NAAIDT: NAAIDT Project Exchange: Slippers

Slippers
Trefonen C.E School. Shropshire
Submitted by: Laura Prust

Reception	Whole Class Project	Resistant Materials	Engineering
KS1	Individual Project	Graphics	CADCAM
KS2	Short Task	Food	Catering
KS3	Research and Investigation	Textiles	Fashion
KS4	Enterprise activity	ICT	Electronics
Post 16	Product Analysis	Systems and Control	Structures
Embedding ICT in DT

Lesson Context
This KS2 example was based upon unit 6B from the DFES/QCA scheme of work for D&T. The project was carried out with 28 Year 6 pupils of mixed ability.

Resources Needed
A variety of slippers to investigate and disassemble, thinking about the user and the structure of the slipper.
Selection of fabrics e.g. felt, wadding, foam, fur.
Needles, cotton, pins, scissors, copydex, chalk.
Card for stiffening, thin paper for patterns.
Selection of material for decorating e.g. fabric paints, embroidery thread, sequins, beads.

Teacher Preparation
Collect a wide variety of slippers. Charity shops sell new slippers, also ask children to bring in slippers form home to look at, but not to disassemble!!
Start to disassemble the slippers for the children as it takes a long time to do it properly.
Use the Internet to examine slippers from other parts of the world.
Make a slipper yourself, this way you come across the same problems that the children will have when designing and making.

Project Brief
To design and make a pair of slippers for yourself.

Design and Manufacture
See QCA unit 6B.
The children found it very useful to first make a slipper from card to help understand the relationship between 2D pattern and the 3D slipper.
Remind them that they need to make a left and right!!

Expected Outcomes
To make a good quality pair of slippers for you to use at home.

Slipper Parade

Differentiation
Differentiation was mainly by the outcome of the product and the written work. However, less able children can produce a well made pair of slippers based on a simple structure while the more able can be extended by designing and making slippers based on a more complicated pattern including gussets.
I was fortunate to have a classroom assistant to work with me so different groups had appropriate amounts of help when needed. Although children worked on individual projects they were always willing to help other children in their group.

Classroom Organisation
This project took place over 2 weeks in which afternoons given over to D&T. I find this works better as the children continue to be motivated throughout the project. Some sessions were whole class while the focused practical tasks were small group sessions.

Additional Information
A super project to motivate children and most children actually produce a product that they are so proud of.

Worksheet to initiate project (MS Word file)