Author: Amanda McGarrigle

Science—term 3
Everyday Materials

Background Information
We will learn about materials and the properties of materials (elastic, texture, hardness, strength).
Children will need to distinguish between material and object. The materials are the basic stuff from which things are made from. By treating and shaping the material in a range of ways, objects can be created. The basic material will have properties associated with it.

In this unit the children will…
Be able to distinguish between the object and the material that it is made from.
Be able to describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials. Identifying materials through our senses.
Describe the simple properties of everyday materials—creating a key to explore the properties.
Investigate what happens to materials when they are heated and cooled—conduct an experiment with chocolate—how does it change? Conduct an experiment with water—does all of the water return to its original state?
Baking—making cupcakes—watching how the materials change when we mix and heat them.
Investigate into the absorption of different types of paper—looking at which ones absorb more water.
Investigate the best material to use as a rain jacket for a teddy.

By the end of this unit….
All children can:
Distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made.
Identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, water and rock.
Describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials.
Compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their physical properties.
Most children will:
Some children will:

Cross curricular:
The environment and the impact that the materials we might chose can have on it.

Key Vocabulary
Types of materials: wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, rock, brick, fabric, sand, paper, flour, butter, milk, soil
Properties of materials: hard/soft, stretchy/not stretchy, shiny/dull, rough/smooth, bendy/not bendy, transparent/not transparent, sticky/not sticky
Verbs associated with materials: crumble, squash, bend, stretch, twist
Senses: touch, see, hear, smell and taste