Year 7 - Design and technology
Materials in design
Principles of materials and manufacturing
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils will handle, shape and join sheet materials using different manufacturing processes. They will test and experiment with different mechanical fixing methods and adhesives and then use this knowledge to explain which choices are suitable and why.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to identify different materials and categorise them.
Key Notes
- Materials can be categorised using aesthetics.
- Materials can be categorised using physical properties.
- Materials can be categorised using mechanical properties.
- Materials can be categorised using the categories paper and board, timber, metal, polymer and textiles.
- Designers use a justified specification to outline material property requirements.
Vocabulary To Learn
- physical properties: characteristic evident all the time and can usually be measured, such as weight
- aesthetics: how the product looks including colour, texture and style or theme.
- mechanical properties: characteristic evident when the material is being worked, reacting to external forces and loads
- strength: the ability to withstand a force
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Wood, plastic and fabric are the correct terminology
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Materials can be categorised using aesthetics. Materials can be categorised using physical properties.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'physical properties'
characteristic evident all the time and can usually be measured, such as weight.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Wood, plastic and fabric are the correct terminology. Correction: Timbers and boards, polymers and textiles are the correct terms.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 7 Design and technology guide library.