Design and Make

Overview

In this tenth lesson of Materials All Around Us, students apply their understanding that objects are made from different materials and that materials have observable properties. They will design and build a useful object, then explain how their chosen materials help it work.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify useful properties of everyday materials.
• WALT draw a simple design before making.
• WALT choose and join materials to make a useful object.
• WALT explain how a material’s properties help the object work.

Success criteria

• I can name the materials in my object.
• I can draw and label a plan before I build.
• I can use materials safely and carefully.
• I can explain one property that helps my object do its job.

Curriculum links

• Science — Materials and their properties: objects are made of different materials.
• Science — Materials and their properties: compare and group everyday materials using shared physical properties.
• Science capabilities: gather and interpret information; participate and contribute; use evidence to support an explanation.
• Te Mātaiaho learning: communicate ideas, make decisions, and respond to feedback through practical learning.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and purpose. Teacher shows a picture of a small weather shelter and a container, then asks, “What job could we make an object do, and which materials might help?” Open with the hook and design challenge slides. Students talk with a partner and share ideas about materials that are strong, bendy, waterproof, light, smooth or rough.

2. 5–10 min · Explore properties. Teacher displays the available materials and briefly models describing them by what can be observed or tested safely: “This cardboard is stiff but can bend; this plastic is smooth and may keep water out.” Students handle selected materials in groups of three and describe one property for each, without ripping or wasting materials. Teacher reminds students that a material can have more than one property.

3. 10–16 min · Plan the object. Teacher introduces the challenge: design and make either a small weather shelter for a toy or a container that can hold three classroom objects. Distribute the design-and-make planning sheet. Students draw their object, label the materials, show what it will hold or protect, and complete the sentence: “I chose ___ because it is ___.”

4. 16–32 min · Build and improve. Teacher forms six groups of three, checks each plan, and provides a shared material tray. Students construct their object, taking turns as designer, builder and materials manager; they may alter their design when they discover a problem. Teacher circulates and asks, “What job must this part do?”, “Which property helps here?” and “What could you change to make it work better?” Reopen the building instructions and property prompt slides when groups begin and during the halfway pause. Use scissors safely, keep materials below shoulder height, and use only teacher-approved joining materials.

5. 32–40 min · Test and explain. Teacher gives each group a simple test: the shelter must cover the toy during a gentle spray or fan breeze, or the container must hold three objects for ten seconds. Students test their design, observe what happens, make one small improvement if needed, and prepare a short explanation using their plan.

6. 40–45 min · Share and reflect. Teacher invites each group to present its object in 30 seconds and prompts, “What is it made from? What property helped it?” Students listen for a material-property connection and complete the reflection box on the design-and-make planning sheet. Finish with the sharing and reflection slide and celebrate useful changes made after testing.

Resources

• the hook and design challenge slides
• the design-and-make planning sheet
• Clean cardboard and small boxes
• Paper, paper cups and paper plates
• Plastic sheets or bags
• Wooden craft sticks or cardboard strips
• Wool, string, pipe cleaners and fabric scraps
• Masking tape, glue sticks and child-safe scissors
• Small toy, three classroom objects, water spray bottle or handheld fan
• Group trays and table protection

Assessment

• During exploration, listen for students using observable property words such as stiff, flexible, smooth, rough, light and waterproof.
• Check plans for a clear drawing, named materials, a proposed purpose and a reason linked to a property.
• During testing and sharing, assess whether students can explain how at least one material property helps their object work. Collect the completed planning sheets as evidence.

Differentiation

• Support learners with a picture-and-word property bank, oral rehearsal with a partner, and sentence frames: “My object is made from ___.” “It helps because it is ___.”
• Provide pre-cut pieces, larger joining materials, a reduced choice of materials, or an adult-supported group for students who need help with cutting, planning or fine-motor tasks.
• Accept drawing, pointing, gesture or recorded oral explanation as alternatives to extended writing; pair multilingual learners with a supportive peer and model property words with real materials.
• Extend confident learners by asking them to combine two materials, explain a trade-off such as strong but heavy, or redesign their object after identifying a weakness.