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      Electrical appliances of the future (non-stat Climate Change & Sustainability)

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can invent my own electrical appliance for the future and describe how it would improve our lives.

      Key learning points

      1. Scientists and engineers invent and design electrical appliances to help improve our lives.
      2. Scientific ideas can be presented using labelled scientific drawings and diagrams.

      Keywords

      • Electricity - Electricity is needed for lighting, heating and making machines and appliances work.

      • Electrical appliance - An electrical appliance is a device or piece of equipment designed to perform a specific task, which needs electricity to work.

      • Engineer - An engineer is a person who designs and builds things.

      • Diagram - A diagram is a simplified drawing of information.

      Common misconception

      Children may think that an appliance requires batteries and is not an electrical appliance as it is not 'plugged in' for use.

      Ensure opportunities for children to consider a range of appliances and how they are powered by electricity to perform a function.

      Teacher tip

      Raise children's awareness of future electrical appliances which are in development and encourage them to think of their own creative inventions for new electrical appliances to make our lives easier.

      Equipment

      None essential but images of, and access to, a range of electrical appliances would be useful.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), 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

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Which of these is a material?

      chair
      ruler
      Correct answer: wood

      Q2.
      What material are these toy building bricks made from?

      An image in a quiz
      wood
      glass
      Correct answer: plastic
      metal

      Q3.
      Scientists and engineers choose materials for particular tasks based on their physical such as whether they are strong, waterproof or flexible.

      Correct Answer: properties

      Q4.
      An is a device or piece of equipment designed to perform a task or function.

      Correct Answer: appliance, electrical appliance

      Q5.
      Match the appliance with how it is powered by electricity.

      Correct Answer:watch,battery

      battery

      Correct Answer:electric blanket,mains electricity

      mains electricity

      Q6.
      Which of these appliances use mains electricity?

      stopwatch
      Correct answer: food mixer
      Correct answer: television
      digital scales

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Scientists and engineers invent and design electrical . These include televisions, mobile phones and washing machines.

      Correct Answer: appliances

      Q2.
      Why were electrical appliances introduced?

      to allow us to use batteries
      to provide jobs for engineers
      Correct answer: to make our lives easier

      Q3.
      How have engineers improved mobile phones since the first ones were introduced?

      Correct answer: Modern mobile phones are smaller.
      Modern mobile phones do not need electricity to work.
      Correct answer: Modern mobile phones have a longer battery life.

      Q4.
      Which of these are electrical appliances?

      hot water bottle
      Correct answer: 3D printer
      spring scales
      Correct answer: electric car

      Q5.
      What are robotic tools?

      animals or humans made in a laboratory
      Correct answer: machines which can copy, replace or help humans complete tasks
      electrical tools which have human or animal faces or bodies

      Q6.
      Why are diagrams and drawings useful for presenting engineering designs?

      they don’t need any words or labels so they save time over writing
      Correct answer: they help people see and understand the different parts of a design
      they make a design look more interesting and colourful
      Q4 image 4 electric car charging point, Frank Hebbert, 2007, licensed under CC BY 2.0

      To help you plan your 4 science lesson on: Electrical appliances of the future (non-stat Climate Change & Sustainability), download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...