investigating materials is very important. It provides a good starting point for countless other investigations relating to the special characteristics or properties of materials which make different materials suitable for different jobs.

There are a great many things which can be done. Following is an outline structure for a series of possible activities based around the properties of materials. All of the activities have been tried and tested. The aim is to keep pupils interested, learn about materials and encourage pupils to be inquisitive and to suggest ways in which more can be discovered.

Describing materials to a partner

Materials ‘I spy’

Families of materials

Materials and light

Magnetism

Static electricity

Heaviness

Warm and cold

Describing materials to a partner

Method 1
Each person in the group has a turn at picking out one material and describing it to the rest of the group using as many words as possible. The group can help if you get stuck.

Method 2
Each person has a turn as before but you are only allowed 5 seconds to hold the material before putting it back in the box and in that time you have to try and say at least 3 words to describe it.

Method 3
Each person has a turn as above but one or all in the group write down the words used to describe the material. Total up at the end the number of different words used to describe the materials.

After this activity:
Discuss the suitability of some of the words used. The meaning of some words might not be clear eg. squidgy. Shape words might not be useful since most materials can be made into various shapes - fixed shape is a property of a solid compared to a liquid or gas but within solid materials the shape does not tell us anything about the special characteristics of the material itself. Colour can also mislead since plastics and cloth etc. can be coloured using dyes etc. We are more concerned with words such as:

shiny, strong, stretchy, transparent, smooth, flexible, heavy, cold to the touch etc.

Materials ‘I spy’

Method 1
One person thinks of a material from the box but does not touch it. They give a clue using one of the describing words from the previous activity. Everyone selects a material from the box and holds it up. The person reveals the material they were thinking of and we find out who is right or wrong. Points could be awarded.

Method 2
As with method 1 but further clues are given eg. 3 clues and then the answer is revealed.

Method 3
For experts only! Start as before but this time we continue giving clues until every single person in the class is holding the same piece of material (or sharing it). The person who gives the clues gets one point for each clue and tries deliberately to keep people guessing for as long as possible.

After this activity:
Highlight some of the materials used in the game so as to reinforce vocabulary used. Discuss uses of some materials based upon their properties. Sometimes a material might only be suitable for a certain job if it has more than one special property eg.

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