Rio and Heaven are making treasure boxes.
Heaven – My treasure box is going to hold my cards because I like playing with them with my friends.
Rio – My treasure box is going to hold my headphones because I like to listen to music on them.
Playing cards and headphones are special to Rio and Heaven, but a treasure box can be made to hold anything.
First they have to make the boxes, and to make the lids of their boxes open and close, they need a hinge.
A hinge allows movement between two linked objects.
Doors, gates and lids all use hinges – they allow them to open and close.
A simple hinge consists of two separate leaves, joined in the centre around a pin.
The knuckles surround the pin and allow the two leaves to move – making a door or lid open and close.
Hinges come in all shapes and sizes.
Some hinges have a more complicated design, and some are more simple.
Rio and Heaven are going to make a simple hinge out of paper.
First you make the inner hinge pin.
Then another roll which will become the knuckles.
Cut a section out of the outer roll and slide it onto the smaller inner roll.
Now make your leaves.
And use glue here and here to stick one leaf to the outer pin and one to the inner pin.
Once that’s dry, you’ll have your hinge.
When attaching the hinge, it’s important to make sure there’s enough space for the lid to open and close properly.
Perfect!
Now all the boxes need is a little personal touch.
Aw those are lovely!
Video summary
This short film for primary schools explains how hinges work and why they are so important for all sorts of different structures used in daily life.
The film shows two children making their own simple hinges for treasure boxes, which is a perfect classroom project.
Teacher Notes
This short film is an ideal introduction to hinges, how they work and how they are used in everyday life.
Pupils could use photographs from home, school or the workplace to identify hinges in different situations, and try to explain why the hinge is important in each case.
Pupils could think about what we could be use to open and close things if we did not have hinges.
Points for discussion:
- What is a hinge?
- How are hinges made?
- What materials are needed to make a hinge?
- How are hinges different in different situations?
- Can you explain why hinges are important?
Suggested activities:
After watching the film, pupils could design their own objects that need hinges, and try to make them in the classroom or at home.
Pupils could be asked to write a set of step-by-step instructions to make a hinge.
Pupils could explore which materials are best for making hinges in different situations.
Suitable for teaching design and technology (D&T) at KS2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 1st and 2nd level in Scotland.
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