Choosing the Right Material

CONCEPTUAL

Science›Matter & Materials|Ages 6—8|ID: mt_rTn43s8RNX

Identify and compare the suitability of everyday materials for particular uses, explaining why specific materials are chosen for specific purposes

Mastery Evidence

Explain why a specific material is chosen for a purpose based on its properties (e.g. glass for windows because it's transparent)
Compare two materials and decide which is more suitable for a given use with reasoning
Suggest an alternative material for an object and explain why it would or wouldn't work

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] explain why windows are made of glass and not wood, or why wellies are made of rubber and not paper?”

Curriculum Standards2 alignments

2-PS1-2Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) K-5codes only

Standard code — full text not included in this dataset.

Y2.Sci.UEM.1The national curriculum in England

Suitability of everyday materials

identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for particular uses

Science · Key Stage 1

Prerequisites2

Material Properties Vocabulary
softAges 9—11
Grouping Materials
hardAges 5—6

Show full prerequisite tree

Material Properties Vocabulary soft
Comparing suitability of materials for uses requires property vocabulary to articulate why one material is better than another
Grouping Materials hard
Must group materials by properties before evaluating suitability for purposes
- Describing Material Properties hard
  Must describe properties before using them to group materials
  - States of Matter Vocabulary soft
    Describing physical properties of materials uses solid/liquid/gas vocabulary introduced in the states of matter LANGUAGE node
  - Naming Everyday Materials hard
    Must name materials before describing their properties
    - Objects vs Materials hard
      Must distinguish objects from materials before naming specific materials

Unlocks1

Advanced Material Properties
hardAges 9—11