© 2008 Australian Football League �

Carry on kicking

Activity overviewThere are two design briefs posed as part of this activity. Teachers can either select one to work with, or allow students to make the selection. Regardless of the brief selected, students will investigate the development of products, considering the factors that have affected their design; they then develop their own design ideas and make a product or prototype. On completion of this, they evaluate and compare their own and colleagues’ products and consider what changes might occur in terms of football and new technologies in the next 10 years that could impact on their product.

Designbrief1–KickingonThese footy players are getting fussy! They are demanding a new and innovative footy boot. It needs to be comfortable and tough, but also distinctive in some way. You have been commissioned to design a boot that will be suitable for footy in five years time. There are quite a few boot designs around at the moment, but yours needs to have a futuristic feel about it, yet still be practical. The basic boot design needs to be able to be adapted for any Australian football team.

Designbrief2–CarryonfootballIt is really hard to find something that will hold all those important things that spectators want to take to the footy. They are having trouble finding a suitable bag. You have been commissioned to design a flexible bag that can carry gear for someone going to watch the footy. The bag needs to be able to hold a range of items that would usually be taken to the football, and it needs to let everyone know who the owner is supporting! Lots of people go to the footy and the bag needs to be easy to identify, so a novel or distinctive feature is to be included.

Time requiredThis activity would need a minimum of 10 hours. Depending on the approach taken for individual aspects of the activity it could take considerably more. The Carry on football brief is likely to take a little longer than the Kicking on brief as students are likely to be making an actual product rather than a prototype.

Key Learning AreaTechnology

Studies of Society and Environment

History

Year levelsYears 5–8

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Materials • Worksheet 1: Investigating

• Student design folios or paper for drawing

• Worksheet 2: Surveying the results

• Resources for boot project:

• one or more ‘old’ sports boots – either the actual products (if possible) or images of these

• a range of current sports footwear – preferably actual footwear

• materials for prototype which could include:

• paper and card of various types and colours

• a range of different types of fabrics

• soft plastics

• modelling materials such as clay or fimo

• shoelaces

• rubber bands

• joining materials such as glues and tapes

• decoration materials such as paints, markers, crayons, pencils etc.

• Resources for bag project:

• books such as Handbags: The Power of the Purse by Anna Johnson, Workman Publishing Company, New York

• brochures with images of handbags

• a range of actual bags

• materials for the bag which could include:

• a range of fabrics

• fastenings/joiners such as zips, buttons, ties

• needle and thread

• sewing machines and overlockers

• decoration materials such as sequins, fabric paint, stencils for printing etc.

• Images from Resources section on the AFL CD-ROM

• Video clip from Resources section on the AFL CD-ROM ‘Kick the Ball’.

Note: Access to the Internet could be useful for either project to research examples of existing products. Many of the online sellers have a range of images of products and provide details about the materials. This could be done instead of, or in addition to, looking at actual products. C

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Preparation• It is assumed that students have experience working from a design brief as

a basis for their Technology programs. If this is not the case, some discussion about the role of design briefs will be required.

• Students may need instruction on appropriate terminology to describe the products they are analysing. Again, prior experience will determine how much time needs to be spent on this. Terminology may include design terms such as function and aesthetics. Purpose could be introduced, ways to describe materials such as textured, smooth, rough, shiny.

• Students may also require instruction in the safe and effective use of some tools and equipment. These could include sewing machines, needles, scissors, glue guns.

• The purpose and use of surveys may need to be discussed. This would include how to pose relevant questions that will elicit the information you require. Depending on the students’ prior experience, it may be appropriate to conduct a mini-survey as an example of how to structure questions. This could be related to football, including questions such as: What team do you support? When did you last go to the footy? This could provide a football focus as a starting point for the activity.

Activity steps1. Refer students back to the design brief. Read through it and discuss the

requirements of the brief. Ask students for feedback on the brief, and for any clarification that is required.

2. Investigation.

Boots1. Ask students to brainstorm types of sports footwear and uses for them

(for example tennis shoes, footy boots, runners). Have them list these in the space provided on Worksheet 1: Investigating. Ask them then to circle which of these they might see at a footy match. Ask students for feedback.

2. They then compare an ‘old’ boot with a ‘new’ boot. Ask the class to identify at least four design factors that they could look at to make this comparison (for example materials, methods for fastening shoes, grip, colour). Have them write these on Worksheet 1. Ideally, students compare actual products, but this will rely on being able to access an ‘old’ design. If this is not possible, students could search on the Internet for some examples of old designs. Ask them then to compare the ‘old’ and the ‘new’, making notes about the design factors on the worksheet. They can then draw some conclusions about whether the new design is an improvement on the old or not, and why or why not. Car

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Bags1. Have students brainstorm as a class the types of and uses for bags (handbags,

backpacks, sports bags, shopping bags etc). Students can list these in the space provided on Worksheet 1: Investigating. Have them circle which ones they think they might see at the footy. Then ask the group to consider the design brief and identify at least four key design factors that will be important for the design of the bag (for example size, comfort, how it will be carried).

2. Have students study a variety of bags that can be used to carry items. Students could be asked to bring one bag from home; they could also be provided with, or find images of, bags (for example brochures from department and camping stores), although actual bags will be most effective.

3. Have students complete Worksheet 1: Investigating, selecting two bags to compare in terms of the design factors identified, and then drawing some conclusions about which would best address the brief.

4. Ask students to begin to develop ideas for their product. They need to develop at least three designs, and annotate the designs to show specific design features. For the bag brief, students will need to identify what they are going to carry in the bag before they begin their designs.

5. Note that, for the boot brief, students will develop a prototype of their final design, whereas for the bag, they will make the actual product.

6. At this point it will be important to discuss the materials that are available and could be used for the selected brief. Students may not be aware of the range of materials that could be suitable and the effect they will have on the design.

7. Have them select one of the designs and prepare a final drawing of it. This needs to include colour and annotations of materials. Students could also be asked to develop drawings to show at least two views of the final product.

8. Have students develop a plan for constructing their product or prototype. This needs to include a list of the materials, tools and equipment that would be used.

9. Ask students to begin making their product, following the plan developed. Any changes to the plan need to be noted.

10. Display all of the finished items. Have students develop a survey to evaluate/critique the products. (See Worksheet 2: Surveying the results.) The survey needs to include approximately eight questions. Students should apply the survey to at least five products, including their own. Then ask them to imagine that they are in 2020. What might be different in footy? What might be different in technology? How will this affect their design? Have them note changes that might impact on their design.

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Assessment ideas• Completion of Worksheet 1.

• Design ideas.

• Completed product or prototype.

• Evaluation.

Optional extension• Students modify their design to suit the year 2020. This could be a new drawing,

or a modification made to their existing drawing. Encourage students to be creative, thinking about possibilities – even if they might seem a bit radical!

• If time allows, they could develop a model of the revised design.

• Students could develop an electronic portfolio, or e-folio. It could be developed in, for example, PowerPoint™ and include scanned sketches, images for research, AFL team logos, digital images of the finished design, music, digital video clips.

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Football boots

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Worksheet 1: Investigating

Name: ______________________________________________________________________

List ideas here.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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Design factors Example � Example �

Conclusions

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____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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Worksheet 2: Surveying the results

Name: ______________________________________________________________________

Questions Sample � Sample � Sample � Sample � My product

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Move forward to the year 2020. List some things that might have changed. Note how this could affect your design.

Changes How I might need to change my design

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