Design a bookend
With our design and technology KS2 lesson plan teaching resource, learners will design and make a bookend to encourage the safe storage of books.
Inspired by World Book Day and supporting the development of literacy by designing and making a bookend to assist in the storage of books. The bookend will be decorated to inspire and encourage reading of the books being stored.
In this classroom activity learners will make a card model of their bookend design and then produce a finished bookend from wood and card.
After making their model they will mark out and cut their wood pieces to size. They will then join them together to form their bookend. Finally, they will decorate their bookend with a book theme and test their design.
This teaching resource activity could be used as a main lesson activity to support learners’ engagement in literacy. It could also be used as part of a wider scheme of learning focussing on designing and making skills within design and technology.
We’ve created this teaching resource design activity to support the delivery of key topics within design & technology (D&T) and engineering.
Activity: Designing and making a bookend for World Book Day
Learners will be design, make and test their bookend, taking into account the design brief, availability of materials, safety and product suitability.
Tools/supplies needed:
Resources required:
- Some timber (wood)
- A tri-square
- A pencil
- A saw
- Some sandpaper
- Wood glue
- Damp sponge
- Some clamps
- Card
- Scissors
- Coloured pens
Follow our step-by-step guide on how to design and make a bookend
Learners will work individually or in small groups to design and make a bookend using wood and decorations.
- Design the bookend
- Mark out the wood
- Saw the wood
- Sand the bookend
- Make the joint
- Decorate the bookend
- Test your bookend
The Engineering Context
Engineers must have a working knowledge of different materials, such as timber and timber based materials, and how they are used to make products.
Engineers must be able to use tools and equipment to make products using marking out, assembly, joining and finishing techniques.
Suggested learning outcomes
This resource combines design and technology with English with the aim that the learners will understand the purpose and uses of bookends, be able to design and make a bookend for World Book Day from timber-based materials, and be able to mark out, measure and join timber-based materials.
Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources
All classroom activity sheets and supporting teaching resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs.
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.
You can download our step-by-step instructions below as either a classroom lesson plan or PowerPoint presentation.
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