Basic 8 · Career Technology · Term Project
Term Project in Career Technology
In this topic you will apply the term's learning through a practical project that uses tools, materials, safety practices and design skills, and then present and evaluate your project.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Plan a practical project using the design process
- Carry out the project safely using correct tools, materials and measurements
- Present and evaluate the finished project
What you already know
- All topics covered in Career Technology this term
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- Health and Safety
- Sub-strand
- Term Project
Introduction
A project lets you use everything you have learned in one real task. You will plan, make and evaluate a useful product while practising safety and hygiene.
1. Project Options
| Option | Skills used |
|---|---|
| a balanced snack or meal for the class | food hygiene, nutrition, measuring ingredients |
| a first aid kit for the classroom | first aid knowledge, labelling, organising |
| an apron or tote bag | body or article measurements, marking out, sewing |
| a waste-sorting bin set | waste management, measuring, marking out, decorating |
| a reflective safety armband | smart and modern materials, measuring, sewing |
2. Planning the Project
- Choose a project and identify the need it meets.
- Write a design brief: purpose, user and requirements.
- Sketch ideas and select the best one.
- List materials, tools and quantities with measurements.
- Identify hazards and plan safety measures.
- Make a timetable for each stage.
3. Carrying Out the Project
Work through each stage carefully. Measure twice and mark once. Wear the correct PPE and follow hygiene rules, especially when handling food. Keep the work area tidy and return tools after use. Record each step in your practical book with notes and sketches, and solve problems by testing alternatives.
4. Working in Groups
If you work in a group, share tasks according to members' strengths: one person measures and marks out, another cuts or cooks, another records progress. Meet regularly to check progress against the timetable and support members who need help.
5. Costing
Cost a project
A learner makes an apron using 1 m of fabric at GH₵25 per metre, thread at GH₵3 and tape at GH₵5. What is the total cost?
- Fabric: 1 × 25 = GH₵25.
- Thread: GH₵3; tape: GH₵5.
- Total: 25 + 3 + 5 = GH₵33.
Answer: GH₵33
6. Safety During the Project
Before starting, list the hazards of your project and how you will control them. For a sewing project, hazards include needles and scissors, controlled by using a pin cushion and cutting away from the body. For a food project, hazards include hot pans and germs, controlled by using oven gloves and following food hygiene rules. Planning for safety prevents accidents.
New words
- project
- A planned piece of practical work.
- design brief
- A statement of a product's purpose and requirements.
- costing
- Working out the total cost of materials.
- hazard
- Anything that can cause harm.
Summary
- Choose a project that uses the term's skills and meets a real need.
- Plan with a brief, sketches, materials list, safety measures and a timetable.
- Work safely and accurately, record progress and calculate costs.
Class activity: Project Work
- Choose a project and write a design brief.
- List materials with measurements and costs.
- Begin making your project safely.
You need: Safety goggles, Tape measure, Kente fabric offcut
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. A statement of a product's purpose is a…
- A. design brief
- B. menu
- C. recipe only
- D. label
Show answer
Answer: design briefPlan.2. Working out the total cost of materials is…
- A. costing
- B. marking out
- C. measuring
- D. evaluating
Show answer
Answer: costingBudget.3. PPE should be worn during practical work.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueSafety.4. Anything that can cause harm is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: hazardDanger.5. List four steps in planning a practical project.
Show answer
Answer: Identify the need, write a brief, sketch ideas, list materials and safety measures (or timetable).Any four.6. Calculate the cost of 2 m of fabric at GH₵30 per metre plus GH₵8 for accessories.
Show answer
Answer: GH₵6860 + 8.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- Health and Safety
- Sub-strand
- Term Project
Introduction
The final step is to show your finished product, explain how you made it and judge how well it meets its purpose.
1. Presenting the Project
- Display the finished product neatly.
- State its name, purpose and user.
- Explain the materials, tools and measurements used.
- Describe the safety and hygiene practices you followed.
- Show your practical record and costing.
2. Evaluating the Project
| Criterion | Questions |
|---|---|
| purpose | Does it meet the need in the design brief? |
| quality | Is it well made, neat and accurate? |
| safety and hygiene | Were safety and hygiene rules followed? |
| use of materials | Were materials used carefully without waste? |
| cost | Is the cost reasonable? |
| improvement | What would you do differently next time? |
3. Peer Evaluation
Classmates also evaluate each project, giving one strength and one suggestion. Feedback should be honest, specific and polite, for example: "The stitching is neat, but the pocket is a little small." Listen to feedback with an open mind and note ideas for improvement.
4. From Project to Enterprise
Many projects can become small businesses. An apron, a tote bag or a healthy snack could be made and sold at school fairs. To succeed, a young entrepreneur must keep quality high, control costs, price products sensibly and serve customers well. Career Technology skills can therefore lead to self-employment and income.
5. Learning from the Project
Every project teaches lessons beyond the product itself. You learn to plan, manage time, solve problems, work with others and take responsibility for quality and safety. Write down the most important lesson you learned and one skill you want to develop further next term. These reflections help you grow as a learner and future professional.
6. Celebrating and Sharing
Invite parents and other classes to see the finished projects. Products such as first aid kits or waste-sorting bins can be donated to the school for everyone to use. Sharing your work shows how Career Technology skills benefit the whole community.
New words
- evaluate
- To judge how well something meets its purpose.
- peer evaluation
- Judgement of work by classmates.
- entrepreneur
- A person who starts a business.
- quality
- How well something is made.
Summary
- Present the product by explaining its purpose, materials, tools, measurements, safety and costs.
- Evaluate against criteria such as purpose, quality, safety, materials and cost.
- Peer feedback helps improvement, and projects can grow into small enterprises.
Class activity: Project Exhibition
- Display and present your project.
- Evaluate two classmates' projects.
- Write a self-evaluation with one improvement for the future.
You need: Safety goggles, Tape measure, Kente fabric offcut
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Judgement of work by classmates is…
- A. peer evaluation
- B. self-evaluation
- C. costing
- D. marking out
Show answer
Answer: peer evaluationClassmates.2. Which question checks purpose?
- A. Does it meet the need in the brief?
- B. Is it cheap?
- C. Is it red?
- D. Is it heavy?
Show answer
Answer: Does it meet the need in the brief?Purpose.3. Projects can become small businesses.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueEnterprise.4. A person who starts a business is an ______.
Show answer
Answer: entrepreneurBusiness owner.5. State four criteria for evaluating a project.
Show answer
Answer: Purpose, quality, safety, cost (or use of materials, improvement).Any four.6. Explain how a learner could turn a project into a small business.
Show answer
Answer: Make quality products, keep costs low, set a fair price and sell to customers at fairs or in the community.Enterprise.
Homework
- Write a reflection of about 150 words on what you learned from the term project.