Choosing Materials

Overview

In this ninth lesson of Materials All Around Us, students use what they know about everyday materials and their properties to explain why particular materials are chosen for particular objects. In groups of three, they select materials for an umbrella, cup, or school bag and justify how each material suits the object’s purpose.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify the main material an object is made from.
• WALT describe simple physical properties of materials.
• WALT link a material’s properties to the purpose of an object.
• WALT share and explain our group’s ideas.

Success criteria

• I can name a material, such as plastic, metal, fabric, paper, wood, glass, or rubber.
• I can describe a useful property, such as waterproof, strong, flexible, hard, smooth, or light.
• I can explain, “We chose ___ because it is ___ and the object needs to ___.”
• I can listen to my group and help make a choice.

Curriculum links

• Physical Science — objects are made of different materials.
• Physical Science — identifying the primary material an object is made from.
• Physical Science — comparing and grouping everyday materials by shared physical properties.
• Physical Science — materials can be combined to make objects.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: What would you choose? Teacher shows a picture of a paper umbrella and a plastic umbrella in the opening question slide, then asks, “Which would you choose on a rainy day? Why?” Students turn and talk, using one property word if they can. Invite two or three responses and accept different ideas with reasons.

2. 5–12 min · Connect properties to purpose. Teacher revisits familiar materials and properties using the materials and properties slides. Model thinking aloud: “An umbrella needs to keep rain out, so waterproof plastic or coated fabric could be useful. A paper umbrella would get soggy.” Students help match an object’s purpose with a suitable property and act out words such as flexible, strong, and waterproof.

3. 12–16 min · Explain the group challenge. Teacher forms six groups of three and displays the instructions on the group challenge instructions. Each group receives one object card on the materials choice worksheet: umbrella, cup, or school bag. Explain that groups must choose a material for the main part of the object, identify two useful properties, and give a reason. Assign roles: materials manager, recorder, and speaker.

4. 16–29 min · Group design decision. Teacher circulates, asking, “What does your object need to do?” and “Which property helps it do that?” Students discuss possible materials, choose one, and complete the picture, material, property, and purpose sections of the materials choice worksheet. Encourage students to consider alternatives: a cup might be plastic, metal, or glass; a school bag might be fabric or strong plastic. The teacher records useful vocabulary and listens for explanations rather than simply correct answers.

5. 29–39 min · Share and compare. Teacher invites each group to present for about one minute, using the speaking frame on the sharing prompt slide: “We chose ___ for our ___. It is ___ and ___. This is useful because ___.” Students listen to other groups and show a quiet thumbs-up when they hear a property linked to a purpose. After each presentation, ask, “Could another material work? What might be different?”

6. 39–45 min · Review and exit check. Teacher uses the plenary question slide to revisit the key idea: “Materials are chosen because their properties help objects do a job.” Students complete the final individual question on the materials choice worksheet: draw or name one object, choose a material, and finish “It is useful because…”. Collect worksheets and invite two students to share their explanations.

Resources

• the Choosing Materials slide deck
• the materials choice worksheet
• Six pencils or crayons sets
• Six object picture cards or teacher-prepared labels: umbrella, cup, school bag
• A selection of safe everyday objects or material samples: plastic, fabric, paper, metal, rubber, and cardboard
• Whiteboard and marker
• Property word cards or teacher-written vocabulary

Assessment

• During the hook and direct teaching, listen for students naming materials and describing properties accurately.
• During group work, use questioning to check whether students can connect a property with an object’s purpose, not merely name a material.
• Use the completed worksheet and plenary response to identify students who can independently justify a material choice. Note students needing further support with vocabulary or the idea that more than one material may be suitable.

Differentiation

• Support students with real objects, photographs, gesture-based property words, and sentence starters: “We chose ___ because it is ___.” Offer a choice of two materials where needed.
• Pair students who need language support with a supportive peer and accept oral explanations, drawing, pointing, or home-language discussion before sharing in English.
• For students with additional learning needs, provide a reduced worksheet with picture choices and scribing support; allocate a clear, manageable group role.
• Extend confident students by asking them to compare two possible materials and explain a disadvantage of their choice, such as glass being smooth and waterproof but breakable.