A5 Distinguishing Materials

Part 1 Categories of Materials Ask children to examine pencils. What is it made of? Ask children to explore the room, feeling and looking for wood. Make a list. Activity: Do the same activity for the following materials. (See Printout) Metal Plastic Wood Clay/Stone Glass Rubber Leather Fibres

Part 2 Characteristics of Different Materials How do you know this is made of ________ ? How do you tell these different materials apart?

Guide the children to look at differences such as those listed below. These should be interjected over time as opposed to one lesson. Technological skills have advanced whereby they resemble other materials that it is hard to tell the difference. E.g. Leather Vs PU. Look Texture Feel of Surface Sensation of Temperature Feel of Hardness Relative Weight Sound Strength Flexibility Elasticity

Metal, cold; Plastics intermediate; Wood, Warm. Pressing fingernail into material gives an impression of its hardness. Distinct sound when tapped with fingernail. Glass, Stones and Ceramics are BRITTLE, i.e. they break rather than bend. Metals and BENDABLE, they bend without breaking. ELASTIC is being able to return to its original shape after bending/ compressing, stretching. Rubber is renowned for this, but all other are elastic to a degree. Moist clay, Metals are highly MALLEABLE. Witness blacksmithing. Glass & Some plastics TRANSPARENT. Many plastics TRANSLUSCENT, light can be seen through but not images. Most are OPAQUE, do not permit passage of light. Iron and Nickel yes, others no. All metals will, other materials dont. Consider conductivity of heat. Metals very resistant, plastics generally melt/burn. Wood burn.

Malleable or Mouldable Transparency

Magnetic *Conductivity *Resistance to elevated Temperatures *Generally reserved for higher grades.

Why is a given material used for a certain item? E.g. Metal for door hinges and locks? Rubber for balls? Wood for broom handles? Cement for roads? NB. Some cases cost is factor. Relate lesson to A2. Solids fall into several categories of materials. Each of these can be sorted again into more specific groups. Categorising things according to materials from which they are made serves many useful purposes.

Activities, Q&A Discussion Make a book illustrating the ways they would distinguish one materials from another. Activity centre with assortment of items. Sorting game of miscellaneous items according to the material. Identify Materials using non-visual senses. Ask children to identify materials around them out of classroom. Materials and their uses activity (See Printout) Design something from your imagination. Critique materials. Emphasise this is the challenge of scientist. Modern technology depended on development of new materials with particular properties. What is this ___ made from? Why do you think ___ is used for this purpose? Why would ___ not be used instead?

Scientific Vocabulary Metal, Plastic, Rubber, Ceramic, Textiles, Fibre, Fabric, Texture, Elastic, Brittle, Flexible, Mouldable, Transparent, Translucent, Opaque.

Metal

Plastic

Wood

Clay/Stone

Glass

Rubber

Leather

Fibres

Hat Wood

Ball

Bed

Book

Bicycle

Metal

Plastic

Glass