Design & Technology
Design & Technology for 5th
Cooking and nutrition, mechanisms, structures, electrical systems and textiles for primary D&T.
All resources
Cooking & Nutrition — Knowledge Organiser (KS1-KS2)
Single-page reference for KS1 and KS2 cooking and nutrition. Covers food groups, healthy eating, where food comes from, basic kitchen skills and food hygiene. Aligns with the cooking and nutrition strand of D&T.
Structures — Knowledge Organiser (KS1-KS2)
Single-page reference for KS1 and KS2 structures. Covers what makes a structure strong, types of structure, materials, joining techniques, and stability. Aligns with the structures strand of D&T.
Textiles — Knowledge Organiser (KS1-KS2)
Single-page reference for KS1 and KS2 D&T textiles. Covers fabric types, basic stitches (running stitch, back stitch, over stitch), joining techniques, and designing soft products. Aligns with KS1-KS2 D&T textiles strand.
Cooking Vocabulary Reference Card
A printable A5 reference card for primary cooking lessons — 30 key cooking verbs with child-friendly definitions and illustrations. Fold and laminate for individual use in DT sessions.
Food Groups & The Eatwell Guide — KS2 Resource
A printable resource explaining the five food groups, the Eatwell Guide proportions, and what each food group provides nutritionally. Includes a design-your-own-meal activity.
Kitchen Safety Rules for Primary Cooking Lessons
A printable classroom poster and pupil checklist covering the 12 essential kitchen safety rules for primary DT cooking lessons — hygiene, knife handling, heat safety, and allergen awareness.
Pop-Up Card Templates — 3 Designs
Step-by-step instructions and cut-and-fold templates for 3 pop-up cards: a simple box pop-up, a V-fold flower, and a multi-layer castle. Suitable for any occasion or DT unit on mechanisms.
Seasonal Food Calendar — UK Fruit & Vegetables
A printable month-by-month guide to seasonal UK fruit and vegetables — what's in season when, why eating seasonally matters, and a recipe idea for each season.
Bread Making — DT Lesson Plan (KS2)
A full one-session bread-making lesson for KS2 — simple white bread rolls requiring only basic equipment. Includes the lesson plan, step-by-step pupil instruction card, and evaluation questions.
Bridge Engineering Challenge — STEM KS2
A structured STEM engineering challenge where pupils design and build the strongest possible bridge from limited materials (lolly sticks, card, string). Includes brief, design planning sheet, fair test criteria, and cross-curricular maths extension.
Electrical Systems — Knowledge Organiser (KS2)
Single-page reference for KS2 D&T electrical systems. Covers circuits, components (battery, bulb, switch, motor, buzzer), series and parallel circuits, and using a switch in a product. Aligns with KS2 D&T and supports computing/science.
Food Science & Nutrition Knowledge Organiser — KS2
A KS2 DT and science crossover knowledge organiser on food science — nutrition, the Eatwell Guide, food groups, cooking changes, hygiene, and the science of why food tastes, looks, and behaves the way it does.
Mechanisms — Knowledge Organiser (KS2)
Single-page reference for KS2 D&T mechanisms. Covers levers, linkages, cams, gears, pulleys, and how to use them in simple moving toys and models. Aligns with KS2 D&T mechanisms strand.
Packaging Design Project — KS2 DT
A full DT packaging design project — pupils research existing packaging, identify design features, and create their own packaging for a food product. Research sheet, design template, and evaluation included.
Pop-Up Book Mechanisms Project — KS2 DT
A KS2 DT project exploring book mechanisms — flaps, slides, pivots, and pop-ups. Pupils design and make a mini pop-up book using four different mechanisms. Perfect cross-curricular link to English (narrative) and maths (angles and movement).
The Design Process Knowledge Organiser — KS2 DT
A KS2 DT knowledge organiser on the full design process — research, design brief, development, making, evaluating, and iterating. A transferable framework for all DT projects.
Architecture & the Built Environment Knowledge Organiser
A KS2 DT and geography crossover knowledge organiser on architecture — key architects, structural principles, architectural styles across history, and sustainable building.
Electrical Circuit Lighthouse Project — KS2
Design and build a working model lighthouse with a circuit using a battery, bulb, and switch. Full DT project plan with design, make, and evaluate stages. Links to science (circuits) and geography (lighthouses, coastal geography).
Packaging Design: Nets and 3D Shapes
A KS2 DT project on packaging design — how nets fold into 3D shapes. Pupils design packaging for a product, create a net, build and evaluate. Links to maths (3D shapes, nets) and art (graphic design). Includes design brief and evaluation sheets.
Pneumatic Toy Design Project — KS2 DT
A complete KS2 DT project on pneumatics — how air pressure creates movement. Pupils design and build a simple pneumatic toy using syringes, tubing, and card. Includes design brief, planning sheets, evaluation criteria, and teacher notes.