Glossary

This glossary is based on the terms you will find in the National Curriculum Orders for Design & Technology or Information Technology in the Nuffield Primary D&T materials or in a range of other currently available texts / catalogues / websites.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ

sand paper

the common (but strictly incorrect) term for an abrasive paper used to smooth the rough edges of freshly sawn wood

sanding block

a piece of cork or wood or plastic wrapped round with sandpaper. It is often easier for young children to work with a sanding block than with a piece of sandpaper when they are smoothing a flat surface

scissors

a hand tool that is used to cut paper, thin card and fabric

sensor

a component that can detect changes in its surroundings e.g. a light sensor can detect changes in brightness, a heat sensor can detect changes in temperature. Sensors are often connected to computers in order to capture data about a particular environment.

shaft

see axle

sheet material

material in a form where the length and width are much greater than the thickness e.g. paper, card, fabric, corrugated plastic

shell structure

a structure composed of sheet material that encloses a space

situation

a place, with its surroundings e.g. a house in a fine situation or a set of circumstances e.g. a difficult situation

sliding fit

a fit that will allow two parts so fitted together to move independently. You can use a sliding fit to join a wheel to an axle so that as the wheel turns the axle does not. In this case you will have to find a way to prevent the wheel from sliding completely off the axle.

small task

a focused practical task in a Nuffield activity developing knowledge and skills which will be needed for the subsequent big task

star chart

a visual representation of the attributes of a food product. It consists of several axes each representing a particular attribute that can be given a score. Joining the score points often creates a shape like a star, hence the name.

stiffness

that property of a material concerned with how difficult it is to bend. A stiff material is difficult to stretch or bend

stimulus materials

anything which helps to set the context for a task - includes stories, collections, broadcast materials etc.

strength

that property of a material concerned with how difficult it is to break. A strong material requires a large force to break it.

structure

an assembly of parts that supports a load and/or encloses a space. See framework and shell structure.

supervision

the use of some tools or processes should always be supervised by an adult.

survey

a broad investigation into a situation or environment. It can involve definite measurements as in a survey of the school grounds or elicit opinions in a survey to find out who thinks solar power is a good thing. Surveys of opinion rely on information from questionnaires.