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New
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Year 3

Fabric fasteners

I can understand how different fasteners work.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 3

Fabric fasteners

I can understand how different fasteners work.

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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Hook and loop is a system that attaches two fabrics together.
  2. Buttons are fasteners that join two pieces of fabric together by sliding through a buttonhole.
  3. A zip fastener is a series of interlocking teeth that are brought together and pulled apart by a slider.

Keywords

  • Fastener - a device that holds things together

  • Hook and loop - a material that sticks when pressed together

  • Button - a small object that joins fabric by passing through a hole

  • Zip - a mechanism that joins or separates fabric

  • Interlock - fit together tightly

Common misconception

All fasteners perform in the same way.

There are positives and negatives with each type of fastener. The use of each depends on the product and user.


To help you plan your year 3 design and technology lesson on: Fabric fasteners, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

It is recommended that hook and loop fasteners and plastic 'popper' style press studs be used in pupils' designs in this unit as they will be the easiest for them to fit. It may be beneficial to pay particular attention to these methods in this lesson.
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Equipment

Please see additional materials document for a list of resources need for this lesson.

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Content guidance

  • Exploration of objects
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is thread?
a needle
a piece of fabric
Correct answer: a thin string used for sewing
woven cloth
Q2.
Which of these products are NOT waterproof?
Correct answer: t-shirt
umbrella
raincoat
Correct answer: swimming costume
Q3.
Sewing is a way to __________ fabrics.
dye
cut
measure
Correct answer: join
Q4.
A blanket stitch can stop the fabric from __________.
Correct answer: fraying
shrinking
curling
fading
Q5.
Which of these is a back stitch?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q6.
Match the words to the definition:
Correct Answer:needle,sharp object used to sew
tick

sharp object used to sew

Correct Answer:thread,thin string
tick

thin string

Correct Answer:sew,pass a needle and thread in and out of a fabric
tick

pass a needle and thread in and out of a fabric

Correct Answer:fabric,a material used to make clothes, blankets, curtains, etc.
tick

a material used to make clothes, blankets, curtains, etc.

Correct Answer:stitch,a loop of sewn thread
tick

a loop of sewn thread

6 Questions

Q1.
What is a fastener used for?
measuring fabrics
Correct answer: temporarily joining fabrics
permanently joining fabrics
testing fabrics
Q2.
What do we call this part of a button fastener?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: buttonhole, a buttonhole, the buttonhole, button hole
Q3.
Which of these is a hook and loop fastener?
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q4.
Which part of a hook and loop fastener is made from stiff plastic?
Correct answer: the hooks
the loops
the backing
the stitching
Q5.
Which part of a zip moves?
teeth
stopper
Correct answer: slider
fabric backing
Q6.
How do the teeth of a zip join?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: they interlock
they pass through a hole
they hook on
they snap together

Additional material

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