Sliders and levers
Simple sliders and levers can be used to create movement in a picture. These types of mechanism are used to greatly increase how engaging a picture is in a card or a book.
This could be used in Key Stage 1 as a stand-alone activity or as an introduction to a design and make project, such as:
- A greetings card - for example a Christmas card where Santa’s sleigh moves across the sky.
- A story detailing a journey – for example, inspired by a book they are reading (such as ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’); alternatively, this could be a fictional journey of their own devising. The development of the book could be carried out as a class activity where each table or group of pupils works together to produce one or two pages, contributing to the book produced by the full class. This could also be linked to a story-writing activity in literacy.
- A moving display, for example charting the different activities carried out during a day, where the slider or lever indicates the changing time.
Activity info, teachers' notes and curriculum links
In this activity, pupils will make models of a simple slider and a lever from card.
The activity sheet includes teachers' notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
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All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students' and your schools' needs.