If this is your first "Teachers Corner" you have read then you will be surprised to find out that the fruit bowl was made to try and promote thinking in our pupils again.

At keystage 3 I would point out to the pupils that the fruit bowl bears a very close resemblance to the saddle of the rocking dog and whats more the two saddles on the seesaw seem also to have a similar origin. It is the use and reuse of common parts in industry that helps to cut costs. From my point of view I got two extra projects after the rocking dog with only the work required to make the new parts.

At Keystage 4 and AS. I would use the points I made for keystage 3 and then launch a whole class project where they develop a new child's construction system. I would show them the classics: Meccano, Lego, K'nex and building blocks. Asking them to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of each system to then go on and design a replacement for tomorrow's child. This should invite a very interesting debate what does tommorow's child want. Should they be made to play with Meccano, I know some engineers that think it should be compulsory teaching, in all fairness these are the employers I meet who currently get young applicants that in their words are "useless with zero skills". It is very hard to justify our subject when it has a very tenuous links to real careers if you look back we used to teach so much more depth.