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Everyday Materials

Pupils should be taught to:
• Distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made;
• Identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal, 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 simple physical properties.

Y1 What are Things Made from?

Resource Details

Pupils look at the images of a range of objects and items. They have to cut them out and sort them into two groups, ‘natural materials’ and ‘not natural materials’.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made; identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock.
  • WS - identifying and classifying.

Y1 Using Materials to Make Things

Resource Details

Pupils have to name the materials used to make a number of everyday items.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made.
  • NaG - pupils should explore, name, discuss and raise and answer questions about everyday materials.
  • WS - identifying and classifying.

Y1 Identifying Materials (without looking!)

Resource Details

Pupils have to identify objects and the materials used to make them by touch only. Objects are placed in a identification bag and the pupils have to describe what they feel.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made.
  • NaG - Pupils should explore, name, discuss and raise and answer questions about everyday materials so that they become familiar with the names of materials and properties such as: hard/soft; stretchy/stiff; shiny/dull; rough/smooth; bendy/not bendy; waterproof/not waterproof; absorbent/not absorbent.
  • WS - identifying and classifying.

Y1 Identifying Material Properties

Resource Details

Pupils look at the materials provided by their teacher. They pick them up and explore them carefully, describing and recording words that describe them and their properties.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials.
  • NaG - Pupils should explore, name, discuss and raise and answer questions about everyday materials so that they become familiar with the names of materials and properties such as: hard/soft; stretchy/stiff; shiny/dull; rough/smooth; bendy/not bendy; waterproof/not waterproof; absorbent/not absorbent.
  • WS - performing simple tests; identifying and classifying.

Y1 Grouping Different Materials

Resource Details

Pupils sort items into groups depending on what they are made from. They record their results in words and/or pictures on the sheets of their ‘Grouping Materials’ booklet.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - 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 simple physical Properties.
  • WS - identifying and classifying.

Y1 Describing Different Materials

Resource Details

Pupils fix a small piece of a range of material onto a page of a materials booklet. They describe and record what they can see and feel.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials.
  • NaG - Pupils should explore, name, discuss and raise and answer questions about everyday materials so that they become familiar with the names of materials and properties such as: hard/soft; stretchy/stiff; shiny/dull; rough/smooth; bendy/not bendy; waterproof/not waterproof; absorbent/not absorbent.
  • WS - identifying and classifying.

Y1 Describing Different Objects

Resource Details

Pupils visit the objects table, choose objects and return to their seat. They explore the object, draw it, name it and try to identify the materials used to make it.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made
  • NaG - Pupils should explore, name, discuss and raise and answer questions about everyday materials so that they become familiar with the names of materials and properties such as: hard/soft; stretchy/stiff; shiny/dull; rough/smooth; bendy/not bendy; waterproof/not waterproof; absorbent/not absorbent.
  • WS - identifying and classifying

Y1 Changing Shape

Resource Details

Pupils write ‘yes’ or ‘no’ in the box if you think the materials objects are made from can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting or stretching with their hands.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.
  • WS - identifying and classifying.
  • WS - gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.

Y1 Describing Different Materials (blank)

Resource Details

Fix a small piece of each material to each page of your materials booklet. Look at and touch each of the materials and try to describe what you can see and feel. These words may help you:

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made
  • NaG - Pupils should explore, name, discuss and raise and answer questions about everyday materials so that they become familiar with the names of materials and properties such as: hard/soft; stretchy/stiff; shiny/dull; rough/smooth; bendy/not bendy; waterproof/not waterproof; absorbent/not absorbent.
  • WS - identifying and classifying

Y1 Changing Shape by Squashing, Bending, Twisting and Stretching

Resource Details

Pupils look at a range of familiar materials and investigate whether they can change their shape with their hands. Pupils draw any new shapes that they have been able to make e.g. a sausage!

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.
  • WS - identifying and classifying; gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.