Developing and Producing Educational Toys

Year 10 Materials Technology Unit Outline 2011

Kavanagh College Technology Department

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Technology Unit: Learning Through Play

Context: Educational games and toys

Year: 10

Duration: 12 Weeks / 30 periods

Learning Outcomes (Link here to Indicators of Progession on Techlink website

http://www.techlink.org.nz/curriculum-support/indicators/index.htm)
Brief development. Student will:

Identify a need or opportunity appropriate to the context of educational games or toys, and develop a
conceptual statement to communicate what they are developing and why.
Establish key attributes from initial information.
Undertake refine their conceptual statement and key attributes as based on their developing knowledge
and skills, including understandings of the context.
Define key attributes that allow them, their teacher to evaluate their technological solution for an
educational toy or game

Planning. Student will:

Explain and reflect on key stages and critical resources from their previous practice, and evaluate this in
order to identify implications for future activities within their current practice.
Plan ahead to ensure completion of technological outcome/s, and undertake documentation to support
their practice.
Select and access key resources required to complete their technological outcome/s.

Outcome development and evaluation. Student will:

Develop (through research, discussion with key stakeholders etc. ) conceptual ideas that communicate
feasible technological outcomes that incorporate the identified key attributes that address the need or
opportunity and considers resource accessibility.

Determine suitability of resources to enable the development and production of their technological
outcome/s.

Carry out ongoing reflection and experimentation to test, evaluate and refine technological outcome/s
throughout their developments.
produce a technological outcome/s
Use key peer group feedback and stakeholder to evaluate their final technological outcome educational
toy in terms of how it addresses the need or opportunity

Brief Class description/ Students Past Experiences

(Note any info regarding student prior skill/knowledge/practice that may be relevant to this unit. Noting individuals
and/or groups of students who are have had different experiences and therefore may have different
skill/knowledge/practices than the rest of the class will be very useful in supporting the identification of
opportunities for negotiated LOs.)
Students as a group in term one 2011 have been involved in the making of a wind vane to set specifications with
a small design component for the tail section. This unit while focusing on improvement in quality of craft skills and
application for practical work a focus on other elements was achieved. Establishing brief specifications,
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Understanding working drawings 2D and 3D presentation, Preparing cutting lists, Understanding properties of
materials, testing and evaluating solution. All the elements covered above will be developed and built upon in this
Toy unit context. With students applying technological practices in the development of a toy to their established
need and brief. Scaffolding learning will be essential in this unit to deepen awareness and application of
technological practices.

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INQUIRY UNIT TECHNOLOGY

Year - 10

Level - 5

Duration of unit -12 weeks

RATIONALE
HOW DO PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN LEARN THROUGH PLAY?

Inquiry
Question

Relevant Throughlines / Concepts

Curriculum
statement AOs
Key competency
ICT skill
Inquiry Skills
Thinking Skills
Design Skills
Practical Skills

Components of Practice
Brief Development
Planning
Concept development and Evaluation
Thinking, Inquiry, and Language Skills and Tools
SCUMPS
GANTT charts
Thinking Skills Mind-maps, Venn diagrams, placemat
Literacy and language tools- quickwrites, reading previews, vocabulary
problem-solving, evaluation writing guidelines (structure and content)
Deconstruction charts

Understandings: Technology and Literacy and Language

What do we hope students will
understand about technological
practices by the end of the unit?

A product starts from a need or opportunity

A product is designed by considering the brief and
specifications and target market

What is important and relevant for these

students?

To develop a design there are many considerations

Do these understanding assist students

to develop the Big Ideas in the through
lines?

There are stakeholders involved

A solution must be functional for its purpose and
aesthetically pleasing

Can these understandings be

demonstrated by student?

