
Unit plan includes...
Unit Plan
Properties of Materials Unit Plan
This Chemical Sciences unit investigates the observable properties of materials. Descriptive vocabulary is explored as well as the suitability of materials for different purposes.
It consists of 6 lessons of approximately 60 minutes duration.
The sequence of lessons and suggested time frames should be regarded as a guide only; teachers should pace lessons in accordance with the individual learning needs of their class.
For some of the lessons in this unit, students explore materials at various stations. Additional adult supervision at some of these stations would be beneficial.
An assessment task for monitoring student understanding of the unit objectives is included and will require an additional lesson.
Teachers are encouraged to collect samples of studentsโ work throughout the unit to add to a learning portfolio. These can also be used to assess studentsโ understanding of the unit objectives.
This unit plan includes the following resources:
- Sorting Objects by Property Template
- Material World Jigsaws
- Properties of Materials Word Wall Vocabulary
- Jack and the Beanstalk (Made Differently!) PowerPoint
- The Scientific Method Poster – Lower Grades
- T-Chart Graphic Organizer
- Uses of Materials Sorting Activity
- What If? Materials Template
- Stretchy Scoot Relay
- Shadow Types Worksheet
- Science Experiment – Keep Me Dry
- My Monster Reflection Template
- Material World Beanbag Toss Game
- My Monster Design Template
Overview
Objectives
- To explore the properties of materials and to develop vocabulary to describe them.
- To identify the material objects are made of and to sort them in various ways.
- To develop an understanding of the suitability of certain materials for different purposes.
- To understand that some materials provide better shade than others.
- To understand that some materials are more water resistant than others.
Preparing for Learning
Thisย Science unitย provides excellent opportunities for cross-curricular integration.ย Look for ways to meaningfully integrate the content of the unit with other learning areas e.g. Literacy and The Arts.
Prior to commencing the unit, develop a classroom display which focuses on the properties of materials. Display word wall vocabulary and learning goalsย that the students will engage with throughout the unit to stimulate their learning. For examples of additional teaching resources to display in your classroom, browse the Material Worldย ย collection on the Teach Starter website.
Many of the resources which accompany thisย unit plan will need to be prepared prior to teaching. For this reason, it is advised that teachers browse through all lessons before commencing the unit.
It is suggested that several weeks prior to commencing this unit, a note is sent home to parents requesting that students bring in recycled materials to be used throughout the unit. A large variety (and quantity) of resources will be needed for exploration and construction. This will take some time to collect and arrange, however, some of the resources can be re-used several times throughout the unit.
Lessons
National Curriculum Curriculum alignment
- Key Stage 1 (KS1)
Key Stage 1 (KS1) covers students in Year 1 and Year 2.
- Science
The principal focus of science teaching in key stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions a...
- Everyday materials
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