1. Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
Build a Rain Gauge
Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
Name___________
Date ___________

2. Designing & Evaluating
Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
Designing & Evaluating
Name_______________ Date________________
Level 1
Evaluate the process and product, identifying where improvements have been made.
Clarify ideas using words, labelled sketches and models.
Level 2
Designs show how the product will function.
Communicate a range of ideas using words, labelled sketches and models.
Reflect on the development of design ideas.
Identify what is working well and what could be improved.
Level 3
Clarify the ideas using discussion, drawing and modelling.
Use analysis of products in the development of own products.
Test Product.
Evaluate it in the situation it has to function.
Evaluate use made of information
Level 4
Use models and drawings to explore and test designs.
Discuss ideas with user and develop detailed criteria.
Use research results in final proposals.
Evaluate the effectiveness of research.
Evaluate product in use and identify the improvements necessary.
Level 5
Use research to develop ideas.
Communicate ideas using a variety of media.
Explore other peoples needs to develop realistic designs.
Select evaluation techniques to show performance of product in use.
Suggest some modifications to improve performance.
Provide explanations that clearly state why changes were necessary.
Targets
I think I did particularly well on
I need to improve on

3. Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
My target level is
Introduction
In this project you will have the opportunity to design and make a prototype Rain Gauge. Before starting you will need to think about how a Rain Gauge works. The current Met Office rain gauges are the Munro R102 and the standard 5 inch check gauge.
This design guide will help you through your design process. Sketch, draw, write down in a neat fashion ideas and thoughts as you work though this guide. You will need these notes to help you produce your final design presentation.
Analysis
Limitations – What might
hold me back?
Resources – what can I
use to make the rain gauge.
Materials Available
Situation: Measuring the amount of rain accurately is not easy!
Must be stable.
What unit is used for rain fall?
Will it be a manual gauge or record rainfall automatically?
Where will the water go?
Think about the location of the rain gauge in a typical garden. How will its location effect any rain falling into/on to it?
Think about wildlife, could they be a problem?
It will need to recorded very small amount of rain, how?
Is it easy to see or work out the rain fall?
Will it need a power source? How long will it last?
Any electrical circuit will need to be kept dry / waterproof, how?
How will you know if your screens design is effective?
Is your design effective?
Name_______________ Date________________

4. Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
Enter your picture/s here
Enter your picture/s here
Enter your picture/s here
Enter your picture/s here
Cut out from a unwanted catalogue, print out from internet or simply sketch examples of rain gauges
Label good and bad features and label materials used to make the rain gauge
Name_______________ Date________________

5. SPECIFICATION Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project 1 2 3 4
Before starting to design it is a good idea to list down all the requirements for the rain gauge and explain the reasons for each requirement. This is known as a specification, we have started for you. Think of some more, include who will be the user of the screen.
Marking:
Tick the box only if you have satisfied that need
Marked by:
You
Peer
Trainer
What you have to do:
Have you written down a list of the requirements that the design must satisfy?
Does the list include at least five different types of requirement? For example: what it looks like, the needs of the person using it, cost, safety, size, how it will work, materials available and tools required.
Have you taken users' views into account? Does the list include the things that limit what can be made?
Can you show that the list considers the needs of the people who will use the product?
Have you explained why each is important?
Are the features of similar products mentioned in the specification
Does the explanation say how similar products look and work, and what this means for the product?
Effort grade awarded:
NEEDS OR REQUIREMENTS
REASON 1
Stable, must not fall over. 2
Robust for a garden environment. 3
Accurate for small amounts of rain. 4
Robust for a family garden 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1
SPECIFICATION 2 3 4
Your specification would be Even Better If....
Name_______________ Date________________

6. INITIAL IDEA 1 Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
TASK . Spend this lesson drawing your first initial design idea for a rain gauge. Label the materials and features of the design. Then evaluate your idea by writing about its good points and bad points. Look at the specification from last lesson—does it meet the specification you set?
Vanishing Point
Evaluation of Idea 1
Good Points
Bad Points
INITIAL IDEA 1
Name_______________ Date________________

7. INITIAL IDEA 2 Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
TASK . Spend this lesson drawing your second initial design idea for a rain gauge. Label the materials and features of the design. Then evaluate your idea by writing about its good points and bad points. Look at the specification from last lesson—does it meet the specification you set?
Vanishing Point
Evaluation of Idea 2
Good Points
Bad Points
INITIAL IDEA 2
Name_______________ Date________________