Key Competencies
Thinking Skills

Analyse
existing
designs
outcomes
Justifying
their choices
Illustrate their
design ideas
Thinking
deeper/further

Relating to
Others

Assess the
needs of
client /
stakeholder
s
Work cooperatively
in groups
during
deconstructi

This unit of learning contributes toward the development

of each students capabilities for living and life long
learning.
Managing Self
Participation
Using Text
and
Language and
Contribution
Symbols

Plan their
practice and
use time
efficiently to
develop and
outcome
Organise a
portfolio to
record practice
Manipulate

Contribute
to class
discussions
and share
ideas
Recognise
and
consider
the needs
of all

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Develop a brief
Quick writes to
express
technology
understandings
Solve meanings
of and use
technology
language
Read and use

in making
changes to
and for design
Evaluating /
Reflecting on
outcomes and
their practice

on activities
Peer assess
their design
ideas and
Final
solution
evaluation

materials /
tools safely
Manufacture
their outcome
to high
standards

stakeholder
s when
developing
an outcome

instruction text
Draw and
interpret working
drawings
Prepare
materials cutting
list
Write an
outcome
evaluation

Key Resources

Do we know any experts in the

area?
Can we draw on expertise within
our community?
What trips are available?
What materials are available to
us? (books, CD ROM, videos,
charts, models etc)
What are some of the texts
(including literature) that are likely
to be drawn on in this unit?

Experts as toy specialists in design and manufacture

Experts in child development, or child care from Te
Kohanga Reo, Pasifika child care centres or other child
care centres
Toy collection SCUMPS deconstruction (SCUMPS=size,
colour, uses, materials, parts, style/shape). SCUMPS is
a useful tool for identifying responses to the senses,
seeing, touching etc.
PowerPoint
Video DesigningToys www.classroomvideo.com.au &
Focus Question Worksheet
Materials, Tools, available within workshops
Text: Baby Educational Toys http://www.best-childtoys.com/baby-educational-toys.html

Possible Action / Performance

Task ASSESSMENT
Is there a major task /event/action that
the students may undertake towards the
end of the unit that will demonstrate
understanding and allow them to apply
what they have learned? Aim for an
authentic purpose / audience and an
integrated rich task.

Materials presented to teacher and peers for assessment

Present their design portfolio
Present their completed manufactured toy
Demonstrate fitness for purpose through testing and
evaluation

TEACHING & LEARNING

Tuning In / Launch
What can we do to spark interest /
enthusiasm / curiosity / motivation?
Should we set the scene by introducing
an authentic issue or problem? Share
literature or use narrative? Use visual
texts? Drama?
How can we assess students prior
knowledge, values and experience in
relation to the topic?
How can we involve them in negotiating
the direction of the unit and setting
goals?

Toy Stations
Placement Activity
Class splits into groups of 4 and work around the toy
stations (5 minutes at each toy). They can play with /
deconstruct one toy at each station to make some informed
decisions about the toys. To focus their observations and
decisions, all members record their response to each
question on the placemat:
Make up a name for this toy?
What can the toy do?
What could a child learn from playing with this toy?
What could make this toy better?
Must reassemble toy as found for next group.
Give each group a set of placemats for one of the toys.

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Literacy and language component

The placemat recording helps the
students remember the key attributes of
the toys they have analysed, It also
allows for the sharing of ideas and
knowledge in the class.
The quickwrite gives students the
opportunity to think and learn more from
the work they have done in Toy
Stations. On the placemats they have
created lists of ideas and responses in
answer to 4 separate questions. In the
quickwrite they are asked to integrate
the information, express their
understandings as they practice using
the specialist language of technology.
These quickwrites form the basis of the
discussion. These do not need to be
assessed.

They compile these to make a wall sized placemat. They

should review the toy so they can add anything extra and
check the comments of others for accuracy.

Quickwrite for thinking and learning

Students write to respond to one of the following prompts
that will help them use the language of scumps, and
consolidate their thinking and learning from the task:
Now that you have analysed all of the toys do a
quickwrite about the key attributes of an educational
toy-dont forget to say why they are key.
Now that you have analysed all of the toys do a
quickwrite to say which one you think would be most
educational-dont forget to say why you believe this.
Have students share some of these and discuss the
learning from the Toy Station work.

Finding Out
What experiences/resources/activities
could be used to assist students to gather
information in relation to our planned
understandings? Eg interviews, surveys,
texts, experiments, visits, guest speakers,
immersion with a product

Video viewing Designing Toys

www.classroomvideo.com.au
Students watch the video that will help them to learn
about the technological practices involved in toy design
and increase their awareness of ethics, safety, design,
processes, manufacture and marketing of educational
toys.
The students will complete a worksheet that focuses
them on these components of toy design.

