KS3 & KS4 design and technology curriculum

Integrating control systems into fabric products gives pupils the opportunity to work across material areas. This unit builds on the knowledge from the Year 6 unit 'Systems and control: sensor alarm', where pupils used a microcontroller. Pupils will deepen their understanding of textiles and their manufacturing processes, building on the Year 5 unit 'Combining fabrics: accessible textiles'. This unit increases pupils' independence which will prepare them for the year 10 unit, 'Systems approach to design: Sustainable Futures' and the Non-Examined Assessment.

1. Circuits in Tinkercad
2. Micro:bits in Tinkercad
3. Code and simulate Micro:bits in Tinkercad
4. Fabric properties, sources and stock forms
5. Select fabric joining methods
6. Manufacture a wearable product1
7. Integrate Micro:bits into a wearable product1
8. Test and evaluate a wearable product

• Pupils can emapthise when designing
• Pupils know what ergonomics is and why this is important for designers
• Pupils can programme a microcontroller to create a control system
• Pupils can model design ideas combining different materials
• Pupils can identify the desireable material properties for a design