Smart materials in design
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify smart materials, uses and applications.
Key learning points
- Smart materials change their material properties in response to an external stimulus.
- Smart material examples include thermochromic pigments, photochromic pigments and shape memory alloys.
- Stimuli include sunlight, water/moisture, pressure and temperature.
- Smart materials gives designers and engineers exciting possibilities when developing new products.
Keywords
Stimulus/stimuli - (singular/plural) - something that encourages activity or change
Material property - a characteristic of a material
Response - a reaction to a stimulus
Common misconception
Smart materials are only for fun products like colour changing mugs.
Smart materials give designers and engineers exciting possibilities when developing new products. Possibilities often focus on function and/or form. For example, thermochromic materials can be used to indicate a temperature and warn users of danger.
Teacher tip
Collect together as many examples as you can find, including: colour changing mugs, umbrellas, spoons, glasses that change to sunglasses, memory foam pillows etc.
Equipment
Smart material examples, if possible.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What term is given to the process of judging how a product meets chosen criteria?
Q2.What does the term iterate mean in the context of developing a product?
Q3.Select the reason why it is important to justify a design decision.
Q4.Choose the most accurate description of a design brief.
Q5.What is the process of making products from raw materials using machines or labour called?
Q6.When you are ready to manufacture a product, it is important to the different stages.
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.What is a characteristic of a material called?
Q2.What is something that encourages activity or change in a material called?
Q3. materials change their material properties in response to an external stimulus.
Q4.What is the stimulus that causes thermochromic materials to change colour?
Q5.Which of the below are examples of a product made from a Shape Memory Alloy?
To help you plan your 9 design and technology lesson on: Smart materials in design, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 design and technology lesson on: Smart materials in design, 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 Developments in new materials: supporting new parents unit, dive into the full secondary design and technology curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.