The document provides instructions for a homework assignment to design a pull-along toy. It outlines the different levels of achievement and tasks required to meet each level. A level 4 requires drawing 30 initial design ideas and explaining choices. A level 5 requires more detailed analysis and justification. A level 6 requires considering all design features and high quality drawings. The project is designed to take 3 hours and includes mandatory, optional, and advanced tasks.

1. Homework Independent Learning Task
Pull-along toy
WALT: How I can design my own pull-along toy
WILF: That you are able to use a range of drawing
techniques to design different ideas and then to give
reasons for choosing the best one!

2. Homework Independent Learning Task
Pull-along toy
Draw at least 30 initial ideas and annotate the best 10
with questions and statements.
Draw the best 4 in detail. They need to be drawn on 4
separate pieces of paper and annotated to explain your
design.
On the final page, complete a selection / rejection of
your designs so you can justify your chosen idea.
This project is designed to last for 3 hours. It includes some tasks that
you must do (in blue) to achieve a level 4, other tasks that you may
be directed to do to achieve a level 5 (in red) and green tasks that will
increase the mark to a level 6.

3. Level 4
Draw 30 design ideas. Most will be 2D drawings with a few 3D ideas.
A range of questions and statements are included to explain what you are
doing.
Give reasons for choosing the best design.
Level 5
Analyse a range of ideas to come up with your own toys.
The drawings are of a good quality and the annotation is appropriate to the
design.
Use a clear explanation of why some designs are lacking and why your
chosen idea is the best one for a young child.
Level 6
Annotation asks questions about what you would have to find out before the
design could be made. Statements are used to ensure all design feature have
been considered.
Drawings are of a very high quality and show a range of graphic techniques
Selection / rejection of ideas is detailed and relates to the key features
identified on the initial ideas page.

4. Pull-along toy

5. Starter
What makes a childs
toy successful?

6. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Learning objective
by the end of the lesson you will have learnt;
what is meant by the term aesthetics,
how to use research and modelling to develop your toy
Learning outcome
you have used information to understand the importance of
aesthetics within designing,
you are able to reflect on your design and how you have used
aesthetics successfully

7. aesthetics - assessment criteria
Level 4 The research into aesthetics has detailed information about
complimentary and harmonising colours. Designs have been drawn to try
different colour combinations. A single reason for choosing the colour,
shape and proportion has been included.
Level 5 The research into aesthetics has detailed information about
different colour types and aesthetics. There are many designs to try
colours and shapes. A reason for choice has been made and is justified
from the research and modelling.
Level 6 The research into aesthetics has detailed information about
different colour types, aesthetics and proportions. There is a range of
designs to try colours, shapes and proportion. A clear reason for choice
has been made and is justified from the research and modelling.

8. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Design brief
Design and make a child’s toy that can be used in the main room of the house. The toy must be a
pull along toy that will be safe and interesting for the child to play with by themselves, so they are
not getting bored. It must be made to a high standard and enable more parts to be joined to it to
maintain the child’s interest.
Specification
It must be interesting for the child to play with,
It must be aesthetic (attractive),
It must be bright colours,
It must be functional (work),
It must be easy to clean after use,
It must fit the child’s hand (ergonomic) when they pick it up,
It must be easy to make,
It must be made from wood,
It must be inexpensive,
It must be strong,
It must not damage the household furniture,
It may be painted,
It may be used for a range of pull-along toys,
It could be a part of a set of toys,
It could be batch produced (20 to 200).

9. Year 8 – pull-along toy
research what
these words
mean
In pairs
discuss why
we need to
develop the
aesthetics

10. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Sketch and
design 6
different
styles of text
you could use
on your toy.

11. Different
text styles
Different text styles
Which one would be
easier to make?

12. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Now develop
these design
designs by
adding colour
and using your
research into
aesthetics,
complimentary
and
harmonising
colours.

13. Year 8 – pull-along toy
From your
designs
choose the
best one and
justify why
this is the
best.
Use writing
guide

14. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Select / reject writing guide
You need to tell me what is good about the design that you have chosen, talk about the
colours you have used, the aesthetics and how this makes the design look better. The
shape of the letter you have drawn, what is good about it. The proportion of the letter,
how is this proportion better than the others you have done.
Of my 6 ideas for the development of letters I have chosen design ……………….…
because the colours that I have used help to………..
…………………………………………..
The aesthetics that I have used on the design help to……………………………………….
The proportion of the letter I have drawn is good because……………………………….

15. Starter
What effect can using
the wrong material have
on a design?

16. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Learning objective
by the end of the lesson you will have learnt;
what materials could be used in your design,
that the properties of a material are important when
choosing them for a product
Learning outcome
you have independently used information to recognise the
different materials you could use,
you are able to reflect on your choice and why you have
chosen the material

17. materials - assessment criteria
Level 4 Different woods, metal and plastics have been listed. The research
into materials has detailed information about different woods, metal and
plastics. A reason for choosing the best material has been included.
Level 5 Different woods, metal and plastics have been listed. From more
than one source The research into materials has detailed information
about the best woods, metal and plastics. A clear reason for choosing the
best material has been included.
Level 6 Different woods, metal and plastics have been researched from a
wide range of sources. The research into materials has detailed
information about different woods, metal and plastics and the page
references included. A reason for choosing the best material has been
justified.

18. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Research 10
different
Woods
Metals
Plastics
Write each
one in the
space
provided

19. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Choose three
Woods,
Metals and
Plastics.
Research
their
properties
and what they
are used to
make.

20. Year 8 – pull-along toy
From your research
choose one material
that you think would
be best to make your
product out of and
state why ypu think
that is the best
material to use.

21. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Materials select and reject writing guide
To make my toy I think ……………………………….. (choose a material) would be the best
material to use.
I think this would best the best material to use because…
(Use the materials properties, its advantages and where it might already be used
to help you state why it would be the best material to use).
Example
To make my toy I think Beech would be the best material to make my toy because
it has a straight grain which would allow me to cut, shape and sand this material so
I can make it the right shape and so it has a smooth surface. This would then make
it safe for the user as it would not have any sharp edges or any possibility of
getting splinters. The other things that would make it a good material to use is the
impact / shock resistant property because it will be used by a child who is likely to
treat the material rough.

22. Starter
Why do we need to
consider the way
something is made?

23. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Learning objective
by the end of the lesson you will have learnt;
What different methods could be used to construct your
toy.
Learning outcome
To identify the best method of constructing your toy and
to be able to justify your choice of construction method.

24. construction - assessment criteria
Level 4 The research into construction methods has detailed has
information about ways of joining wood. Joints have been drawn to show
how your toy could be constructed. A reason for choosing the colour,
shape and proportion has been included.
Level 5 The research into construction methods is detailed from more
than one source. Joints have been selected appropriately for your toy. A
reason for choice has been made and is justified from the research and
modelling.
Level 6 The research into construction methods is detailed from different
sources. All the joints needed are included. A clear reason for choice has
been made and is justified from the research and modelling.

25. Year 8 – pull-along toy
From the joint sheet,
cut out the different
joints and use
research to see under
what name they go.

26. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Use the research to
describe each of the
wood joints.

27. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Use the research to
state where the joints
are used.

28. Year 8 – pull-along toy
From your research
choose one wood joint
and justify why this
one is the best

29. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Use the help sheet

30. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Construction select and reject writing guide
To make my toy I think ……………………………….. (choose a construction method) would
be the best construction method to use.
I think this would best the best construction method to use because…
(Use the wood joints properties, its advantages and where it might already be used
to help you state why it would be the best to use).
Example
To make my toy I think the best construction method is a Dowel joint because this
method joining is fairly simple to complete and provides a strong join when glued
but could also be not glued so the letter could be changed. The problem when using
this method is drilling the hole for the dowel in the right place on the better and
the base. Also the dowel could be seen.

31. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Learning objective
by the end of the lesson you will have learnt;
How to communicate and show a final design proposal and
what information needs to be included on a final design.
Learning outcome
That you are able to show your final design proposal using
the correct method and include all the necessary
information that would be needed to construct your design.

32. construction - assessment criteria
Level 4 The research into construction methods has detailed has
information about ways of joining wood. Information about size,
aesthetics, materials and construction method have been listed around the
design.
Level 5 The final design has been drawn n 3 dimensions fairly accurately.
Information about size, aesthetics, materials and construction method
have been stated. A limited reason for choosing these has been stated.
Level 6 The final design has been drawn in 3 dimensions accurately.
Information about size, aesthetics, materials and construction method
have been included around the design. A reason for choosing these has
been explained.

33. Year 8 – pull-along toy
On this
template
page draw
your chosen
letter in
either 3D
(level 6) or
in 2D ( level
4)

34. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Around your design
start to annotate
information someone
would need to know to
make your toy.
What pieces of
information might be
needed to help someone
make your toy?
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,

35. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Around your design
start to annotate
information someone
would need to know to
make your toy.
What pieces of
information might be
needed to help someone
make your toy?
1, Colour
2, Type of media (paint)
3, Materials
4, Construction method
5, Finish

36. Year 8 – pull-along toy
planning for
your toy

37. Year 8 – pull-along toy
planning for
your letter

38. Year 8 – pull-along toy
planning for
the base
finish
apply finish
check quality
start
mark out base
cut base
glasspaper base
drill 3mm holes
drill 1.2mm holes
mark holes for
hook + eye
mark position of letter
mark holes for wheels
A
A

39. Year 8 – pull-along toy
planning for
your wheels

40. Year 8 – pull-along toy

41. Year 8 – pull-along toy

42. Year 8 – pull-along toy
Learning objective
by the end of the lesson you will have learnt;
how to mark out, cut and assemble your toy
Learning outcome
what I am looking for;
you can understand the importance of accurate
measuring (mm) and marking out,
you are able to use tools safely and accurately,
you are able to assemble all the parts correctly.

43. making - assessment criteria
Level 4 Marking out has been accurate. Cutting and shaping is accurate
and only a few mistakes made. Painting has enhanced the aesthetics of the
toy. Tools and equipment are chosen correctly and used safely.
Level 5 Marking out has been accurate to ±1mm. Cutting and shaping is
accurate with only minor mistakes. Paint has been applied evenly so a
quality finish is given to your toy. Tools and equipment are chosen
independently and safety rules are followed at all times.
Level 6 Marking out has been accurate, on all pieces to ±1mm. Cutting and
shaping is accurate with no marks or blemishes on the wood. Paint has been
applied evenly so a high quality finish is given to your toy. All tools and
equipment are used correctly, personal protection is used and safety rules
are followed at all times.

44. Year 8 – pull-along toy