8. INITIAL IDEA 3 Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
TASK . Spend this lesson drawing your third initial design idea for a rain gauge. Label the materials and features of the design. Then evaluate your idea by writing about its good points and bad points. Look at the specification from last lesson—does it meet the specification you set?
I have decided to develop design number
Because ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Vanishing Point
Marking:
Tick the box only if you have satisfied that need. The overall level achieved must have all of the boxes above ir in that column ticked
Marked by:
You
Peer
Trainer
What you have to do:
Have you sketched three or more ideas?
Are there labels on every sketch?
Are there at least three clearly different ideas?
Have you shown that you take into consideration the specification in your ideas?
Have you labelled what is different between each idea?
Have you written about which idea is best and explained why?
Have you included comments about what users think of your ideas?
Level Achieved:
INITIAL IDEA 3
Evaluation of Idea 3
Good Points
Bad Points
Teacher Comment – to improve, you should....
Name_______________ Date________________

9. Planning Making Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project Start
TASK . Spend this homework completing a flowchart of the stages of construction of the rain gauge? Describe each stage giving as much detail as possible about the tools, materials and quality points at each stage.
Start
Planning Making
Finish
Name_______________ Date________________

10. ORTHOGRAPHIC DRAWING Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
TASK . Draw out your chosen idea in Orthographic (Full Technical Drawing) to scale and label the materials. The objective of this lesson is for you to practice this skill and to be able to draw to an accuracy of 1 mm or less.
ORTHOGRAPHIC DRAWING
Name_______________ Date________________

11. BUILD IT! Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
TASK . Write step by step construction notes, that will help you build the screen. Include diagrams if necessary.
Name_______________ Date________________
Construction Notes:
BUILD IT!

12. BUILD IT! Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
TASK . Build your screen, write down any issues, design tweeks, additional construction diagrams or instruction that would have helped in the construction
Name_______________ Date________________
Issue during build / design tweeks.
BUILD IT!

13. TESTING – Long Term Evaluation
Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
TASK . Think how you are going to make sure your design is working correctly? How are you going to test it? Which of your requirements of the design are you going to test. Describe a testing / calibration procedure to prove your design.
Testing Your Design
TESTING – Long Term Evaluation
Name_______________ Date________________

14. TESTING – Long Term Evaluation
Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
TASK . Test your design and write up your results and any conclusions you can draw from them.
Test Results:
TESTING – Long Term Evaluation
Name_______________ Date________________

15. EVALUATION Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project 1 2 3 4
Evaluation question
Further Explanation and detail.
What went well with the design and build
What didn't go well with the design and build
If you could design it again, how would you do it differently?
What did the test of the rain gauge show?
Marking:
Tick the box only if you have satisfied that need. The overall level achieved must have all of the boxes above it in that column ticked
Marked by:
You
Peer
Trainer
What is needed:
You can write about what went well, what didn't go well and what needs improving.
Have you listed some of the steps in making the rain gauge that gave good quality results?
Have you listed the features of the product that are successful? Note: look back at your specification and include points from your specification, e.g. what the product looks like as well as how it is used.
Have you listed at least four improvements that could be made to the making process or the final product?
Did you test the product in use?
Have you explained how well you used the information from your research?
Have you explained how you tested the rain gauge in use?
Have you listed at least two improvements that could be made in the product from testing?
Have you identified what extra information at the research phase would have helped you to design a better product?
Effort grade awarded: 1
EVALUATION 2 3 4
Your evaluation would be Even Better If
Name_______________ Date________________

16. Photo or sketch of completed product:
Design and Technology – Rain Gauge Project
Evaluation:
Describe in detail exactly what you designed as your chosen idea. A good way of doing this is to imagine that you were explaining your idea over the telephone.
What went well in making your Rain Gauge?
What didn't go well?
Now explain how your testing showed what could have been improved.
Photo or sketch of completed product:
Marking:
Tick the box only if you have satisfied that need. The overall level achieved must have all of the boxes above it in that column ticked
Marked by:
You
Peer
Trainer
What is needed:
Have you described or sketched the design that you planned to make?
Have you described or sketched what you actually made?
Have you explained any differences between the design and final product?
Have you listed the steps of the making process that were easy to use or gave a good quality result?
Have you listed the features of the product that are working well?
Note: This can include what the product looks like as well as how it is used.
Have you listed at least four improvements that could be made to the making process or final product?
Have you explained how the way you tested the product compares to how it will be used?
Have you reviewed how well you used the information from your research?
Effort grade awarded: 2
End of Project Checklist
Checked by
Situation, brief and analysis sheet completed
Research into existing rain gauges
Research powerpoint presentation into components of rain gauges
Specification on all important points for rain gauges
At least 3 initial ideas drawn out and evaluated
Chosen idea drawn out in perspective, clearly labelled and colour shaded
Orthographic drawing (full size) of chosen idea
Production plan on how to make the rain gauge
Testing carried out and documented.
End of Project Evaluation 3 4
Teacher comment – to improve, you should
Name_______________ Date________________