Testing and modifications: polymers and timbers
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can test and evaluate the manufactured prototype.
Key learning points
- Designers test and evaluate final prototypes against the brief and specification.
- Different aspects of the final prototype should be tested.
- It is important to justify proposed modifications.
Keywords
Evaluation - checking how good something is and how to make it better
Design specification - describes what a product has to do
Destructive testing - testing that destroys the material or product
Non-destructive testing - testing without destroying the material or product
Modifications - making changes or adjustments to improve or alter a design
Common misconception
Once a final product is complete, no further iterations or improvements are needed.
Designers constantly seek to improve and develop their designs and products, no product is ever perfect.
Teacher tip
Encourage students to think of their own tests that are personal and specific to their prototype rather than generic tests.
Equipment
Original design brief and specification. Final prototype.
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 does ‘iterate’ mean?
Q2.What is the name of someone who is asked questions as part of an interview?
Q3.What type of question in an interview prompts a short, specific response?
Q4.What type of feedback can you usually expect to get from your user on your final prototype?
Q5.Put the success criteria for gathering, analysing, evaluating and iterating into the correct order.
Q6.Why must feedback be analysed?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What can we evaluate a final prototype against?
Q2.Why do designers evaluate their prototype against the design specification?
Q3.What type of testing does NOT destroy the material or product?
Q4.How can future modification be presented?
To help you plan your 10 design and technology lesson on: Testing and modifications: polymers and timbers, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 design and technology lesson on: Testing and modifications: polymers and timbers, 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 4 design and technology lessons from the Polymers and timbers unit, dive into the full secondary design and technology curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.