Life Cycle Assessment
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how life cycle assessment is used within design.
Key learning points
- LCA assesses the environmental impact at every stage of a product's life cycle with the aim to reduce the impact.
- Designers can make environmentally friendly design decisions by considering the results of LCA.
Keywords
Life cycle assessment (LCA) - assesses the environmental impact at every stage of a product’s lifecycle
Carbon emissions - volume of carbon produced contributing to global warming
Design decisions - a deliberate choice to meet a requirement or solve a problem
Common misconception
Environmental impact only occurs when products are disposed of.
Circular economy and LCA consider the environmental impact at every single stage of a product's life cycle.
Teacher tip
Keep hold of any products that excessively use packaging, such as Easter eggs. Have a look around the school/home for products that 'grow' with the user as examples of sustainable products, such as adjustable chairs/products.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the term to its definition.
a product that is no longer used or useful
products are often used briefly, become obsolete, and become waste
products and materials are kept in circulation and do not become waste
Q2.In a linear economy, a product’s life cycle can be defined as ...
Q3.What do product designers carefully consider when designing products in a circular economy?
Q4.Which of these is a good example of a product designed for the circular economy?
Q5.Which of the following is not a stage of the circular economy?
Q6.Which of the following Rs is missing from this list of design considerations in the circular economy: Reuse, Repair, Refuse, Recycle, Reduce, ...?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.In a life cycle assessment, a product's __________ impact is assessed at every single stage.
Q2.What can you assess at each stage of a life cycle assessment?
Q3.What methods for reducing environmental impact could be considered at the distribution stage?
Q4.Design decisions at the stage are not required for a single use product.
To help you plan your 9 design and technology lesson on: Life Cycle Assessment, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 design and technology lesson on: Life Cycle Assessment, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 design and technology lessons from the Circular economy unit, dive into the full secondary design and technology curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.