Material Discovery Begin

Year Group

Year 1

Duration

30 minutes

Unit Title

Nature Explorers: Material Discovery

Lesson 1: Introduction to Materials: What Can We Find?

National Curriculum Links

Science (Key Stage 1) - Materials and their properties

Pupils should be taught to:
- 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.
- Distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made.

Reference:
Science Programme of Study: Year 1
“Pupils should be taught to identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock.”
“Pupils should be taught to describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials.”

WALT (We Are Learning To)

Identify common materials found at home and in nature.
Describe simple physical properties such as texture, colour, and shape.
Group materials based on their observable properties.

Success Criteria

I can name at least three materials I find around me.
I can describe what a material feels or looks like using words like soft, hard, rough, smooth, shiny, or dull.
I can sort materials into groups based on their properties.

Resources

Tray or basket containing material samples: wood, plastic, metal spoon, glass jar (empty), stone, fabric piece, leaves, shells
Worksheets with pictures of different materials (dyslexia-friendly font, clear spacing)
Magnifying glasses (optional, to help observation)
Sorting mats labelled with properties: Texture (smooth/rough), Colour, Shape (flat/round)

Lesson Outline

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

Sit the class in a circle and introduce the unit Nature Explorers: Material Discovery.
Explain that today’s lesson is about discovering the different materials we can find everywhere – both in nature and at home.
Show a few examples from the basket (a leaf, piece of wood, plastic toy).

Teacher Talk:
"Materials make up everything around us. Today we are going to become material detectives and explore what materials look and feel like."

2. Guided Exploration with Discussion (10 minutes)

Pass objects around one by one for children to observe and touch.
Ask these guided questions:
- What does this feel like? (soft/hard, rough/smooth)
- What colour is it?
- What shape is it?
- Can we find something else like this in the class or outside?
Record their ideas on a large class chart/writing board under headings: Texture, Colour, Shape.

Differentiation:

Provide tactile materials for students who benefit from sensory learning.
For children with speech difficulties, use picture symbols to express properties (e.g., soft, hard).

3. Grouping Activity (10 minutes)

Use sorting mats labelled by material properties.
Children work in pairs to place material samples or pictures onto the mats based on their observations.
Encourage discussion: "Why did you put the stone in the rough mat?"

Extension:

Challenge advanced learners to think of materials not in the basket and explain their properties.
Ask them to think of objects and guess what materials they are made from before examining.

4. Plenary and Reflection (5 minutes)

Bring children back to the circle.
Ask children to share one new thing they learned about materials.
Revisit the chart and highlight key vocabulary (wood, metal, plastic, rough, smooth, shiny, dull).
Explain that next lessons will explore properties more closely.

Assessment

Formative observation of children's participation in describing and sorting materials.
Use success criteria as a checklist during group work and discussions.
Collect completed sheets or note verbal responses for evidence of understanding.

Differentiation Strategies

For learners with additional needs: Use simplified vocabulary and picture cues.
For visual learners: Provide real objects and pictures.
For auditory learners: Repeat key vocabulary and use songs or rhymes about materials.
For children with coordination difficulties: Offer pre-cut material pictures or larger material samples easier to grasp.

Extension Activities

Create a “Material Detective” worksheet for children to take home to find and record local materials in their garden or home.
Start a class “material diary” where children add photos or drawings of materials found each week.
Introduce simple magnets to test whether materials are metal and discuss the findings.

Dyslexia-Friendly Adaptations

Use dyslexia-friendly fonts (e.g., Arial or Comic Sans) on all printed material.
Use larger font size (minimum 14pt) and clear spacing.
Incorporate visuals and symbols alongside words to support meaning.
Keep instructions short and use bullet points.
Provide audio instructions or repeat key ideas verbally.

Teacher’s Notes

Emphasise the hands-on, exploratory nature of this lesson to engage curiosity.
Reinforce scientific vocabulary progressively over the 5-lesson unit to build confidence.
Use praise to encourage descriptive language: “I like how you noticed the smooth surface on the glass!”
Plan to use outdoor learning spaces in subsequent lessons for real-world material exploration.

This carefully structured introduction to materials will inspire curiosity, build observational skills, and create an engaging foundation aligned with the National Curriculum for Year 1 Science.

Teaching Instructions