Lesson 1: Mindfulness and existing technology

Children explore what is meant by mindfulness, then analyse existing technologies that can aid a mindful moment such as lava lamps and mindfulness colouring books. They then look at a range of timers to compare and evaluate. They determine what amount of time would be best for a mindful break to inform a list of design criteria.

Learning objectives

  • To create a design criteria for an electronic timer based on analysis of existing products

National curriculum

Design

Pupils should be taught to:

  • Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups.  

 

Evaluate

Pupils should be taught to:

  • Investigate and analyse a range of existing products
  • Evaluate their ideas and products against their design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work

Success criteria

Cross-curricular links

Before the lesson

Download classroom resources

Attention grabber

Main event

Differentiation

Learners needing support: Can discuss one of the timers using slide 6 of the Presentation: Exploring mindfulness, offering advantages and disadvantages. Record the answers on a whiteboard as an example. Provide the Activity: Word bank to support the children’s timer analysis and evaluation. Provide the alternative Activity: Timed mindfulness colouring (star-rated) for a visual rather than written response.

 

Learners working at a stretch: Challenge the pupils to consider where different timer types will be useful (e.g one-minute sand timers for young children who do not yet understand time.

Wrapping up

Assessing pupils' progression and understanding

Vocabulary

Created by:
Rebecca Walsh,  
Design and Technology specialist
Rebecca is a passionate Design and technology specialist. Rebecca has previously taught across all of the D&T curriculum strands, including STEM clubs and extra-curricular activities such as RAF Project X, to Keystages 1-4 and SEND classes. Rebecca believes in providing…
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