Mechanisms Made Easy Key Stage 1& 2

Activities

Product Description

TBT6W

15

Moving Pictures – zip wallet

10 focused practical tasks (FPTs) that demonstrate the use of a ‘slider’ and a ‘guide’ to produce linear movement or a pivot point to create rotary movement. Pre-punched lever strips, masking tape, paper fasteners and 11 sheets of colourful graphics included in the pack, together with a photocopiable record sheet and background information.

There is progression in the activities from a simple slider, to a lever that has a variety of pivot points, so that the length of the movement created can be changed, the speckled frog can leap over 1, 2 , 3 or 4 more speckled frogs sitting on the speckled log!

The colourful graphics help to develop cutting and hole punching skills.  Children can then apply these skills as they use the plain card, supplied in the pack, to produce a birthday banner, simple puppet or moving weather chart, just some of the extension activities suggested on the work cards.

TBT8W

4

Wheels & Axles – zip wallet

4 focused practical tasks (FPTs) that introduce the use of axle holders, fixed and free turning wheels, stored energy and off-centre wheels. Everything your children will need is included in the zip wallet, including step-by-step instruction cards, ideas for design and make activities, plus background information and a photocopiable record sheet.
The colourful graphics transform the models into ‘pull and push’ toy.

Links with science can be developed as children test the vehicles down a slope, explore stored energy or use a ‘bearing’ to reduce friction.

Wheels & Axles – bumper value pack

16 focused activities - that introduce the use of axle holders, fixed and free turning wheels, stored energy and off-centre wheels. Supplied with all the components and support materials needed to make 16 models - 4 of each design. A group of children can work together, building and comparing the models before they go on to use this knowledge to make their own vehicles or creative pull and push toys.

TBT8C
(new)

CREATIVE  Wheels & Axles – bumper pack

16 open-ended design and make activities. Complete with large and small test boxes and plain model boxes. Decorative resources are included to encourage different designs and topics to be developed. There are 16 work cards showing  the 4 building techniques needed to produce fixed and free turning wheels, to make toys that bob along with off-centre wheels and a ‘dragster’ that uses stored energy.

Colourful toys, building site vehicles, lunar buggies, carnival floats or different types of transport are just some of the possibilities with this CREATIVE pack.

Code

Activities

Product Description

TBT1W

4

Investigating Pneumatics – zip wallet

4 focused practical tasks (FPTs) that demonstrate how to use pneumatics to lift, lower, or to operate a simple lever or lever arm. The models are based on the theme of a ‘haunted castle’, complete with a spooky spider, screaming skull and flying bat!

Full instructions on setting up a pneumatic system plus colourful graphics, work cards, photocopiable record sheet and background information are all included in the zip wallet. To make sure your children have a successful lesson we use syringes with a tight seal to stop the air from ‘leaking’ out of the system.

The knowledge gained during these focused tasks can be used to make ‘moving monster’, story book character, props and scenery, robots or tip-up trucks.

TBT1P (new)

16

CREATIVE Pneumatics – bumper pack

16 working pneumatic models developed from the 8 generic starting points shown on the step-by-step work cards.  The final model on the card is left ‘plain’ so that children can develop their own design ideas, using the skills and confidence they have gained during the focused stage.

Topics such as Moving Monster; Alien Animal or Unusual Pets; Moving props and scenery; Animated Puppets; Robots or Building site machinery - are all possible with these CREATIVE resources. Design Ideas sheets are included to show how to combine techniques or to add eyes, arms, a neck or decorative features to the models.

TBT1T (new)

8

TBT1T  CREATIVE Story Time –  Pneumatics pack

8 working models. Colourful papers, felt, decorative materials, step-by-step instructions and ‘Design Ideas’ cards.  A CREATIVE mix of starting points and ideas for making animated puppets, moving scenery and ‘talking’ story book characters. Make a wizard that can really wave its wand, a treasure chest that slowly opens to reveal the hidden gems or a nest for the ‘Owl Babies’ - to keep them warm and safe!

The four focused tasks use pre-cut tubing and syringes to create pneumatic systems.  Packs come complete with everything you need to bring pneumatics alive for children.  

TBT7W

10

Investigating Levers and Linkages – zip wallet

10 Focused practical tasks that introduce the correct symbols for fixed and loose pivot points plus 10 sheets of animal print card for open-ended activities. Lever strips, paper fasteners and masking tape together with background information and a photocopiable record sheet are included in the zip wallet.

The step-by-step instructions cards show your children how to transform the colourful graphics into 2D puppets. Starting with a single linkage operating 2 levers, the cards show progression through a four bar linkage, extending scissor mechanism to a more complex alternating lever action.

These techniques can be used to make characters for favourite story books or rhymes such as ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ or shadow puppets that can be used to re-tell stories your children have created.
 

TBT14P (new)

16

CREATIVE Designer Lights – bumper pack

16 open-ended design and make activities.