SCUMPS / Deconstruction Activity

Class work through PowerPoint example that leads them
through a reverse brief exercise for one of the toys.
1. Identify specifications (size, materials, colours
movement) for specific toy examples
2. Identifying key attributes for a pre school childs
learning Toy
3. Writing a brief, (a short statement of who they think
the toy is for, what will they learn by playing with it, why it
needs to be bright colours, what needs it meets etc?)

Sorting Out / Explaining/Sharing- Refer also to student task instructions

Literacy and language
Reading the task instructions
component
Previewing the instruction
sheet helps to familiarise
the students with the
content and structure of
this document so that
they can independently
refer to and use it as they

Ask the students to preview this text (they can work in groups, partners or
as individuals)
Explain that to preview means they read headings, look at numbers,
bolds, layout, illustrations and decide on the answers to the following
questions:
If you read all the information in the text features, what do you
expect to read about?
Why has the author used these text features?
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progress through the unit.

It is important to ensure
they use their knowledge
of the layout and structure
to help- them. The
numbers and letters give
them a sequence that
they must follow. The
headings tell them what it
is mainly about. The bold
letters emphasise the
technology language that
they are expected to use
in their talk and writing,
Vocabulary problemsolving
While it is tempting to tell
students the meanings of
all of these words, the
focus should also be on
how they can work them
out using the context and
any parts of the word they
already know e.g.
sequential coming from
sequence, or conceptual
coming from concepts.
Always give them the
opportunity to work it out
first and ask how they did
that before you explain
language to the students.

How can we help

students make sense of
the information they have
gathered? How will they
process, sort out and
organize their ideas. (art,
sketching, technology)
Many of these tasks link
directly to the Finding
Out experiences.

Which text features tell you the most important ideas?

How could you use text features to make sure you have
understood the instructions?
What text type do you think the author has used? (Think about
the purpose) is it an explanation, a set of sequenced instructions
(procedure) or a story (narrative), does it try to persuade you?
How does all of this information help you use the text?

Have the students write a statement answering these questions. Then

share out the answers in the class. As they answer ask them how they
know these things, so that they refer to the text for their peers to see
where they found this information.
In talking about the purpose and structure you want the students to see
that it is for them, it is written as a procedure (they know this because of
the numbers and numbers tell them this is a sequence). If it is a
procedure they need to know that they should read it by reading through
to the end to get the overall information.
They should know that the headings are really important as they say what
it is mainly about and the bold words are important here as they give the
technology language that they will know and use in class and can usually
work out from the context of the task.
After the share out you may need to give the students some more time to
read the whole piece. Mainly you want to get them to be as independent
as they can on this task.
Later, they should then return to read each section as they come to do it.
They should reread, looking at the instruction words, like gather, list,
identify, and then at the words that tell them what they are listing or
identifying.
There will be unfamiliar vocabulary in these instructions, but it is
preferable for students to have the opportunity to solve the meanings
themselves. This is about building their independence in reading in
technology.

Identifying a need
Students each identify a person, place or organization that they will
develop a suitable toy for (could be family member, a child care centre,
Kohanga Reo or primary school)

Research/investigation
Take students to the computer lab where they can:
gather information on existing toy ideas to support their
planning and brief development.
collate research evidence and present as annotated diagrams
and drawings in the port folio.
complete a mind map identifying key attributes common to
most educational toys (Link A1)
complete a mind map identifying materials, tools and processes
available in
school facilities
Have students preview and read the text: Baby Educational Toys
http://www.best-child-toys.com/baby-educational-toys.html

Quickwrites
Have students complete further quickwrites to help them to think, develop
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their ideas and work through this process

Develop their brief and specifications (Link here to Key

attributes brain storm)
The students:
write a conceptual statement to communicate what they are
developing and why.
Write a brief
list the key attributes that will be expected in their toy
use SCUMPS to identify and list and explain reason for each item
in the set of specifications
use the Questions for Project Analysis

Planning
The students:
identifiy key stages for their practice.
prepare gantt chart to document their intended timeline for each
of the key stages for their practice

Design ideas
The students:
draw and annotate their sketches of possible solutions
presented in 2D and 3D drawings including colour / materials /
texture and detail as you would expect to see the product
finished.

