VC2S4U05
the properties of natural and made materials, including fibres, metals, glass and plastics, influence their use and re-use
- exploring vocabulary for describing properties; observing different fibres, metals, glass and plastics; and using appropriate terms to describe, compare and contrast the materials’ properties
- investigating familiar objects such as shoes, drink containers and backpacks, examining the combination of materials used to make them and suggesting reasons for those combinations based on properties of materials
- considering how Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples have used and continue to use materials, such as those used to make tools, clothes and shelter, for different purposes, based on a material’s properties
- investigating how changes of state in some materials used by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples, such as beeswax and resins, are important for the materials’ uses
- designing, building and testing an object or structure such as a tent, lunch box or bird-feeder for a specific purpose
- investigating which materials can be recycled, and researching alternatives for materials such as single-use plastics
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Natural and Processed Materials PowerPoint
A teaching presentation comparing natural and processed materials and how humans make scientific comparisons.
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Processed Materials Poster
A poster displaying different processed materials and explaining what processed materials are.
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Natural Materials Poster
A poster displaying different natural materials and explaining what natural materials are.
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Material Mistakes PowerPoint
Explore the importance of choosing the right materials based on their properties with an interactive Material Mistakes PowerPoint presentation.
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Mixed Materials Task Cards
Explore the different materials that things are made of and why those materials were used with our printable Mixed Materials Task Cards.
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Combining Materials Worksheets
Explore ways that different materials are used and why they’re chosen with a set of Combining Materials Worksheets.
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Which Material is Best? Task Cards
Identify the materials needed to make things with our printable ‘Which Material is Best?’ task cards.
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Natural Science PowerPoint - How Do People Use Natural Resources?
A teaching presentation discussing natural resources and how humans interact with them.
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Science Experiment - Suck It Up!
A science experiment which investigates the absorptive properties of various materials.
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Material World Unit Plan
This Year 4 Chemical Sciences unit investigates natural and processed materials and properties of materials.
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Exploring Material Properties
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate the properties of materials that make them most useful.
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Which Material is Best?
A 60 minute lesson in which students will learn how to identify the function of a product and determine the best material for its production based on material properties.
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Material World Unit Assessment
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of materials and their properties.
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Designing For Purpose - STEM Task Part 2
A 60 minute lesson in which students will apply their knowledge of material properties to the design and engineering process.
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Designing for a Purpose - STEM Task Part 1
A 60 minute lesson in which students will recreate the design process and build bird feeders from recyclable materials based on material properties.
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Manufacturing Mistakes
A 60 minute lesson in which students will understand that materials have different properties that are important when designers choose materials to make new products, or they run the risk of failed products.
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Structural vs. Functional Properties of Materials
A 60 minute lesson in which students will consider the functional and structural properties of materials, and explain why those properties are necessary.
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Using Natural and Processed Materials
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate the use of natural and manmade materials by humans throughout history.
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Introducing Natural and Processed Materials
A 60 minute lesson in which students will examine and understand the differences between natural and processed materials and their uses.