INVESTIGATE

__**INVESTIGATE**__ This is the stage where you must take a very close look at the problem.

You must first read through the instructions for the whole unit. Then INVESTIGATION Identify the Problem (figure out ) what the problem is that you are required to solve is. The unit question Might be "How do I get to school" The problem Might be "I need a method of transport to get to school every day"

Expalin the Problem explain what the problem is in your own words. This is often a lot more than just the unit question.

To explain the problem, you may say

"I live far away from school and my parents cannot drive me to school every morning. If I travel by road, It is very far since the closest bridge is 4 miles away. So I must cross a river then travel 1 mile by road. So I need to design a method of transport which I can use to cross a river and travel by road."

Research and Analysis Your analysis of the information might be as follows: I have found out that hover-crafts can travel over land and water but they are too expensive to solve my problem. They also require a special license to operate them in towns. I have found out that the river I have to cross has a slow moving current, but it is also very deep so I need something that will help me float over the water. I have found out that for something to float on water, it must be less dense than water.
 * Research (search for) information about the problem from a number of different sources. Do remember to make a note of where you got each picture, idea and information from.
 * __**Analyse**__ all the information (summarise what all the information is basically saying about the problem). Remember that just because information is on the internet does not mean that it is true.

Design Brief This is your response to the problem. Basically what you are going to do about the problem. a design brief may be something like I am going to design and make a small boat with wheels at the bottom. The wheels will be powered by me like a bicycle.

Product Specification This is a list of what your solution must be or must have. A design specification may be  My boat must be able to float on water carrying a weight of 100kg My boat must be light enough for me to carry. My boat must be propelled both in water and on land by power from my legs My boat must use the same method of steering on land and in water. My boat must be easy to use My boat must have a bell.

Test Plan Write simple tests to show how you can test the final product to make sure it does what the design specification says it must be or have. Place a 100kg weight in boat and place boat in water to see if it floats See if I can carry the boat 100m easily Use legs to see if boat moves on land and in water Try to steer the boat in a figure of 8 pattern on land and in water ask somone to use the boat and ask them if it was easy to use. does the boat have a bell which works.

The information that you analysed from The pictures that you used from. Your acknowledgements may be something like this Information about floating anothersite.com/float.html thisothersite.org/floatation/ Bicycle/boat picture http://user.good.is.s3.amazonaws.com/community/patrick/001109b42f980b8db3af11.jpg **NOTE, with pictures it is often easier to put the source/link right under the picture.** Hovercrafts hoverpower.net/cost travelmethod.mw My River Mapsoftheworld.com
 * __**Acknowledge**__ all the sources for your information. Do this by indicating which web site you got


 * Assessment **


 * ===Achievemnet Level=== || ===Level Description=== ||
 * 0 || You have not reached level 1 ||
 * 1-2 || You have only stated the problem and has collected some information from sources ||
 * 3-4 || You have described the problem and selected and analyed information from some acknowledged sources. You have mentioned testing of your product and stated the design brief. You have listed some design specifications. ||
 * 5-6 || You have explained the problem evaluating information from a broad range of appropriate, acknowledged sources. You have given tests related to your design specification ||