Functional modelling to test design ideas

The students:
present simple mock ups to demonstrate and trial ideas, focus
on components - size, shape, function
produce 2D orthographic drawings of all component parts,
include all measurements and design templates
complete a material cutting list

Construction planning
The students:
produce s sequential diagram (flow chart) identifying the stages
for manufacture. Identifying materials, tools, processes and
safety considerations for each stage.

Manufacture toy to create a prototype

Writing the evaluation
This task requires both
technology skills and
knowledge and subject
literacy skills and
knowledge. Students
need teaching and
guidelines to help them
with both aspects of the
evaluation. The Outcome
evaluation guide (link 11)
and the Evaluation
Writing Resource (link12)
should be used.

The students:

Prepare materials, mark out, cut, shape, assemble and

finish the toy by following your working drawings, cutting
list and sequential diagram

Trial product with stakeholder/s

The students

Evaluate their findings and comments. What did the child

like? Was their a part or function they played with more
than others? Were there parts that were too hard for the
child to manipulate?

The students will need to know the expectations for this written evaluation
and will need to receive guidelines/questions or information about:
the content and the structure
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If the students have been

doing some quickwrites,
they will have a record of
their thinking and learning
that can be used along
with their notes and
drawings to assist them in
writing the evaluation.

Depending upon the profile of the students their writing skills, knowledge
and fluency will vary. They need to know that:
the content of their writing must relate back the original
design brief and specifications (did it met them or not? If
not, why not?) It should describe the qualities of the toy,
so students should also use the language of SCUMPS.
The writing has two parts, the first being the evaluation
that is written in the past tense
The second part of the writing or implications for the
future will be in the future tense
The ideas in their writing need to be linked using
transition language to show how each finding justifies the
decisions that have been made (words like therefore,
consequently, for that reason).

Marketing information-swing tag

The students

produce a swing tag for their toy that identifies key

function/s, aesthetics qualities and operational
instructions with safety and age level recommendations.

Final test and evaluate

Each student presents their final toy and pamphlet to class or

small group. Group provides peer assessment on self / peer
assessment sheet. Student self assesses after feedback from
peers. Would they change anything as a result of their peers
feedback?
Submit your final product toy and your design portfolio for
assessment Term 3 Week 3.

Going Further / Pathways and possibilities for independent inquiry

Going further
How can we cater for individual and small group pathways as they design
throughout the unit?
How will we facilitate students personal inquiries related to this topic?
How can we encourage students to make choices about what and how
they will learn

Reflection and Action

Reflection and action
How can we empower students to act on what they have learnt? How can
we assist student to pull it all together and reflect on their learning?
How can we encourage higher order thinking?
How can we help them self assess?
How will students act on what they have learned?

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1
2

Technology: Teaching your students to write well-structured evaluations

When you provide the students with a guide for writing their evaluation, it is important to include
some instructional support to help them structure their ideas and findings. They can plan the structure
around the content that they will write. They will need to think about organising this content into
sentences and paragraphs that address each aspect of the evaluation to make it easy for readers to
follow.

1. Teach your students about paragraphs in a technology evaluation

o
o
o
o
o
o

Each of your paragraphs should address one aspect of the writingWhen Levi saw the toy
perhaps how the child responded, then the next could be about how
the parents/adults responded
I made the cube for the Mystery
Paragraphs work well with a strong opening sentence to help your
Box to the specified size of
readers to know what it will be about
At the child care centre
A paragraph can be of any length, it does not matter if you have
little to say about one aspect, it should have its own paragraph
In some places, you need transitions to link ideas between the
sentences
In some places you need transitions to link from one paragraph to the next
The paragraphs should be in a logical order that reflects the process from
the beginning to the end, or other variations that work logically.

Analyse this paragraph example with your students:

The toy had no sharp edges. I had rounded all the edges by sanding them. This made it safe for Levi
to play with it. His parents appreciated this and said they felt it was very safe for him to use by
himself.
Use the guidelines above to analyse the paragraphs in the evaluations included in this resource with
your students.

