*New* Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
Designing and creating a functional fairground wheel so that the wheel rotates and the structure stands freely.
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*New* Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
Please note
This unit offers a simplified wheel design made from repurposed materials and an additional lesson where children design and conduct a survey to gather opinions. The unit ARCHIVED Year 2: Mechanisms: Fairground wheel has moved to our Content archive. It will remain permanently available but will not be updated in line with curriculum or website developments.
Unit outcomes
Pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Describe how axles help wheels move a vehicle and design and label a working fairground wheel.
- Evaluate different designs.
- Describe the properties of different materials and select appropriate materials for the wheel.
- Build a stable structure, test elements of the design and adapt the design as necessary.
- Make the wheel rotate, evaluate a wheel mechanism and adapt it as necessary.
- Recall that a survey is used to find out what people like, tally results and use the results to inform the design.
- Add pods for the correct number of people and ensure that the pods stay upright when rotating around a fixed point.
- Explain the decisions for the pod design.
Suggested prior learning
Mechanisms: Wheels and axles
Get startedLessons
Lesson 1: Design a fairground wheel
- To explore wheel mechanisms and design a fairground wheel.
Lesson 2: Planning the build
- To select materials with appropriate properties.
Lesson 3: Building the frame and wheels
- To build and test a moving wheel.
Lesson 4: Surveying design opinions
- To conduct a simple survey to gather opinions.
Lesson 5: Adding pods and decoration
- To finish and evaluate a structure with a rotating wheel.
Key skills
Key knowledge
Related content
Unit resources

Knowledge organiser – D&T Y2: Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
Aimed at pupils, a single page which gives key facts and definitions from the unit ‘Fairground wheel’.

Vocabulary display – D&T Y2: Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
A display version of the vocabulary from the unit 'Fairground wheel'.
Cross-curricular opportunities
Mathematics: Geometry – properties of shapes.
Science: Uses of everyday materials.
British values: Mutual respect; Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
Art.