Focus area Learning objective AREs - Assessment
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3 Properties  To give reasons for  Can give reasons for the
suitability of a material for a
and changes the suitability of a
of materials particular job based on its
material for a
properties
particular job
 Knows how mixtures might
based on its be separated e.g. filtering,
properties sieving, evaporating
 Knows how to recover a
substance from a solution
 Understands that dissolving,
mixing and changes of state
are reversible, and that there
are exceptions
 Understands the ideas of
hardness, translucence,
solubility, conductivity and
response to magnets
Activities Global dimension Resources and
1. Introduce the investigation scenario:  Wax
Mr Hughes wants new benches in the  Wood
playground that will be durable, hard
 Metal
and suitable to our climate. What is the
 Ice
best material for him to use? The
 Chocolate
investigation question is: what material
is the best to build a bench to be used  Plastic
in hot weather?  Sandpaper
2. Class discussion: what does durable  Nail
mean? What is hardness? How will the  Water
weather affect durability here? What  heat from the
properties will Mr Hughes expect the sun
material to have?? What will we need  a range of
to think about? weights
3. Planning – as a class. Record the
 camera
information under the headings:
Investigation question (see above)
What we will do ( we will test the
suitability of different materials to be
used to make a bench)
What we need (wax, wood, metal, ice,
chocolate, plastic, sandpaper, nail,
water, heat from the sun, a range of
weights)
Prediction (I think that…)
Fair test (same size of each material,
same testing conditions, different
materials). How will they guarantee a
fair test?
4. Practical enquiry – for each material,
run the following tests: scratch it with
the sandpaper and nail, wet it, heat it
 up with the sun, balance weights on it.
Recording – observe what happens to
each material after each test and
record results. Photograph before and
after. Design own recording chart.
5. Analysis – what happened and why?
Let Mr Hughes know your findings!

Extension: would the material change if this

was a cold climate? Why and how?