Year 9 Design Projects

During this project, students will create an interactive multimedia application aimed to educate primary school pupils (Year 5 & 6) to a responsible and secure use of the Internet. The studied applications and technologies during this project are mainly focused around PowerPoint and Visual Basic for Application (VBA).

The challenge is to design and make a prototype model of an automaton based on mechanical principles which shows a personal logo metamorphosing. Communication is vital at all stages of this project from initial sketches to a presentation drawing and a final technical drawing to enable successful construction in the workshop.

LEGO Figurine Display Box - As an introductory project for the new intake of Y9 students, and a solid reinforcement of design and CAD skills covered in years 7 and 8, the designers learn to create simple finger-joint boxes in 2D CAD. They use this knowledge to create a small wooden pedestal and clear acrylic cover to display a LEGO figurine.

Analogue Clock - In this extension project designers further their knowledge of transformation tools in 2D CAD to design and create a decorative analogue clock face. The use of sustainable materials is promoted.

The question is asked - What hazardous situations would it be preferable to send a robot into rather than a human being? Disposing of a bomb is one such situation! Students are tasked with developing a robot that can find its way around a course, pick up a barrel using a grabber and take this to a location where the dangerous package can be disposed of safely. Depending on their ability, students can have free-reign over their build and how complex they want their program to be, and some will be able to use a textual coding language such as Python.

Throughout the project students are given presentations which demonstrate the links to industry and ask them to consider ethical aspects, for instance, will robots displace humans? Are there any negative consequences to robots helping humanity? Are all robots good? Is there a need for the Laws of Robotics?