Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 18/01/2026
Subject: Design and Technology
Lesson Topic: How technology-based systems are used by designers, manufacturers, retailers and consumers.
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe how designers use CAD, PLM, and VR/AR to develop product concepts.
  • Explain how manufacturers integrate CAM, IIoT, and ERP for efficient production.
  • Analyse the role of RFID, POS, and e‑commerce platforms in retail supply‑chain visibility.
  • Evaluate how consumer apps and smart devices provide feedback for product improvement.
  • Apply the total cost of ownership formula to assess the economic impact of adopting a technology system.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • Laptop computers with CAD/PLM demo software (e.g., Fusion 360)
  • Sample RFID tags and scanner
  • Printed case‑study handout
  • Worksheets for TCO calculations
  • Internet access for e‑commerce demonstration
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick video showing a smart thermostat adjusting itself, prompting students to consider how technology connects designers to end‑users. Review prior knowledge of product life‑cycle stages and introduce today’s success criteria: identify key technology systems, trace data flow, and evaluate economic impact.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – Students list everyday technologies and share examples.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Overview of designer, manufacturer, retailer, and consumer systems with slide deck.
  3. Interactive demo (15’) – Split class; one group explores CAD/PLM on laptops, another examines RFID scanner and POS simulation.
  4. Case‑study analysis (10’) – In pairs, read handout and map data flow using the provided diagram; discuss TCO calculation.
  5. Guided practice (10’) – Complete worksheet calculating TCO for a chosen technology (e.g., CAM).
  6. Whole‑class debrief (5’) – Share findings and clarify misconceptions.
Conclusion:
Summarise how technology‑based systems create a continuous feedback loop from consumer back to designer. Students complete an exit ticket by writing one way they could improve a product using a digital tool. For homework, research a recent IoT innovation and prepare a brief summary for the next lesson.