These CREATIVE resources will make 16 ‘designer’ bedside lights or table lamps, an interesting alternative to the QCA unit on ‘torches’. Links can be developed with your science curriculum, as circuits are built and tested.

Different switches are shown on the focused activities section of the information card, there are also suggestions for developing design ideas. Children will enjoy making a light that complements their bedroom or as a gift.

Batteries, bulbs, bulb holders and decorative resources included in the pack.

TBT12W

5

Investigating Cams – zip wallet

5 focused practical tasks (FPTs) demonstrate how different shaped cams can be used to operate a ‘follower’ or lever. The investigations include comparing the type of movement created by an off-centre (eccentric) wheel, an egg-shaped and snail cam. Children will also see what happens when you change the pivot point on a lever which is resting on the cam and is pushed up as the cam turns.

The colourful graphics, work cards, background information and a photocopiable record sheet are all included in the pack.

TBT5W

4

Investigating Crank Axles – zip wallet

Have you ever wondered what makes fairground horses move up and down as the carrousel turns?

Well these 4 focused practical tasks explore the mechanism that makes lots of fairground rides and wooden toys move in a very special way. A crank axle changes rotary movement into a reciprocating (up and down or side to side) movement.

The focused investigations include using a slider and a guide which is operated as the crank axle turns, or observing  the movement created when a double crank axle is used  - as the duck ‘waddles’ along!
Large test boxes, colourful graphics, work cards, background information and a photocopiable record sheet are all included in the pack.

Investigating Cam Toys  –  zip wallet

How do cam toys work? Find out about changing rotary movement into reciprocating (up and down or side to side) movement through the 4 focused practical tasks in this pack. Explore the use of a snail cam, an egg-shaped cam, an eccentric (off-centre) wheel, a cam and follower working together - to create a friction gear.

The background information sheet explains how these mechanisms work and introduces the correct terminology. There are suggestions for extension activities on the step-by-step work cards and the colourful graphics bring these large models to ‘life’.

The record sheet follows the same format as the other TEST BOX TECHNOLOGY resources, these can be saved in the children’s D&T folder as a record of the work they have covered and the terminology you have introduced.

Investigating Cam Toys  –  bumper value pack

16 focused tasks based on the activities supplied in the zip wallet. There are 4 of each model, 16 work cards and large test boxes, all the resources and graphics you need, plus background information and a photocopiable record sheet.

These ‘Moving Toys’ are an ideal introduction to this enjoyable topic. Children can use this knowledge to design and make 3D greeting cards, a story starter, seasonal decorations, a moving poster or a fairground ride.

16 open-ended design and make activities. Large test boxes, decorative papers, felt, fabric shapes and other creative resources included together with 16 step-by-step instruction cards for the initial starting point.

Design ideas, background information and all the components needed for 16 cam operated toys or 3D greetings cards – a novel way to welcome a baby brother or sister, to celebrate a birthday or new home. In fact they could create an ‘off-beat’ band, link this project with healthy life style posters or as a story starter for younger children.

Investigating Pulleys  –  zip wallet

5 focused practical tasks that show pulleys being used to change the speed or direction of rotation.

Children are encourage to modify the models to observe the three different sized pulley wheels in action and to discover how to use a compound pulley arrangement to further reduce the speed of the ‘OUTPUT’.
This knowledge can be applied to projects, such as fairgrounds, which involve using motors. The speed of the spindle on the motor is very fast and this needs to be reduced to make the fairground ride turn at an appropriate speed.

Colourful graphics, work cards, background information, a photocopiable record sheet and design ideas are included in the pack.

Investigating Gears – zip wallet

5 Focused practical tasks that demonstrate the use of gears to increase or decrease speed or to transfer movement through 90 degrees. The 5 models can be built and compared to introduce the terminology of gearing up or gearing down, gear ratios and comparative sizes.

Why do the jets move so fast whilst the hot air balloons drift round slowly?

Can you make the jets go even faster?

Why do the blades on the vertical axle of the helicopter turn at the same time as those on the horizontal axle?

The pack includes background information, for example how to calculate gear ratios or the terminology needed to describe the different gears. The zip wallet has all the components you need, colourful graphics, record sheet and work cards.

TBT10P CREATIVE Fairgrounds – bumper pack

This bumper pack is such good value as it includes 10 focused practical tasks (FPTs) that introduce children to the use of gears and pulleys for changing the speed and direction of rotation. Plus 10 motorised fairground rides that are constructed using the large test boxes and step-by-step instruction cards.

Complete with colourful graphics, work cards, background information and record sheets for both gears and pulleys. These activities will help to develop the knowledge and understanding needed before children move on to designing and building their own fairground rides.

Motors, motor spindle gear/pulley, batteries etc. plus fairground seats and decorative resources are all included in this CREATIVE fairgrounds pack.