Making your farm visit a success
Farm-linked activities for KS2 Design and Technology
Jump to resourcesKS2 Design and Technology activities that can be carried out before, during or after a farm visit.
Curriculum area: Knowledge and understanding of materials and components
Activities:
Stages for extended projects:
Brainstorm, activating children's prior knowledge. What is the item for? What might happen without it? What will the limits be of what it can do?
- Provide a range of materials. Allow children to investigate the materials. Discuss
which might be suitable. - Draw or model design ideas.
- Look at each other's designs in a small group and discuss possible strengths and weaknesses. Make adjustments.
- Suggest necessary tools.
- Mark out and cut the parts and assemble.
- Choose a method of finishing.
- Test and evaluate.
Ideas for projects:
- Design and make a seed dispenser that drops only one seed at a time.
- Design and make a scarecrow that moves. Include a circuit with a buzzer, motor or bulbs lighting up.
- Design and make a potato grader.
- Design and make a hen house with an egg-catching device and comfort for the chickens.
- Design and make a humane slug trap.
- Design and make a humane mousetrap.
- Design and make a farm vehicle using an axle.
Resources needed:
Basic resources include:
- A range of paper and card
- Boxes
- Material, cotton wool, wool
- Wooden doweling
- Plastic bottles, bottle tops
- Wire, string
- Paper fasteners, glue, sellotape, staplers etc
Specific resources, depending on project, include:
- Selection of larger seeds such as beans
- Wire, batteries, buzzer, bulbs, motor
- Selection of potatoes
- Eggs
- Cotton reels or bottle tops for wheels
- Junk boxes