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Schools - KS 3 & 4 - Design and Technology
Plant Cultures is an easy starting point for you to look at aspects of Asian design and offers a wide range of material for Design and Technology at Key Stages 3 and 4. There are many recipes for Food Technology, intricate and beautiful designs for Graphics and Textiles and examples of both raw materials and decorative techniques relevant to these and to Resistant Materials courses. In addition to the ideas and links shown here, you could also look at the Key Stage 2 Textiles and Food sections, which include a range of practical activities, some of which are also appropriate for older students.
Key National Curriculum & QCA Links
General links
NC
2 b) to take account of the working characteristics and properties of materials and components when deciding how and when to use them
3 c) identify and use criteria to judge the quality of other people's products, including the extent to which they meet a clear need, their fitness for purpose, whether resources have been used appropriately, and their impact beyond the purpose for which they were designed [for example, the global, environmental impact of products and assessment for sustainability].
4 a) to consider physical and chemical properties and working characteristics of a range of common and modern materials
QCA
Unit 7c Using ICT to support researching and designing
Unit 9c Using ICT to link with the world outside school
NC
2 b) to take account of the working characteristics and properties of materials and components when deciding how and when to use them
3 c) identify and use criteria to judge the quality of other people's products, including the extent to which they meet a clear need, their fitness for purpose, whether resources have been used appropriately, and their impact beyond the purpose for which they were designed [for example, the global, environmental impact of products and assessment for sustainability].
4 a) to consider physical and chemical properties and working characteristics of a range of common and modern materials
QCA
Unit 7c Using ICT to support researching and designing
Unit 9c Using ICT to link with the world outside school
Food Technology
RecipesMake South Asian food using the original recipes on the website. Find them either in the Activities section or in the stories - use 'recipes' as a search keyword.
Diet
Use Plant Cultures to build up a catalogue of South Asian food. Then compare the South Asian and British diet. Discuss typical proteins, carbohydrates, etc. and make a table of similar foods. Consider ways to make the South Asian diet healthier. Carry out an internet search into the problems of heart disease and diabetes linked to South Asian traditional foods, when coupled with a Western lifestyle.
See this healthy eating website
Food miles
As a class or group, survey a local supermarket looking for food imported from South Asia. Back at school, mark the places of origin on a map and work out the 'food miles' for each product. Plan a menu taking food miles into consideration. This could mean using Asian foods grown in the UK, or using only small, lightweight foods such as spices and combining these with bulkier local produce.
Have a look at the section on KS3 Geography and Key Stage 2 Food.
Key National Curriculum & QCA Links
QCAUnit 7ai Understanding materials Focus: food
Unit 8ai Exploring materials Focus: food
Unit 9ai Selecting materials Focus: food
Textiles
Materials
Plant Cultures includes several important materials used in the textile industry. Cotton is obviously the main one, but hemp is also used for fabric and turmeric, indigo and mangoes are used in dyeing. Use the website to explore the origin and features of these plants and to create a 'plant profile' for each. Include cultivation, history, trade, production and modern uses.
Quality control
The Key Stage 2 activity on Care Labels could be easily adapted for Key Stage 3 pupils. It explores care label symbols and relates them to features of fabrics, especially cotton.
Decoration
This theme links well with the QCA Unit 8iii. Besides using the website as a database for research, with a range of images which could be used to develop ideas for decorative features on textiles, there are also many activities including dyeing and block printing. Have a look at the Activities section.
Garment design and construction
The website offers a good resource for Key Stage 4 students researching ideas for fashion coursework. Use the research links in the Indian Fashions activity as a starting point.
Unit 7aiii Understanding materials Focus: textiles
Unit 8aiii Exploring materials Focus: textiles
Unit 9aiii Selecting materials Focus: textiles
Plant Cultures includes several important materials used in the textile industry. Cotton is obviously the main one, but hemp is also used for fabric and turmeric, indigo and mangoes are used in dyeing. Use the website to explore the origin and features of these plants and to create a 'plant profile' for each. Include cultivation, history, trade, production and modern uses.
Quality control
The Key Stage 2 activity on Care Labels could be easily adapted for Key Stage 3 pupils. It explores care label symbols and relates them to features of fabrics, especially cotton.
Decoration
This theme links well with the QCA Unit 8iii. Besides using the website as a database for research, with a range of images which could be used to develop ideas for decorative features on textiles, there are also many activities including dyeing and block printing. Have a look at the Activities section.
Garment design and construction
The website offers a good resource for Key Stage 4 students researching ideas for fashion coursework. Use the research links in the Indian Fashions activity as a starting point.
Key National Curriculum & QCA Links
QCAUnit 7aiii Understanding materials Focus: textiles
Unit 8aiii Exploring materials Focus: textiles
Unit 9aiii Selecting materials Focus: textiles
Graphic Design
The main value of the website is as an image library for research into assignments about graphic design styles, exploring miniatures and the combination of text and graphics in South Asian cultures.
Digital art
There are examples of digital art on the website - search the National Museums Liverpool catalogue of stories, many of which are accompanied by digital art images. Use the website to collect images and manipulate them using a graphics program.
1 h) use graphic techniques and ICT, including computer-aided design (CAD), to explore, develop, model and communicate design proposals (for example, using CAD software or clip-art libraries, CD-ROM and internet-based resources, or scanners and digital cameras).
Digital art
There are examples of digital art on the website - search the National Museums Liverpool catalogue of stories, many of which are accompanied by digital art images. Use the website to collect images and manipulate them using a graphics program.
Key National Curriculum & QCA Links
NC1 h) use graphic techniques and ICT, including computer-aided design (CAD), to explore, develop, model and communicate design proposals (for example, using CAD software or clip-art libraries, CD-ROM and internet-based resources, or scanners and digital cameras).
Resistant Materials
Wood from South Asia provides many distinctive and unusual materials for woodcarving. Go to the plant profile for sandalwood to find out more, possibly as background for a GCSE Design and Make Assignment. Experiment with Sandalwood as a carving material, both for small items of furniture or for blocks for printing.
Unit 7aii Understanding materials Focus: resistant materials
Unit 8aii Exploring materials Focus: resistant materials
Unit 9aii Selecting materials Focus: resistant materials
Key National Curriculum & QCA Links
QCAUnit 7aii Understanding materials Focus: resistant materials
Unit 8aii Exploring materials Focus: resistant materials
Unit 9aii Selecting materials Focus: resistant materials
Schools
