Year 1 Science Lesson Plan: Introduction to Metals

Overview

This lesson plan is designed for a Year 1 class in New Zealand, consisting of 23 students. The duration of the lesson is 60 minutes, focusing on an introduction to metals, their properties, and common examples in the environment. This aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum's standards for science at the Level 1, aiming to help students "Explore and describe the physical and material world around them."

Curriculum Area

• Subject: Science
• Strand: Material World
• Level: Level 1
• Curriculum Link: New Zealand Curriculum - Science

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify common metals in everyday objects.
2. Describe basic properties of metals (shiny, conductive, hard).
3. Understand that metals are a material that makes up parts of many objects they use daily.

Resources Needed

• A selection of small metal objects (e.g., spoons, coins, paper clips)
• Magnets
• Non-metal objects for comparison (e.g., wooden pencils, plastic toys)
• Worksheets for sorting objects
• A chart detailing properties of materials
• Interactive whiteboard or a large poster of metals and their uses
• Science Kids NZ link for additional reading on metals at home if needed

Lesson Plan

Introduction (10 minutes)

1. Welcome and Objective Setting:

   • Greet the students and briefly describe what materials are and mention that today’s focus will be on a specific type of material called 'metals'.

2. Engagement Question:

   • Ask students to look around the classroom and name objects that might contain metal. List these on the board.

Exploration (15 minutes)

1. Discovery Activity:

   • Hand out various objects to student groups, mixed with both metal and non-metal items.
   • Have students test each item with magnets to see which ones are attracted to the magnet. Explain that most metals are magnetic.

2. Discussion:

   • Discuss why some objects were attracted to the magnet (those containing iron) and why others were not. Introduce the idea that not all metals are the same.

Explanation (15 minutes)

1. Property Chart Creation:

   • On the interactive whiteboard, start a chart listing properties of materials. Fill in what the class has discovered about metals—shiny, hard, and magnetic.
   • Show images/examples of metal objects on the Science Kids website if needed for better understanding.

2. Compare and Contrast:

   • Compare metal objects with non-metal objects discussing differences in properties like hardness, shininess, and whether they are magnetic.

Elaboration (10 minutes)

1. Worksheet Activity:
   • Distribute worksheets where students need to sort images of objects into 'Metal' and 'Non-metal'.
   • Assist students in identifying the correct category for each object based on the discussion about properties.

Conclusion (10 minutes)

1. Recap of Learning:

   • Review the properties of metals discussed today and revisit the list of metal objects in the classroom.
   • Ask students to think of one object at home that might be made of metal and share with the class if comfortable.

2. Wrap-up:

   • Summarize the importance of different materials, focusing on metals, and how they help us in daily life.
   • Mention that next time, the class will look at another type of material and compare it with metals.

Assessment

• Informal Observation: During activities, observe students’ ability to identify metals and recall their properties.
• Worksheet Completion: Check worksheets for understanding of metal vs. non-metal categorization.

This lesson plan provides hands-on activities designed specifically for young learners' engagement and understanding, adhering strictly to New Zealand's educational standards for early science education.