Case Study - Foundation Stage

The following case study is presented as an exemplification of good practice in the teaching of design and technology at the foundation stage.

Title / year group/ description	Celebration Cards - Reception To design and make a Celebration Day card for a friend or member of their family. with a Reception Class. 3 x 60m sessions. The children chose what they would celebrate e.g. a new baby, a new job, or just to celebrate a happy day!
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School	Victoria Park Primary School
How the project was taught:	The children examined a selection of commercial cards. They looked at the hinge. Sometimes it was on the left-hand side or along the top. They also looked at slider mechanisms. The children were then encouraged to think about the person their card was for; what did the person like; how would they make their card move? The children cut out a picture that they thought the person would like. They found the cutting very hard, but managed to make some shapes that they liked. The children were given a choice of different coloured card of a range of thicknesses and the teacher helped them think about what would work best. They thought about how they could make their picture move. Then they were given a choice of different media to work with to create a pattern/design on the front of the card. Most opted for potato shapes dipped in paint, but some were drawing or gluing on the pictures cut out previously. Finally, the children wrote their names inside. Some were able to copy a sentence that said Have a happy day.  The children showed each other their cards and talked about what celebration they had chosen and why, linking it to different cultures and occasions; they also talked about techniques that they found hard or easy to do and how they created movement in their card.
Pupil outcomes:	Each child took their card home and gave it to the person they had made it for.
Resources:	Cards from different celebrations, coloured card, paint, crayons, scissors, pencils
Teacher comments:	The children loved this activity, but found the cutting hardest.  When this activity is repeated, the school will purchase some Early Years scissors that help the children grip better.  The children find writing very difficult, so the staff have audio-taped the children discussing and evaluating their work.