Making a slingshot car
Designing and making a car with a working slingshot mechanism and housing the mechanism using a range of nets.
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Making a slingshot car
Please note
This unit has been replaced by the unit *New* Mechanical cars and will no longer be updated.
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
Pneumatic toys
Get startedLesson plans
Lesson 1: Chassis and launch mechanism
- To build a car chassis.
Lesson 2: Designing the car body
- To design a shape that reduces air resistance.
Lesson 3: Making the car body
- To make a model based on a chosen design.
Lesson 4: Assembly and testing
- To assemble and test my completed product.
Key skills
Key knowledge
Related content
Resources
Unit resources

Design and technology
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…

Design and technology
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
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.