What can different materials do?

Preparation

To accompany the digital lesson and summary, you might wish to prepare a variety of materials to show different properties, such as fabric swatches, plasticine, aluminium foil, pieces of foam, polystyrene, thin or thick plastic, flat rock, paper towel, tissue paper and so on, for the pupils to choose from.

For the investigation worksheet, a variety of items with recycling symbols on them will need to be supplied, such as plastic bottles, books made of recycled paper, containers and cans.

Curriculum links

Uses of everyday materials

• Identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for particular uses.

Suggested teaching strategies

• Ensure that pupils understand the difference between subjective (e.g. ugly) and scientific (flexible) descriptions of material properties.
• Brainstorm and collect a list of words that can be used to describe the properties of materials. One way of doing this could be showing pupils an object and asking them to record one word to describe it on a sticky note.

Introduction

Have pupils to play a quick game of ‘rock, paper, scissors’. Discuss the properties of rock, paper and scissors. Explain that all materials have different things they can do that make them better for some uses than others. Ask pupils to share some ideas about the uses different materials around them can be put to.

Display the digital lesson on your smartboard to introduce the concept of material properties.

The summary and worksheet pages should be used together.

Development

Provide pupils with the summary and worksheet to complete.

The aim of the investigation worksheet is for pupils to understand what some of the symbols on packaging mean. This can help them to make informed choices about the products they choose.

Differentiation

• Explicitly teach less able pupils how to use tally marks or allow them to record their findings in a different way.
• Use sentence stems to support less able pupils with completing the pupils and investigation worksheets.
• More able pupils can predict how they think different products are recycled. They can then research how these are actually recycled and compare their predictions.
• More able pupils could design a poster to educate others about recycling symbols.

Conclusion

Pupils discuss and compare their findings from the investigation worksheet in pairs or small groups.

Assessment

Worksheet answers
1. Plastic is good for use in water bottles because it is transparent, waterproof, strong and flexible.
2. Answers could include: (a) any item of clothing, paper, eraser, book, pencil case, power cords, posters (b) tables or other furniture, wall, board, computer, scissors (c) table, water bottle, plastic desk mat, window
3. Recycling means using old things to make new things.
4. Glass and rubber are both waterproof. Some pupils may also say they are both strong.
5. Answers may vary but should indicate that because paper is absorbent, weak and flexible, a chair made from it might not be strong enough and could collapse.
6. Answers will vary.

The uses and implications of science question
Answers will vary

Investigation worksheet answers
Teacher check