Dragons Den Style Inventions Project
by Thomas Grosvenor and Amy Bull
[7 sessions – has been taught in 4 and can be extended]
Session 1: Planning Stage [D&T]
Intro [5-10 mins] – Introduce the children to the concept of Dragon’s Den by displaying video clips from the television show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xvpIakzPIA 2:33 – 4:26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ0_Q39oQQQ 0:25 – 2:02
Tell the children that they are to be inventing their own products to be presented to a special group of Dragon’s [teaching staff in the class] and they will have a budget which will be provided after the preliminary planning has been completed.
Main [20-30 mins] – Put the children into groups of no more than 5 and have them design their product round the theme of “Home use” (things you could use in your home/school to better something).
Sub-Main [5-10 mins] – Once the design has been chosen have the children organise themselves into different jobs to make the product – {Team Leader, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Art Designer, Chief Engineer, Chief Product Pitcher (everyone will be involved but each person “leads” the team in the particular areas and will be responsible for making the final decision along with the Team Leader)}.
Conc [5-10 mins] – Allow the children to share their ideas with each other and state what roles each member is.
Between sessions 1&2 go through the designs created by the children and come up with a suitable budget for all the groups and “prices” for the materials.
Session 2: Financing Materials [Maths]
Intro [10-15 mins] – Provide the children with their budget and the prices for the materials and go through budgeting and methods of gaining extra money as well as potential pitfalls they may come across (including Loan Sharks which will be available by a member of the teaching staff in role). Explain to the children that they will have most likely have to make a prototype before their finished design and they must take this into consideration; quickly go through why people make prototypes and why it’s a good idea to do one.
Main [15-20 mins] – Have the children return to their groups decided upon in the previous session, with the Chief Financial Officer and Team Leader organising the group in the activity. The children must calculate how much of each material they require, making conversions of money and size. Once this is completed have the children compare their “hopeful” price of materials to their budget and if there is discrepancy, have the children alter the plans of their product with the leaders in each area focusing on their area of the project.
Sub-Main [10-15 mins] – Have the children purchase their materials at the “shop” which will be run by members of the teaching staff in the class; the Chief Financial Officer must keep track of what they have bought and the budget they have; in an accountant sort of fashion.
Conc [5-10 mins] – Have the children discuss with each other the problems they faced and how they overcame them. Relate it to real life and discuss why it is important to budget and think things through fully.
Between sessions 2&3 keep the materials in separate labelled piles. In other lessons beginning after session 2 children can “earn” extra money, materials and privileges to aid in their project through means of beyond expected behaviour and going beyond what is asked of them. Also, if children act in an opposite fashion to what is previously stated, money can be taken away as well as materials and other such restrictions can be enforced. Children can purchase items from the “shop” outside of lesson times for their group (Break, Lunch) at certain times, as the “shop” is not always open.
Session 3: Prototype Construction [D&T]
Intro [5-10 mins] – Tell the children they are to be constructing their prototypes for their products and recap on the benefits of making a prototype. Before the children begin the main task, remind them that they have to present a product in the “Den” and therefore need to make sure their prototype is still a high standard as they may not have time to finish their intended final product.
Main [20-30 mins] – Children construct their prototypes in their groups with the Chief Art Designer and Engineer, along with the Team Leader organising the group.
Sub-Main [10-15 mins] – Have the children go round the room with post-it notes leaving words of praise and constructive criticism to inform the group what they like about the product and what they think could make it even better.
Conc [5-10 mins] – Have the children go through the pieces of advice left at their product and decide upon what changes they want to make.
Between sessions 3&4/5 [D&T] keep the prototypes in separate labelled piles. Privileges and restrictions still in place, children can still purchase items from the “shop” outside of lesson times for their group (Break, Lunch) at certain times, as the “shop” is not always open.
Session 4/5: Final Product Construction [D&T]
Intro [5-10 mins] – Give the children time to purchase any further materials they require (they can still purchase materials during the lesson but it will take time away from their construction).
Main [40-50 mins] – Children construct their final products, in their groups with the Chief Art Designer and Engineer, along with the Team Leader organising the group; taking into account the advice they received in session 3.
Session 4/5: Pitching Practise [English]
Intro [5-10 mins] – Have a few children come out occasionally to the front and say passages from a piece of text while the rest follow along. Everyone reads when noone is out the front. Discuss why the activity just took place, focusing on speaking in front of a group of people.
Sub-Main [10-15 mins] – Discuss what is meant by pitching an idea. Go through clips of good pitching and bad pitching. Compare the differences and identify the key features of each. Explain to the children that their pitches must be no longer than 5 minutes long.
Main [20-30 mins] – Have the children work in their groups, the Chief Product Pitcher leading, to create a pitch for their product; with an aim to satisfy the following questions: why should I buy it? what makes it useful? what are the key features of the product? how do I use it?
Conc [10-15 mins] – Allow the children to give mock pitches to different groups, and have the groups give each other feedback.
Between sessions 4/5 [D&T] & 6 keep the final products in separate labelled piles. Privileges and restrictions still in place, children can still purchase items from the “shop” outside of lesson times for their group (Break, Lunch) at certain times, as the “shop” is not always open. If necessary give the children an additional session to work on their projects or if allowed by class teacher give them the option to work on it in their own time.
Session 6: The Final Pitch [English]
Intro [5 mins] – Introduce the children to the panel of “dragon’s” including themselves and explain that their pitches will be recorded for evaluation purposes. Decide on an order of pitches.
Main [20-30 mins] – Have the children pitch their products to the “dragon’s” in the order decided upon.
Conc [10-15 mins] – Have the children decide who should receive what endorsement from which “dragon”.
Between sessions 6&7 make personal evaluations of each group.
Session 7: Evaluation of the Pitches [English]
Intro [5 mins] – Explain to the children that decisions have been made about which group achieved what compared to the criteria set; but the children must now evaluate each others pitches.
Main [30-40 mins] – Go through the groups pitches and have the children evaluate them on whether: their product has met the criteria; they kept within the budget or not; their pitch answered all the criteria set in session 4/5: Pitching Practise [English].
Conc [5-10 mins] – Reveal what team achieved what and give reasoning behind the decisions, award prizes if deemed appropriate