Design and make a charity box that counts down the days of Ramadan

This fun STEM teaching resource focuses on designing and making a charity box that counts down the days of Ramadan while nurturing an understanding of this religious festival.

In 2024 Ramadan starts on Sunday 10 March and ends on Monday 8 April. It is estimated that globally 1.6 billion Muslims will take part in Ramadan and will fast from sunrise to sunset for one lunar month.

In this lesson activity learners will make a charity box in the classroom that includes a feature to count down the days of the lunar cycle and can incorporate their own designs onto its external appearance.

We’ve created this teaching resource to support the delivery of key topics within design & technology, religious studies and art. This resource focuses on making a charity box that counts down the days in Ramadan, including some external design aspects.

This could be used as a one-off lesson activity to develop making and designing skills or an understanding of Ramadan. Alternatively, it could be used as a part of a wider scheme of work to develop making skills for graphic products in design & technology.

Activity: Design and make a charity box for Ramadan

Learners will look at what Ramadan is, what happens during Ramadan and the importance of charity to Muslims. They will make a charity box that includes a feature to count down the days of the lunar cycle and can incorporate their own designs onto its external appearance.

Tools/supplies needed:

• Paper and card (optional: paper plates)
• Drawing implement: colouring pencils or pens, pencils and rulers
• Scissors
• Glue sticks
• Split pins
• Optional: decorations such as sequins, glitter, etc.

Follow our step-by-step guide on how to design and make a charity box

Learners will design and make a charity box for Ramadan that includes a feature to count down the days of the lunar cycle either by using the template provided or using an existing box, e.g. a cereal box

1. Cutting out the template
   1. If learners decide to use the template provided to create their charity collection box  they must first draw round the template on a piece of card. Cut out the lines around the outside.
   2. Cut out the slot for the coin.
   3. Assemble the box by folding along the lines and gluing the tabs.
   4. Decorate their charity box.
   5. Attach the countdown to their box using glue, tape or a split pin
2. Using an existing box
   1. Decide where you are going to cut a coin slot and carefully cut this out. The coin slot should be on the top of your box so money does not fall out.
   2. Glue down any parts that need gluing.
   3. Cover your box with white paper using glue.
   4. Decorate your charity box.
   5. Attach the countdown (plates) to your box, using glue, tape or a split pin.

The Engineering Context

All designers and engineers need to be able to produce ideas related to certain themes and follow a design brief. This ensures that the products they design will meet the needs of the end users, customers or clients.

Suggested learning outcomes

It is important for learners to understand all types of religious festivals as part of their religious education. This resource combines religious education with art and design and technology with the aim that the learners will be able to generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion and annotated sketches, and to use a range of materials creatively to design and make this product.

Specifically, children will understand the main considerations and features for designing a charity box for Ramadan and be able to make this box considering the key features required, inclusion of the lunar countdown and how aesthetically pleasing it will be to the customer. 

Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources

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.

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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