DT ClassroomCommon specialist technical principles
GCSE Design & Technology · Unit 4 · Lesson 6 of 6

Unit challenge: the final engineering decision

Unit 4 · Common specialist technical principles

Optimise a product for strength, sustainability and scale. Bringing forces, functionality, footprint, the six Rs and scale together, with a 9-mark evaluate question and model answer. Click-by-click builds, answer reveals, and teacher notes and answers on every slide.

Open the interactive 3D lessonSample: teacher notes

What this lesson covers

Bringing forces, functionality, footprint, the six Rs and scale together, with a 9-mark evaluate question and model answer. Click-by-click builds, answer reveals, and teacher notes and answers on every slide.

60-minute lesson, 18 slides. Part of DT Classroom’s GCSE Design and Technology course, taught through an interactive 3D lab rather than static slides alone.

Practise and extend

Also available for this lesson from the teacher resources: lesson slides, knowledge organiser, worksheet.

Exam board coverage

Where this lesson sits in each GCSE Design and Technology specification, as an indicative mapping by DT Classroom (not endorsed by any board - check the current specification before relying on it).

BoardSpecification reference
AQA3.2 Specialist technical principles (overview)
Edexcel2.3 Metals: Factors influencing material selection
3.3 Papers and boards: Factors influencing material selection
4.3 Polymers: Factors influencing material selection
5.3 Systems: Factors influencing material selection
6.3 Textiles: Factors influencing material selection
7.3 Timbers: Factors influencing material selection
2.4 Metals: Forces and stresses; reinforcement and stiffening
3.4 Papers and boards: Forces and stresses; reinforcement and stiffening
4.4 Polymers: Forces and stresses; reinforcement and stiffening
5.4 Systems: Forces and stresses; reinforcement and stiffening
6.4 Textiles: Forces and stresses; reinforcement and stiffening
7.4 Timbers: Forces and stresses; reinforcement and stiffening
OCR5.2 Factors in selecting materials and system components
8.1 Cost and availability of materials and components
WJEC EduqasTP5 Materials

See the full specification map for every lesson and every board.

Other lessons in Common specialist technical principles

DT Classroom is a GCSE Design and Technology course: interactive 3D lessons, teacher slide decks, worksheets and exam practice, built for pupils and teachers. Exam board references above are DT Classroom’s own indicative mapping, not provided or endorsed by AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC Eduqas.