Making Mini Greenhouses

Turn your children into aspiring engineers and architects with this fun DT scheme of work for Y3/4!

Children will find out the purpose of a greenhouse and how it works, before moving on to exploring how structures like these can be made stable, and what materials would be the most appropriate to use. Children then apply this knowledge and understanding when designing, making and evaluating their very own mini greenhouse!

You may also like our Plants Topic Bundle – four ready-to-teach schemes of work covering Science, Art, DT and Geography. 

Explore Existing Greenhouses

What is a greenhouse? This is the question your children will be discovering the answer to in this lesson. They discover the purpose of a greenhouse, and how it can help plants to grow. In their independent activity they demonstrate their understanding of this by labelling diagrams, answering questions and writing explanations. In the alternative activity, children work in pairs to look at and discuss a range of different types of greenhouses.

View Lesson 1

Stability

What does stability mean? Children first explore some of the factors that make a structure stable, and then apply this knowledge and understanding to greenhouses. In their independent activities, children investigate the best frame size and shape for a stable structure that also lets in the maximum amount of sunlight. In the FSD? activity, children focus on how they could improve the stability of a structure by using other materials as extra support.

View Lesson 2

Materials

Children begin the lesson by debating the effectiveness of a mini greenhouse in comparison to a full-size greenhouse. They then share ideas for which materials they think might be suitable for the frame and the sections within the frame of a mini greenhouse. In their independent activities, children further explore and compare a range of suitable materials. In the FSD? activity, children explore how they could use recycled materials to make a mini greenhouse.

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Designing a Mini Greenhouse

To begin this lesson, children are split into groups and given discussion cards which encourage them to share opinions and generate ideas about the best designs for a mini greenhouse. They then use what they have discussed to design and plan their mini greenhouse, according to given criteria. In the FSD? activity, children choose a client who has specific requests to design a mini greenhouse for, using as many recyclable/recycled materials as possible.

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Constructing a Mini Greenhouse

In this lesson, children make their mini greenhouses according to their plans and design criteria. They are encouraged to be organised and think carefully about each step in the making process. Children are reminded that, if necessary, they can make changes to their design to improve the overall finished product.

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Evaluating a Mini Greenhouse

In this final lesson, children discuss the importance of evaluating a finished product, and as a class generate possible suitable questions for analysing their work. In their independent activities, children evaluate their own completed mini greenhouse. In the alternative activity, children are given the opportunity to explore, discuss and evaluate different aspects of each other’s designs as a whole class.

View Lesson 6