now and have a little think.

Welcome back.

So, which image shows an example of sketch modelling is A.

Well done.

Once they had completed their sketch model, the Oak class chose the materials to make their final mock-up playground.

I wonder if you chose any of the same materials? They chose different joining techniques that would work, such as sticky tape, PVA glue, glue stick, masking tape, double-sided tape, and staples.

They chose to use scissors, recyclable materials, and paper and card with different sizes and thicknesses, and different cardboard and plastic straws, pipe cleaners.

They might have chosen to use split pins, sticky tack, lollipop sticks, and paper plates.

Jacob said, "Are you going to use any of these?" We're ready for task A now.

So have a look at your sketch models and your design specifications.

Plan how to make your mock-up playground.

Think about what resources you'll need, which parts you'll start with, how you'll make your moving parts, and what details to add to your mock-up.

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

Welcome back.

Well, I hope you had lots of fun thinking about how you're going to make your mock-up model.

Brilliant.

Well, the children talked about their sketch model and how they would make their mock-up model playgrounds.

Lucas said, "I shared my design specification and sketch model with my friend.

We talked about who the playground was for." That's a very good idea, Lucas.

Well done.

Sofia said, "I realised my sketch model lacked detail.

We talked about other details that could be added, such as steps." Very good ideas, Sofia.

We're ready for the next part of our lesson now, and this is creating a mock-up playground.

Frame and shell structures are different types of structures, and you might choose to include both in your playground designs.

Here's a frame structure, and here are some shell structures.

We're ready for our next check for understanding.

So, which of the following shows a shell structure? A, B, or C? Pause the video now and have a little think.

Welcome back.

So, which shows a shell structure is C.

Well done.

Sometimes a frame structure can have cladding on the outside.

Well, this means the sides are therefore covered, so the frame structure cannot be seen underneath.

It gives it a different appearance.

To make structures strong, stable, and freestanding, they may need to be reinforced.

Laura said, "What does 'reinforce' mean?" Do you know what "reinforce" means? (gasps) Super! Andeep said, "'Reinforce' means to make something stronger." Well, Andeep.

Anchors hold things down, and swings need to be anchored so the movement doesn't lift them from the ground.

To add an anchor to a mock playground structure, you could use sticky tack, masking tape, or some sticky tape.

Well, these are other ways to strengthen and to reinforce the structure.

It's very important that your structure is stable and freestanding.

Bracing is where a structure has a brace, another piece attached to it to give it a little bit of strength.

Brick bonding is the patterns of bricks to hold them in place securely and with strength.

Wider bases.

Triangulation: Adding the cardboard triangles to pieces of a mock-up model will help add strength.

And other ways to strengthen could be using pipe cleaners within a plastic or cardboard straw.

We are ready for our next check for understanding now.

Hope you're listening really carefully.

Excellent.

So, which of the following shows bracing? A, B, or C? Pause the video now and have a little think.

Welcome back.

So, which of the following shows bracing is A.

Well done.

Cardboard can also be cut to create more stable structures.

Another way to secure cardboard can be through cutting tabs.

If you have a look at where it's cut, and the card is folded to give it a wider base.

And tubes can also be cut at the bottom to give them a wider base and then secured down.

And finally, slots can be made in card to create shapes with wider bases for more stability again.

If you want something to turn or spin, a split pin can be used as a joining technique.

The split pin will act as the pivot point.

Here is the pivot point on a roundabout, on the mock-up of the roundabout, and we can use split pins to create this.

To create a structure, we'll be using different joining techniques to join parts together, such as double-sided tape, glue sticks, masking tape, PVA glue, staples, and sticky tape.

We'll also need to use scissors.

Now, scissors, remember, they are a tool.

Scissors need to be held carefully.

You sit down when you're cutting, and you only cut paper and card, and materials for your project with your scissors.

Your final mock-up of your playground might include a swing or some swings, a slide or more than one slide, climbing frame, netting, ropes, a roundabout or carousel, wobbling animals or shapes, fencing around it to secure it, a bin, and benches.

Remember to look back at your sketch models and design specifications and think back to strengthening and reinforcing your work.

We are now ready to complete task B, and it's a very exciting task.

So, I'd like you to make your mock playgrounds now.

And I'd like you to really listen carefully.

I'd like to make sure your playground's freestanding, strong, and sturdy.

So therefore, you need to think about anchors, wider bases, reinforcing, and bracing.

I'd like you to think about your joining techniques.

Be careful which ones you choose to use.

Remember, if you're gonna decorate it, you may want to hide the joining technique, and therefore you may wish to use masking tape, for example, which can be painted.

So, which joining techniques will you use and why? Pause the video now and complete task B.

Have lots of fun.

Welcome back.

Well, I hope you had lots of fun creating your mock-up models.

Super.

Well, the children in Oak class had lots of fun creating theirs.

And Lucas said, "I created my mock-up model, and for the main structure, I used a cereal box.

And the cereal box is a shell structure.

And I added a wider base and half a toilet roll tube for the slide." What a brilliant idea, Lucas! Sofia said, "I used paper straws reinforced with pipe cleaners for the swing frame structure.

I added anchors to the base to hold it in place." Well, well done, everybody.

Have you shown your models to your friends or to somebody else? Brilliant.

We've reached the end of our lesson for today on making playground structures, and it looks like you've had lots and lots of fun.

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

Are you ready? Super.

A mock-up uses card techniques learned so far.

Brilliant.

A mock-up is a model that is useful for trying out ideas.

Excellent.

And different joining techniques can be used, such as masking tape and glue.

Brilliant.

And adding bracing, anchors, and wider bases to structures adds support to freestanding structures.

Super.

And finally, straws can be reinforced with pipe cleaners to add strength.

Wonderful.

Well, well done for all of your hard work today.

Your mock-up models look brilliant, and I'll see you soon.

Bye!.