ASSESSMENT TASK 1
PREPARATORY LEARNING: DOCUMENTATION AND PRESENTATION OF A DESIGN CHALLENGE
CHALLENGE 5
DESIGN AND MAKE A PUSH-PULL TOY THAT IS MADE FROM RECYCLED MATERIALS
PREPARATORY LEARNING: DOCUMENTATION AND PRESENTATION OF A DESIGN CHALLENGE
CHALLENGE 5
DESIGN AND MAKE A PUSH-PULL TOY THAT IS MADE FROM RECYCLED MATERIALS
INVESTIGATING AND DEFINING
A Google search on push-pull toys revealed that push-pull toys are traditionally designed for young children when they become mobile and start taking interest in exploring their surroundings. These toys are usually items such as walking trolleys and strollers with rigid handles or items attached to a cord that children can push or pull along with them.
A Google search on push-pull toys revealed that push-pull toys are traditionally designed for young children when they become mobile and start taking interest in exploring their surroundings. These toys are usually items such as walking trolleys and strollers with rigid handles or items attached to a cord that children can push or pull along with them.
As a child develops and gets older, they tend to outgrow this style of push-pull toys and move onto push-pull toys such as cars, trains, motorbikes and trucks of various sizes and styles.
Push-pull toys therefore seem to be aimed at younger children and are beneficial in developing gross motor skills. An additional benefit of push-pull toys for lower primary aged children is evident in the Australian Curriculum’s Year 2 learning area of Science that states students are able to describe the components of simple systems, such as stationary objects subjected to pushes or pulls through direct manipulation.
Further investigation through observations of a 10 year old and 6 year old playing with Lego revealed that the 6 year old was very content to play with a car he had made for a substantial amount of time. The 10 year old however quickly lost interest in making a vehicle and took preference to creating and playing with an air craft.
Further investigation through observations of a 10 year old and 6 year old playing with Lego revealed that the 6 year old was very content to play with a car he had made for a substantial amount of time. The 10 year old however quickly lost interest in making a vehicle and took preference to creating and playing with an air craft.
The question therefore is how can a push-pull toy can be adapted and designed to be appealing and meet the developmental requirements of middle primary aged children?
By Year 4, the Science learning area of the Australian Curriculum requires students to learn that forces include non-contact forces and begin to appreciate that some interactions result from phenomena that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Investigating and understanding of contact and non-contact forces was undertaken.
Following investigations, it has been decided to design a toy rocket ship made from recycled materials that uses friction in the form of air resistance and gravitational force. The intention is to design a rocket ship with balloons that act as engine thrusts. When fully inflated and then released, the balloons will create resistance and push the rocket ship upwards as it pushes past air particles. As the balloons deflate, air resistance decreases, forcing the rocket ship to fall back to the ground as a result of the pull force of gravity.
The rocket ship needs to be attractive, stimulating and operational by children in the middle primary age group to extend knowledge and understanding of the engineering principles of how forces can be used to create movement. The toy will also develop confidence in making sustainable decisions and extend knowledge and understanding of the characteristics and properties of a variety of materials.
Balloons will be attached to the bottom end of a lightweight rocket ship. Air is blown into the balloons and then held closed at the openings once filled. The rocket ship is then pointed upwards and the opening of the balloons is released. The rocket ship is launched upwards as a result of the push force exerted by the released air pressure from the balloons. As the balloons deflate, the rocket ship loses its momentum and falls to the ground as a result of the pull force caused by gravity.
Following investigations, it has been decided to design a toy rocket ship made from recycled materials that uses friction in the form of air resistance and gravitational force. The intention is to design a rocket ship with balloons that act as engine thrusts. When fully inflated and then released, the balloons will create resistance and push the rocket ship upwards as it pushes past air particles. As the balloons deflate, air resistance decreases, forcing the rocket ship to fall back to the ground as a result of the pull force of gravity.
The rocket ship needs to be attractive, stimulating and operational by children in the middle primary age group to extend knowledge and understanding of the engineering principles of how forces can be used to create movement. The toy will also develop confidence in making sustainable decisions and extend knowledge and understanding of the characteristics and properties of a variety of materials.
Balloons will be attached to the bottom end of a lightweight rocket ship. Air is blown into the balloons and then held closed at the openings once filled. The rocket ship is then pointed upwards and the opening of the balloons is released. The rocket ship is launched upwards as a result of the push force exerted by the released air pressure from the balloons. As the balloons deflate, the rocket ship loses its momentum and falls to the ground as a result of the pull force caused by gravity.
Design 1: This design uses a paper towel roll as the body of the rocket ship, cardboard for the top and wings and toilet rolls attached to the bottom of the body for the engines. Long balloons are then fixed to the inside of the toilet rolls. This design is a fail as the balloons are too wide for the toilet rolls once they have been inflated.
Design 2: This design is the same as design 1 except for a modification in the material used for the engines. This time plastic cups are used as they are wide enough to hold the fully inflated balloons. However, this design intended for the balloons to be glued to the inside of the plastic cups. This design is a fail as the balloons could not be held in place while being glued to the inside of the cup.
Design 3: This design uses the same materials for the point, wings, body and engines as design 2 but the fixing of the balloons to the inside of the engines has been modified. A small hole has been cut into the top of each cup and a balloon has been carefully fed through each hole. A small knot is then made at the top of each balloon to prevent the balloons slipping out. This is the design that will be produced.
Design 2: This design is the same as design 1 except for a modification in the material used for the engines. This time plastic cups are used as they are wide enough to hold the fully inflated balloons. However, this design intended for the balloons to be glued to the inside of the plastic cups. This design is a fail as the balloons could not be held in place while being glued to the inside of the cup.
