Combining Materials, Making Tools

Overview

Students investigate how combining or physically changing materials can make them more useful. Through three practical stations, they explore weaving, joining a handle to a pretend tool head, and comparing safe natural or classroom binders. The lesson respectfully acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have diverse, sophisticated knowledge of local materials and technologies. Before teaching, consult local Elders or community representatives and use locally appropriate examples, permissions and terminology. Do not copy culturally restricted tools, designs or knowledge.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• identify materials and describe how they can be physically changed or joined
• predict which construction method or binder may work best
• safely combine materials and test how useful the result is
• record observations using drawings, simple sentences and scientific vocabulary
• explain how people use knowledge of materials to solve everyday problems

Success criteria

• I can name the materials I used and describe what I did to them.
• I can make a prediction and test it safely.
• I can record what I observed with a drawing and sentence.
• I can explain how joining or changing materials made an object more useful.

Vocabulary

material, natural material, physical change, combine, join, weave, strand, structure, handle, tool head, haft, binder, adhesive, strength, flexible, stiff, prediction, observation, fair test, useful

Curriculum links

• Science: materials can be physically changed by bending, twisting, stretching, cutting and breaking without changing their composition.
• Science: people use scientific knowledge of materials, observations and patterns in daily life, including to reduce waste and make useful objects.
• Science inquiry: suggest and follow safe procedures, compare predictions and observations, and consider whether a test was fair.
• Science communication: record and communicate observations, findings and ideas using everyday and scientific vocabulary.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Cultural framing and hook. Open with the hook and cultural framing slides and show respectful, locally approved images or teacher-provided examples of objects made by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Peoples from local materials. Explain that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are many different Peoples and Nations, with distinct languages, materials, technologies and cultural practices; avoid suggesting there is one Aboriginal way. Ask: “What might make separate materials work better together?” Students think-pair-share, then identify familiar joined objects such as a pencil, shoe or basket.

2. 8–15 min · Teach and predict. Use the materials vocabulary and prediction slides to model that bending, twisting, cutting or joining changes a material’s shape or structure, but does not necessarily make a new material. Demonstrate a simple paper weave and a handle joined to a blunt cardboard tool head. Students complete the question and prediction boxes on the materials investigation recording sheet, choosing which weave, join or binder they think will be strongest or most useful.

3. 15–19 min · Safety and station briefing. Display the safety and station rotation slides and establish roles: materials manager, builder, tester and recorder. Model gentle testing only, keeping tool heads pointed down and away from people. Students listen, repeat the safety rules and move to their first station when directed.

4. 19–43 min · Three exploration stations. Groups of approximately eight rotate every eight minutes, with a brief transition between stations. At each station, students predict, combine or change materials, test safely, and record a drawing, result and simple sentence on the materials investigation recording sheet.

• Station 1: Weaving for strength and structure. Students weave paper strips or clean, safe natural fibres over and under. They compare one loose strip with a woven strip by gently lifting or pulling a small classroom object. Ask: “What pattern did you use? Does the structure stay together? How could you make it stronger?”
• Station 2: Hafting a pretend tool. Students join a cardboard or paper handle to a blunt pretend tool head using string, tape or clay. They test the join by gently moving the handle, not striking or throwing. Ask: “Where is the join weakest? Which material holds it securely? How could you make this safer or stronger?”
• Station 3: Investigating binders. Students compare small samples of flour paste, starch paste and gum arabic or another plant-based adhesive if available. They join identical paper pieces, label each sample and observe which holds after gentle lifting. No tasting. Wash hands, avoid touching eyes, and follow allergy and hygiene procedures. Ask: “Which binder worked best for this paper? Was the test fair? What could we change next time?”

5. 43–52 min · Compare findings. Bring students together and open the comparison and discussion slides. Groups share one prediction, one observation and one improvement. Create a class chart with headings “materials”, “action or join”, “what happened” and “use”. Prompt: “Did everyone observe the same result? Why might results differ? Did we use the same amount of material and the same testing method?”

6. 52–60 min · Communicate and exit check. Students complete the final worksheet sentence: “Combining or changing materials can make them useful because …” and draw their most successful construction. Invite several students to share using the sentence frame “I observed …, so I think …”. Use the plenary and exit-question slide to ask: “What stayed the same, and what changed?” Collect worksheets and check that students can name materials, describe an action or join, and connect the result to usefulness.

Resources

• the combining materials investigation deck
• the materials investigation recording sheet
• Paper strips, recycled paper and clean natural or safe fibres
• Cardboard or paper handles and blunt pretend tool heads
• String, masking tape, paper tape and modelling clay
• Small samples of flour paste, starch paste and gum arabic or plant-based adhesive
• Small classroom objects for gentle testing
• Trays, labels, pencils, wipes and handwashing supplies
• Teacher-approved local examples or images, with permissions

Assessment

• Observe predictions, safe procedure, role participation and use of vocabulary at each station.
• Check worksheet drawings and sentences for accurate observations, comparison of results and an explanation of usefulness.
• Use the final question as an exit check: students identify one physical change or joining method and explain how it helped.

Differentiation

• Provide picture-supported vocabulary, pre-cut strips, partly prepared joins and sentence starters: “I predicted …”, “I observed …”, and “It was useful because …”.
• Pair students strategically and assign clear roles; allow oral recording, scribing or labelled drawings for students with writing, language or fine-motor needs.
• Offer thicker strips, larger joining pieces and teacher modelling for students requiring additional support. Use gloves or an alternative station material where allergies or sensory needs require it.
• Extend capable students by asking them to improve one design, identify variables for a fairer test, or explain why a material’s flexibility, stiffness or strength suited its purpose.