CAM-OPERATED TOYS

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Year 5 of the Design and Technology National Curriculum has a unit on ‘Moving Toys’ in which children are to learn about controlling movement with a cam mechanism as part of a simple toy. Teachers have asked our help with this and the workshop offers one way forward. The session starts by demonstrating a cam-operated toy and asking the children to describe how it works. A computer simulation is then used to demonstrate the effect of different cam shapes. The children then make their own toys from cardboard which they can keep. The workshop is held in a classroom.