Design 3: This design uses the same materials for the point, wings, body and engines as design 2 but the fixing of the balloons to the inside of the engines has been modified. A small hole has been cut into the top of each cup and a balloon has been carefully fed through each hole. A small knot is then made at the top of each balloon to prevent the balloons slipping out. This is the design that will be produced.
PRODUCING AND IMPLEMENTING
The materials and tools required for the production of the rocket ship are listed as follows:
1 x Paper towel roll 3 x Plastic drinking cups
3 x Long balloons 1 x A4 cardboard
Compass Ruler
Pencil Scissors
Craft glue Craft knife
Acrylic paint Paint brush
A washable surface and good lighting is required for the production of the rocket ship. Although the risk factor in producing the rocket ship is low, the use of substances and sharp tools may present safety issues and therefore must be considered. Safety and risk management has been identified as follows:
Painting with acrylic paint: water based and non-toxic but can damage clothing.
Craft glue: contains acetone. Acetone is flammable and must not be used near a flame. Inhalation of acetone can irritate the nose and throat. Skin contact may cause mild irritation and eye contact must be avoided this may cause moderate to severe irritation. Ingestion is not harmful. Keep away from young children.
Scissors: sharp points and blunt blades can cause injury. Use with caution and keep away from young children.
Craft knife: sharp blade can cause injury. Use with caution and keep away from young children.
Compass: sharp point that can cause injury. Use with caution and keep away from young children.
Balloons: made from latex and can be a choking hazard. Keep away from young children.
The materials and tools required for the production of the rocket ship are listed as follows:
1 x Paper towel roll 3 x Plastic drinking cups
3 x Long balloons 1 x A4 cardboard
Compass Ruler
Pencil Scissors
Craft glue Craft knife
Acrylic paint Paint brush
A washable surface and good lighting is required for the production of the rocket ship. Although the risk factor in producing the rocket ship is low, the use of substances and sharp tools may present safety issues and therefore must be considered. Safety and risk management has been identified as follows:
Painting with acrylic paint: water based and non-toxic but can damage clothing.
Craft glue: contains acetone. Acetone is flammable and must not be used near a flame. Inhalation of acetone can irritate the nose and throat. Skin contact may cause mild irritation and eye contact must be avoided this may cause moderate to severe irritation. Ingestion is not harmful. Keep away from young children.
Scissors: sharp points and blunt blades can cause injury. Use with caution and keep away from young children.
Craft knife: sharp blade can cause injury. Use with caution and keep away from young children.
Compass: sharp point that can cause injury. Use with caution and keep away from young children.
Balloons: made from latex and can be a choking hazard. Keep away from young children.
The procedure in producing the rocket ship is listed as follows:
1. Paint paper towel roll and plastic cups. Allow to dry.
2. Draw a triangle with a hypotenuse length of 20cm and adjacent and opposite lengths of 12cm each from the cardboard. Cut out the triangle and paint for the wings.
3. Use a compass to draw a circle with a radius of 5cm on the cardboard. Cut the circle out and cut along the radius of the circle. Paint and allow to dry.
1. Paint paper towel roll and plastic cups. Allow to dry.
2. Draw a triangle with a hypotenuse length of 20cm and adjacent and opposite lengths of 12cm each from the cardboard. Cut out the triangle and paint for the wings.
3. Use a compass to draw a circle with a radius of 5cm on the cardboard. Cut the circle out and cut along the radius of the circle. Paint and allow to dry.
4. Fold and glue the two cut pieces of the circle over one another to form a cone shape for the point of the rocket.
5. Add another coat of paint to the plastic cups if required.
6. Use the craft knife to make a small hole at the bottom of each plastic cup.
7. Feed the tip one balloon through the hole in the plastic cup and tie a knot once the balloon is through the cup so that it doesn’t slip out the hole. Repeat this process for each plastic cup.
8. Allow sufficient time for all parts to be completely dry.
9. Glue the point and wings onto the body of the rocket.
10. Glue the engines onto the body of the craft with even spacing between each engine. Making sure that the engines touch the ground and space is left between the bottom of the rocket and the ground.
11. Allow drying time and when all parts are secure and dry, the Balloon Blaster is born and ready to launch.
EVALUATING
The maiden launch of the Balloon Blaster was conducted outdoors by a middle primary school aged child with some assistance from a younger child. The photographs demonstrate the process leading to the launch and video shows the launch.
The maiden launch of the Balloon Blaster was conducted outdoors by a middle primary school aged child with some assistance from a younger child. The photographs demonstrate the process leading to the launch and video shows the launch.
The actual design was effective as the Balloon Blaster performed to expectation. After testing the performance of the Balloon Blaster, flaws in the manufacturing process and materials used were noted. Using a craft knife to make small holes in the plastic cups left untidy edges around the hole that could have caused damage to the balloons as they were fed through the holes. The materials used would not be durable enough for repeated play with this toy. As the toy is subjected to repeated inflation and deflation of the balloons, ordinary latex balloons may not be durable enough. Although the cardboard wings were an aesthetic feature, these would not withstand too many crash landings. The plastic cups as engines glued onto the body of the rocket ship may require more secure and alternative attachment as the glue started to pull away from the paint on the cup after the first launch. Staples were used after the first launch for a more secure attachment. The toy is designed for use by middle primary school aged children but once the balloons are inflated, the toy becomes quite large and requires an extra set of hands to hold steady for the launch. Finally, the intention of the toy to be appealing and stimulating to extend knowledge and understanding of the way push-pull forces are used to create movement was certainly achieved. Much fun was had by "the design testers" and a competition is being planned to see who can launch their Balloon Blaster the highest.