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This unit has now been replaced by the Year 4 unit Mechanical cars. Kapow no longer updates these lessons, and they may not reflect the national curriculum or current guidance. They remain a permanent part of your subscription and will continue to be available for reference and use. We recommend that you explore the new versions of the lessons.
Unit outcomes
Pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Work independently to produce an accurate, functioning car chassis.
- Design a shape that is suitable for the project.
- Attempt to reduce air resistance through the design of the shape.
- Produce panels that will fit the chassis and can be assembled effectively using the tabs they have designed.
- Construct car bodies effectively.
- Conduct a trial accurately and draw conclusions and improvements from the results.
Suggested prior learning
ARCHIVED Year 3: Mechanical systems: Pneumatic toys
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Lesson plans
Lesson 1: Chassis and launch mechanism
Lesson 2: Designing the car body
Lesson 3: Making the car body
Lesson 4: Assembly and testing
Key skills
- Designing a shape that
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Key knowledge
- To understand that all
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Key vocabulary
chassis
energy
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Related content
Unit resources
Knowledge organiser: DT – Y4 Making a slingshot car
Aimed at pupils, a single page which gives key facts and definitions from the unit 'Mechanical systems: Option 2: Making…
Vocabulary display – D&T Y4: Mechanical systems: Making a slingshot car
A display version of the vocabulary from the unit 'Making a slingshot car'.
Cross-curricular opportunities
None relevant to this unit.
Build on the learning
ARCHIVED Year 5: Making a pop-up book
Pupils build on their knowledge from learning how to make a slingshot car, applying mechanical system skills to create interactive mechanisms in a pop-up book.