New
New
Year 5

Assemble an electric vehicle

I can add mechanical and electrical components to a vehicle.

New
New
Year 5

Assemble an electric vehicle

I can add mechanical and electrical components to a vehicle.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Electric vehicles include mechanical and electrical components.
  2. Components need to be added to the chassis securely using motor clips or glue.
  3. Axles need to be connected to pulleys.
  4. A larger pulley on the axle slows the vehicle down.
  5. Distance between the two pulleys shouldn't be too loose or too tight.

Keywords

  • Mechanical - a system or machine that uses moving parts

  • Electrical - powered by an electrical current

  • Components - parts of a system or machine

Common misconception

Pulleys work under any amount of tension.

Pulleys will not work if the band is too tight (struggles to rotate) or too loose (falls off).


To help you plan your year 5 design and technology lesson on: Assemble an electric vehicle, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Allow pupils to test their vehicles using only the wheels and axles, assessing the axle hole positions so adjustments can be made, before other components are added.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Please see additional materials document for information on the resources needed for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - equipment

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
An electric is a group of components joined together by wires and includes a cell or battery.
Correct Answer: circuit
Q2.
What are the basic elements of a circuit called?
mini-machines
Correct answer: components
parts
contributors
Q3.
What do you call an electrical circuit where all the components are correctly connected and there are no breaks in the loop?
round
Correct answer: complete
whole
looped
Q4.
Which of these uses a battery to work?
a yo-yo
a wind up toy
a hand puppet
Correct answer: a torch
Q5.
An axle holder is used to hold an axle to the .
Correct Answer: chassis
Q6.
Which word means fixing components together?
Correct answer: assemble
dissemble
dismantle

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is a mechanical component?
a cell
Correct answer: a wheel
a motor
a switch
Q2.
Which of the following is an electrical component?
a wheel
a pulley
an axle
Correct answer: a motor
Q3.
When using a pulley band to connect a wheel to a motor, what will happen if the pulley band is too tight?
the band will slip
the band will fall off
Correct answer: the band will stop the motor and pulley wheel rotating
Q4.
Match each term to its description:
Correct Answer:mechanical,moving parts

moving parts

Correct Answer:electrical,uses electricity to help move parts

uses electricity to help move parts

Correct Answer:chassis,vehicle frame

vehicle frame

Additional material

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