Design Technolgy Activities:
Control Systems: Link to ICT ICT: Use a software application such as Junior Control Insight, Flowol, Control It etc to: 
design a system for a greenhouse that controls a watering systen so that water is delivered to the plants at a certain time or when the temperature is above a certain level. design a system for a greenhouse that will switch on heating at a certain times or when the temperature is below a certain level. Switch off the heating at a certain time or when the temperature rises above a certain level. design a system for a greenhouse that switch on a light at a certain time or when the light is below a certain level and switches it off at a certain time or when the light is above a certain level.
If you haven't already got a control interface various options are available. To access links to suppliers click here. I like the USB interface from Deltronics click here for information. Many laptops no longer have a serial socket so USB is the safer and more reliable option. Six outputs and inputs are also preferable to four. For information on accessories i.e input and output devices click here. (Other suppliers are also available). It is important to ensure the input and output devices are suitable for use with the interface being used. |
 Making a Bird Cake and Feeder Link to Literacy and Science You can make various kinds of winter treats to help the birds through the cold winter when food is scarce. Different types of birds feed in different ways. Blue tits will cling upside down, sparrows will cling to hanging containers, robins will visit bird tables and blackbirds like to feed on the ground. If you want to provide them all with treats them you will need to create some treats to hang in trees, some to put on a bird table and others to place on the ground or on low feeding tables. Click here for more information For ideas for other types of feeders click here. |
Making a Wormery: 
The easiest way to make a wormery would be to use a large jar filled with soil but it is likely that the worms will stay in the middle of the jar and remain out of view. Click here for instructions |
Making a Grasshead: 
Grassheads are simple to make using a pair of old tights or a stocking and some grass seed. Watch the hair grown and trim it into an interesting style. Other possibilitie are cress heads Click here for instruction and ideas |
Design a Runner Bean Frame: 
Runner beans are climbing plants that need a strong support. Have a go at designing an interesting support frame for them. Or alternatively try designing a pea support frame. Click here to read more Click here for the Kiddies' Gardens website which has more ideas |
Design a Side Salad:  Link to Literacy, Science - healthy eating, and ICT
Research the types of side salads that are available in the local supermarket and what type of combinations of ingredients are used,. Focus in particular on the types of salads that have ingredients that you are growing in your vegetable patch. Design a tasty side salad. Take a digital photograph of the finished salad using recipe book conventions write the recipe so that someone else can reproduce your salad. |
Design a Minibeast Shelter: 
Link to Science - habitats Research which minibeasts (or even small animals such as hedgehogs and toads) are of benefit to the vegetable plot. Research the type of habitats they prefer and what type of commercially available products there are which provide suitable habitats. Then design one of your own. Is your design successful in attracting your chosen minibeast. An attractive log pile could also be created Click here to get some ideas. |
Designs on Nature Fruit or vegetables can be scanned or photographed. The images can then be loaded into an painting or image manipulation package to create stunning effects. The resulting work can be also used in a D and T activity to create place mats or menus to use at a party, to create a photograph frame or even to create special planting labels. If you wish to scan the objects you will need to make sure that you cover the scanner with cling film of an acetate sheet. As it will be difficult to close the scanner lid you will need to use a cover to block out any light. Click here for ideas on how to use natural objects in design |
Making vegetable dyes: Link to Art and Science Vegetables have long been used to make natural dyes. We have all stained our fingers when picking blackberries or chopping beetrootThe dyes can be used to stain eggs for easter of could be combined with a tie dye activity. Natural fabric such as cotton must be used. The following links give instruction of how to use vegetables to make dye click here and here. Note that the dyes will not be fast unless a mordant is used.  Ingredient | Colour Produced | Instructions | Comments | chopped red cabbage | blue/teal | Put 2-3 tbsps. chopped red cabbage in heat safe cup. Add boiling water. Add 1 tsp. white vinegar. | Let sit overnight.
Avoid excess handling. | onion skins, yellow | light peach to gold/orange | Use 1 large handful of onion skin for each cup of water. Simmer 20 minutes then add 1 tsp. of white vinegar. | Easy. | grated red beetroot | magenta red | Put 2-4 tbsps. freshly grated beets in heat safe cup. Fill 2/3 with boiling water. Add 1 tsp. white vinegar. |
Dye may be strained before use.
| red cabbage & turmeric | green | Pour scant tsp. of turmeric and 2-3 tbsps. of chopped red cabbage in a heat safe cup then add boiling water. | Speckled design.
Wipe vegetable off with damp cloth. | red cabbage & beetroot | purple | Put 2 tbsps. grated beet and 2 tbsps. red cabbage in heat safe cup. Add boiling water. | Striking and intense. | onion skins, red | pale green | See directions for yellow onion skins. | Allow long steeping time. |
Science: Investigate which vegetables produce the best colours or what happens when you dip your egg/fabric into one dye and then a different dye. Record results |
Making Plant Markers and Labels Link to Art 
This idea comes from the Kiddies' gardens website and more detail can be obtained from their site by clicking here |