Earth & Space - Changing materials - Introducing materials - G1

Teacher's Guide ES-A3.1

ISE 5-14 Curriculum Support Materials                             Overview advice Group 1 exemplar Earth and Space - Materials From Earth (Word)

2. It would be helpful to demonstrate some of the changes to the children before asking them to investigate a range of materials. Plasticine is probably most suitable for this. Allow the children access to a range of materials and use worksheet A6 (G) for them to record their findings. It is an interesting challenge to find a way of measuring which material is easiest to stretch. Using weights and paper clips it might be possible to compare some samples such as elastic bands and string although attaching weights to plasticine can be difficult. Twisting and turning can be used to change movement and direction. What happens when you twist a door handle - look closely at the catch to see how it works. Sit the children in a circle and ask them to roll a ball from one to the other across the circle. What happens if the ball is sent with a twisting movement? Can the direction of the ball be made to change by adding a horizontal or vertical twist or spin? Spinning tops can be bought fairly cheaply from toy shops or made using plasticine and a matchstick. Watch the motion of the top carefully when it is started. Does it travel? In what direction does it move - a straight line or a curve? Perhaps if you substitute a pen or pencil for the matchstick you would get a track drawn on a piece of paper. Try placing an empty plastic bottle on its side and make it spin by giving it a quick twist. Pennies on their sides made to spin are probably already an occasional nuisance! This could be a very lively lesson - be prepared!