This resource is part of the Tool Box series by AccessArt, which shares design and technology project ideas via a series of lesson plans.

Two videos to welcome and introduce pupils to the Tool Box Design and Technology Project. Please note a transcript of the videos is contained below each film.

Please note this page contains videos housed on You Tube. If your school blocks You Tube AccessArt would be happy to provide an email to confirm the integrity of these videos. Please email us here. 

Welcome to Tool Box

“We’ve got a great challenge for you here at Tool Box. Over the next few weeks we’re going to work with you to help you design and make a series of games – the kinds of games you might see at a fair or fete. You’re going to be using your hands a lot, trying out new materials, new techniques and new tools. We hope you’re going to have lots of fun, and best of all once you’ve made the games, you could think about holding a games afternoon at your school and try out your spectacular ideas on your friends!”

Introduction

“Tool Box is all about Designing through Making. What do we mean by designing through making? Well let’s start with the “design” bit. When we talk about design, we’re talking about deciding how something will be: how it looks, how it works, how it stands, what it’s made out of, how big it is, what it’s texture is, how it will be used, who it’s for… Look around – think of all the things around you which have, at some point, been designed by someone: the chairs, the computers, the windows, the buildings, toys, your clothes… Someone, somewhere has put a lot of thought into how these things will be.

So what about the “making” bit of “design through making”? Well, we want you to have plenty of chance to get to grips with all the materials, tools and methods we’re going to introduce you to. This is a hands-on project – and we want you to get stuck in, experiment, learn as you go, and think through doing. So rather than take some paper and draw a picture of what your game might be like, and then try to make it, we’d like you to design your game as you go along – Design through Making. And we’ll help you with this – it’s a fun way of working we promise!”

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Materials

This is a sample of a resource created by UK Charity AccessArt. We have over 1500 resources to help develop and inspire your creative thinking, practice and teaching.

AccessArt welcomes artists, educators, teachers and parents both in the UK and overseas.

We believe everyone has the right to be creative and by working together and sharing ideas we can enable everyone to reach their creative potential.

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