Properties and Uses of MaterialsLine of Development 15

Early to Second Level

Introduction This section shows examples of learning activities and pupils’ work to exemplify standards at early, first and second level in the Sciences across Line of Development 15 on the properties and uses of materials. The tasks and examples of work are taken from classes at primaries one, three and five. The information could be used to:

support teachers in planning for learning and in assessment of pupils’ work

by schools as a discussion tool when planning for the experiences and outcomes.

Primary One pupils in this school chose materials to make their own sandals.

Excerpt from

Concept development in the sciences

Primary One - Early LevelBackgroundThe primary one teacher in this podcast describes a task which was part of the class project on clothes. The children had woodkin dolls and a selection of materials. They were questioned about suitable clothing for different weather and activities as they played.The children were asked to consider which materials to dress the dolls in for rain, going out to play in the cold etc. In active play tasks in primaries 1 and 2, the children regularly select materials suitable to their task and are able to describe these using simple language like, soft, hard and shiny.

The children in primary one

designed tie –dye t-shirts with

accessories and had a fashion show

for parents. Teacher interview.WAV

Primary One – Clothing Task

The children in the activity discussed what would be a suitable material for a warm, sunny day.Most children working at early level will be able to:

• use simple language to describe the properties of materials, for example, thickness, waterproofing• select appropriate materials for a simple task.

Learning was extended with this child to include:

• thinking about how more than one function might be required of the material• how some materials are more effective than others for particular purposes.

Audio of child’s conversation with the teacher

Hot and sunny.WAV

Woodkin dolls - Waterproofing.WAV

Excerpt from

Concept development in the sciences

Primary 3 - First Level

BackgroundAs part of their project on making materials change the children were learning about waterproofing.

The children were presented with a chip shop owner’s dilemma at the end of an animation. He had used shiny wrapping paper to attract customers but it had rained, the colours had run and the paper was all soggy. Each of the characters in the story gave their ideas about what had gone wrong, leading naturally into a discussion about properties like strength, shiny appearance, waterproofing, shape, weight/mass, flexibility, colour and conductance of heat.

The learners were working through a series of lessons where they were in role as a laboratory of scientists whose job it was to test materials for different purposes. The task deliberately used materials that were similar so that the answer is not obvious and requires cognitive challenge that extends the children beyond simple comparisons at early level.

Fish and chipsVivido

Learning Through EnquiryThe children were working in co -operative teams of 3 or 4 and were given opportunities to:• discuss questions and ideas as a team,• share their ideas and thinking with the whole class,• explore and test materials for waterproofing, conduction of heat, flexibility, colour, weight/mass,• make simple predictions,•Record other thoughts and ideas,• make a recommendation on which material was best based on their results.

First LevelThis child’s work is an illustration of the first level.

This child is able to:• select from an extensive range of materials, matching their physical properties to a particular function,• use the results of their experiments to choose appropriate materials to solve a practical challenge,•make simple predictions,•other factors are being considered such as the fact that metal conducts heat,•describe their ideas using simple vocabulary which describes properties e.g. soggy and thick,• record results on a table.

Excerpt from

Concept development in the sciences

Making FloamFloam is a solid, stretchy modellingmaterial made from readily available ingredients.

In this activity the children learn how the substances used to make floam are altered during the process.

At second level the children can: compare and contrast the original

materials to the new one, discuss the changes that occur, describe how the changes that have taken

place cannot be easily reversed.

Audio of child discussing how the properties of the ingredients are different to the new material that has been made.

Glue worksheetResults for My Glue

1) Before I made my glue I looked on the Zoomsci website to see how to make it.

2) Next I got the ingredients . 3) Then I mixed them to make my glue. 4) While I waited for the whey to separate, I found a glue to compare mine

with (I used Arladite). 5) Finally i decided on some objects to test my glue with.

To keep my test fair i used the same amount of glue on each object and left them all to dry for two minutes Results My Glue Arladite Paper Stuck together Stuck Matchsticks Stuck together Stuck Pebbles Fell off Stayed on Rice Krispies Stuck Stuck A one pence Fell off Stayed on

What I learned I noticed that the glue was very different from the things i made them with (milk, baking soda and vinegar), it clumped together and was not as runny. My glue was able to stick light things such as Rice Krispies and matchsticks. The Arladite stuck all those things together and the heavier objects like the penny and pebble. This shows Arladite is a much stronger glue.

Primary 5 - Second Level

BackgroundThe pupils explored a variety of chemical changes, including baking bread and making new materials such as floam and glue.

The activities demonstrated how substances can be changed to produce new substances with different characteristics.

Pupil talking about floam.WAV

Applying the Learning

As part of a homework task the children were asked to make a glue using instructions from a website.They were asked to explore the quantities used, test their product, report on their process and evaluate their findings.In this second level task the child can:

• Clearly describe the steps and process of their investigation• Independently decide on objects to test • Make comparisons• Evaluate results and draw conclusions

Next Steps and Other Ideas• Make links to aspects that have to be planned for and reinforced across the curriculum e.g. creativity, enterprise.

• Reinforce the development of literacy and numeracy skills, the responsibility of all practitioners.

• Opportunities to link to other curricular areas e.g. Technologies.

• Create Glow groups to share ideas and results with others.

• Publish findings on websites, Blogs, Twitter or as podcasts.

Child’s picture created using their own glue.

Properties and Uses of MaterialsLine of Development 15

Early to Second Level