1. Pop-up Cards A stand-alone unit of work for Design Technology
incorporating French.
Rebecca Parkes,
Rendlesham Community Primary School

2. Introduction
The Design Technology for the term was a paper and card mechanisms unit: making a pop-up card. This nicely fits with activities for Christmas. As our aim was to take an existing theme and show the potential for language teaching within it, it seemed the perfect choice to incorporate French.

3. Objectives: DT French To look at a range of different pop-ups.
To understand how pop-up mechanisms work.
To practise making a range of pop-up mechanisms.
To learn and practise the skills of measuring, scoring and folding.
To design a Christmas card using 2 or more mechanisms.
To make a pop-up Christmas card.
French
To learn the names of classroom equipment.
To become familiar and confident with using the names of classroom equipment.
To learn common phrases for classroom instructions.
To become familiar and confident with using the phrases for classroom instructions.

4. Resources A range of pop-up books showing different mechanisms
How to make your own pop-ups: Barbara Valenta (out of print)
Rulers
Scissors
Pencils
Glue
Colouring pencils/pens
Paper – white and coloured
Card – white and coloured
Any available collage materials - for example shiny paper, pipe cleaners, sequins, etc.

5. Lesson sequence
Look at a range of pop-up books and try to discover how they work.
Try 5 or so types over a series of lessons, for example mouth fold, surprise fold, step fold. As folds are shown, introduce the target vocabulary eg – pliez, coupez, faîtes un demi.
Children try out their own rough practices at different folds, practising the language covered, eg – passe moi les ciseaux s’il te plaît, puis j’avoir un crayon, etc.

6. Pop-up practice examples

7. Lesson sequence (cont)
Using card, practise scoring and cutting. Introduce and use the vocabulary marquez, mesurez.
Design final card incorporating at least two of the mechanisms taught and make a paper ‘mock up’ of the design.
Make final card.

8. Scoring practice, paper mock-up
Each child practised measuring, scoring, folding and cutting on thick card before starting their final design.
Examples of final designs, showing the mechanisms to be used.

9. Outcome