Zimbabwe Form 1 Design and Technology Syllabus

This syllabus outlines the curriculum for Design and Technology for Form 1 students in Zimbabwe, focusing on practical skills, problem-solving, and creativity. It incorporates STEM principles and design processes to address local challenges and promote cultural and economic well-being.

1. Health and Safety

• Workshop Safety: Covers personal safety, workshop regulations, safe use of tools and basic machines, fire drills, first aid procedures, and waste disposal.
• First Aid: Introduces the contents of a first aid kit and basic first aid administration for common workshop injuries like cuts, burns, and electric shocks.

2. Product Design

• History of Design and Technology: Explores historical developments in design and technology, from indigenous inventions and architecture to the industrial revolution, and relates them to current practices.
• Introduction to the Design Process: Covers the design process cycle, including identifying needs and opportunities, formulating design specifications, generating ideas, developing solutions, realizing the design, testing, evaluating, and compiling design folios.
• Related Learning Areas and Careers: Discusses the relationship between Design and Technology and other learning areas, outlining potential career opportunities.

3. Material Science

• Types of Materials: Introduces various indigenous and modern materials, including plastics, wood, metals, composites, textiles, food, and clay, exploring their physical and working properties and different uses.

4. Systems and Control

• Design and Making: Focuses on designing and making systems, explaining related terms in mechanisms, structures, electronics, and services.
• Electronics: Introduces basic electronic components, circuits, and power sources, emphasizing correct symbols and conventions for circuit diagrams.
• Energy: Explores different energy sources (solar, hydro, wind, batteries, fuels) and related safety precautions. Students design and make a product powered by at least one energy source.

5. Engineering Science

• Engineering Calculations: Covers unit conversions (length, mass, volume) and calculations of material quantities for projects, introducing the concept of a bill of quantities. Also includes basic calculations involving moments of forces.

6. Tools and Equipment

• Classification and Uses of Tools: Introduces the classification and use of basic tools, including measuring and marking out tools, holding and supporting tools, and precision and impelling tools.

7. Manufacturing

• Manufacturing Processes: Introduces various manufacturing processes such as casting, molding, forming, machining, fabrication, spinning, weaving, and shaping.

8. Design Drawings

• Drawing Principles: Covers basic drawing conventions, including types of lines, tone, color, texture, patterns, lettering, freehand sketching, and computer sketching.
• Geometrical Constructions: Introduces the construction of basic geometric shapes like angles, triangles, quadrilaterals, and circles using different drawing tools and equipment.

9. Enterprise Skills

• Environment and Social Responsibility: Emphasizes sustainable material selection and explores different energy sources, covering topics like deforestation, reforestation, and recycling.
• Aesthetics: Focuses on applying appropriate finishes to products and selecting suitable materials for product manufacture, considering the appearance of materials and different finishes.

Assessment

Assessment includes continuous assessment (60%) through timed tests and a design project (50%), and a summative written examination (40%). The design project component spans Forms 1-4, with increasing weighting in later forms. The written examination covers design processes, systems control, material science, engineering science, and design drawing.