Teach-Primary-Issue-19.4

WEEK 1 Learning objective What do guitars look like and how are they constructed? Written by Kim Tomsic and illustrated by Brett Helquist, Les Paul Guitar Genius is a prime example of how a book can build knowledge of a key figure in history while simultaneously providing the stimulus to develop skills; in this case, the construction of a guitar. For inspiration, begin by reading the book with the children (you can get a copy online for about £5). Look at the pages showing the construction of a guitar. Explain that the guitar consists M E D I U M T E R M P L A N KS2 D&T Download your FREE accompanying PowerPoint at tinyurl.com/tp-GuitarDesign DOWNLOAD RESOURCES AT O ne of the best classroom experiences is when every child is buzzing with excitement, totally engaged in their task. For me, it’s usually when they are absorbed in a creative project. Amemorable example of this is guitar design; it is an utter joy to teach. The following plan will help children learn how to design and construct a small-scale guitar. Focusing first on research, they will explore designs from the past and present, learning the features of a guitar and the process of construction, before creating their own using a range of techniques andmaterials. I’ve found that given sufficient time kids get really invested, and the detail can be incredible! I’ve described six lessons, but it is a project well worth getting your teeth into.We often use the majority of a termand at least 12 hours of teaching time in total. of the body and neck (including the fingerboard and the headstock), with added details to help to create the sound, including the bridge, frets and tuners. If possible, allow children to explore a real guitar (we use our class set of ukuleles to help with understanding) and identify the body, neck and the other features. Next, watch a YouTube clip showing the construction of an acoustic guitar (like this one: tinyurl.com/tp- GuitarBuildVid ). This is purely to help children understand the process and care needed during the construction, and how individual components are connected together. Talk through the clip, pausing to ask children to identify parts of the guitar as it is being made. Discuss how the sound of a guitar is created – this may link to prior or current learning in science. What kinds of materials could we use to make a guitar structurally sound? Would we need different materials for the different parts of the guitar? Why? Explain that the children will be designing and constructing a smaller scale version of a guitar, and that they will use cardboard instead of wood. Ask pupils what they think we could use to fix the pieces of card together. Is there anything that could be used to further strengthen the guitar and provide a surface to paint on effectively? Have they used any techniques in previous learning? There is the opportunity here to try out different techniques and resources to fix small pieces of card together, to strengthen the model and to get the best paint effect. Once pupils have shared their ideas, you can explain that papier-mâché could be used to further strengthen the guitar. Finally, use the template in the downloadable PowerPoint linked on the left ( slide 5 ) to label a guitar, and in preparation for next week’s lesson, ask the children to think about a theme for their guitar design. Assessment Can pupils understand the construction process of an acoustic guitar? Can children think of materials that could be used to construct a model guitar? Can pupils use new terminology to describe and label the features of a guitar? GUITAR HEROES KS2 design and technology plan Making guitars Developed by Karl Duke Project: Guitar Design Initial Design Sheet Designer: Date: Developed by Karl Duke Project: Guitar Design Guitar Features Designer: Date: fret body tuners sound hole headstock rosette fretboard or fingerboard bridge bridge pins saddle neck Label the features of the guitar by drawing a line to match each feature to its place on the guitar. One has been done for you. Developed by Karl Duke guitar name side panel Project: Guitar Design Designer: Name of Instrument: Date: The materials I will need:: What challenges could I face? How will I overcome them? pickguard The steps I will take to create the guitar: : Developed by Karl Duke KARL DUKE 22 | www.teachwire.net