2. Teach your students about transitions

The first thing the
child did was to

Words that help you show different times are very useful:
first, before, after, next, then, as soon as, finally
Words to show similarities
likewise, similarly

Before he could play

with it any more I
had to reattach the

The child loved the colours,

and the shapes. The crunchy
fabric was similarly attractive.

Words to show contrast or a different idea

although, however, even though, but

Words to add more information

another, also, additionally, besides

Although my little brother seemed to lose

interest in the toy quickly, my Mum and Dad
were proud of me for making it. They
explained that as he learned to recognize
words, the toy would be very helpful because
he
The toy was safe. The pine wood was non-toxic and the
paint was non-toxic. Also I used cooking oil on the blocks.
Besides being safe, this made the toy very durable.

3. Remind students to use the technology language they have been learning in this unit

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OUTCOME EVALUATION (Educational Toy)

Year 10 LEVEL 5
Evaluate this outcomes fitness for purpose against the brief. Justify the evaluation, using
feedback from stakeholders and demonstrating a critical understanding of the issueNZC L4
Technology
Glossary
Evaluate = Test your completed toy against your brief Is it fit for purpose does it work, does if do all it
was expected to do, are your stakeholders happy?
Issue = Designing educational toys for preschool aged children = consider the key attributes of a toy for
children in this age group
Fitness for purpose = the ability of your outcome to serve its purpose in doing its job for the child
Stakeholders = age group and/or the person you are designing the toy for, this could include parents of
children, or those that care for children
Key Attributes= describe in a broad sense what an educational toy should or could do
Specification = Identifies measurable outcomes for your toy e.g. specific colours or size

Now that you have completed your project, you are to test and evaluate your outcome
(Educational Toy).
1. You must take your finished toy to your stakeholder child and have them play with the
toy and try to determine how well the toy does the task it was designed to do. You
may have to spend some time working with the child to determine if they are learning
from the toy? (Remember to consider your list of key attributes and specifications.)
2. (with parental permission only) Photograph the child interacting/playing with the toy.
If unable to get permission you must record a photo of your toy with your evaluation.
3. Write your evaluation, and present in your portfolio along with the photograph of your
toy

Describe how your stake holder (child ) responded when given the toy, how
did they play with it, did it interest them, did they show signs of learning from
it, what did they show they learnt, what particularly interested them, could the
child manage the toy on their own (picking up, moving)

Describe how other stakeholders (adults/parents) responded, what did they say
about its fitness for purpose to educate the child and suitability for the child.

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Describe how your choice of- learning activity, size, shape, colour, texture,
moving parts, materials, quality of finish, make this toy fit for purpose when
the child played with it.

Explain any modifications or improvements that could be made to improve the

appearance, performance or suitability for the child

Typical Questions to ask when evaluating an outcome

IS MY OUTCOME TOY FIT FOR PURPOSE?

How well does the project/outcome work?

Which ones of the key attributes have I successfully achieved in my project? How?

Which ones of my specifications have I successfully achieved? How?

How did my stakeholders respond or interact with the toy / outcome?

How did my stakeholder show they understand how the toy works?

What evidence do you have that the stakeholder could learn from your toy?

How have I made my toy safe for my stake holder to use?

How has design decisions I have made contributed to the toy being fit for purpose?
eg size, shape, colour, texture, moving parts, materials, quality of finish

What improvements or changes can I recommend to improve the success or

performance of the toy?

What improvements or changes did your stakeholders recommend to improve the

success or performance of the toy?

Key words
Stakeholder
Fitness for purpose
Function / Aesthetics
Quality
Finish finishing, Penetrol oil, paint, undercoat
Materials wood, pine, rimu, macrocarpa, MDF
Metal, aluminium, brass, copper
Children
Toxic non toxic
Material
Ergonomic Ergonomically correct
Strong

Key attributes
User friendly
Interaction
Fabric
Learning
Plastic acrylic
Independent
Parents
Choking hazard
Size, shape
Hygienic
Durable

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Evaluation Starters
I believe my toy is fit for purpose.
My stakeholder said..
Material choice was an important decision
The quality of.
I found.
If I did this task again
I solved my problem
I had difficulty..
A good idea was.
I was really pleased.
I was disappointed
An area for improvement
My decision to
After testing I found that..
It was very successful because
Improved planning and time management would
I had difficulty with..

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