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What do we use materials for?
Levels 1 and 2
NZC Achievement Objectives
Te Mātauranga o Aotearoa
Chemistry and Society: Find out about the uses of common materials and relate these to their observed properties.
Te Whakamahi Pūmatū: Ka ako haere i ngā whakamahinga o ngā matū e mōhio whānuitia ana, me te hono ki ngā āhuatanga e kitea ana.
Learning Intentions
Integration Ideas
Learning Intentions are from the Ministry of Education
Integration ideas are from the Ministry of Education
Level 1
Choosing appropriate materials for familiar activities by identifying observable physical properties.
Talking about familiar technology that can change or preserve materials in the home.
Level 2
Using simple technology to demonstrate and explain ways of causing or preventing change in materials.
Social Sciences: Customs and traditions associated with participation in cultural activities eg. The uses of natural materials to make clothing, special foods for ceremonies.
Social Sciences: Different resources that people use eg. Home vegetable gardens, the use of materials in the local environment to build shelters
The Arts (Music - Sound Arts): Identify contrasting sounds of Papatūānuku and the environment (high and low, fast and slow, loud and soft, long and short).
Technology: Share ideas about the ways in which familiar technologies affect their lives eg. the use and disposal of plastics
Related Topics
Resources
Solids with solids, solids with liquids, liquids with liquids - which can be mixed together? How can the mixtures be used? And once they’re all mixed up, can they be separated again? Explore how materials are combined for different purposes.
Level
1
Type
Unit
All mixed up
Primary Connections
Solids with solids, solids with liquids, liquids with liquids - which can be mixed together? How can the mixtures be used? And once they’re all mixed up, can they be separated again? Explore how materials are combined for different purposes.
Build up your science with the “Architecture” show.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGNgqqRgR0w
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Architecture
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Build up your science with the “Architecture” show.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGNgqqRgR0w
Some things can be bent, some things can be stretched, some things can be folded, some things can be cut... How a material can be changed depends on what it’s made of. Explore how everyday materials can be physically changed.
Level
1
Type
Unit
Bend it! Stretch it!
Primary Connections
Some things can be bent, some things can be stretched, some things can be folded, some things can be cut... How a material can be changed depends on what it’s made of. Explore how everyday materials can be physically changed.
We live in a world that is constantly changing. Even things that might be considered immovable such as mountains or rocks are gradually changing. Create miniature landscapes to explore the impacts of natural processes and human activity.
Level
2
Type
Unit
Beneath our feet
Primary Connections
We live in a world that is constantly changing. Even things that might be considered immovable such as mountains or rocks are gradually changing. Create miniature landscapes to explore the impacts of natural processes and human activity.
Bridges are so useful. People have been making them for thousands of years. It would be really good to have a bridge so I can keep my clean floor nice and clean :D But how do you make a really strong bridge?
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Bridges: How do you build a strong bridge?
Suzy's World
Bridges are so useful. People have been making them for thousands of years. It would be really good to have a bridge so I can keep my clean floor nice and clean :D But how do you make a really strong bridge?
Joe introduces you to a special word that will help you to build an awesome shelter to survive the night, and hopefully the rain! He has a little help from his friends "Survival Man" and Laura. These are great skills for taking into the outdoors on your next adventure.
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Build a Shelter
Whenua Iti Outdoors
Joe introduces you to a special word that will help you to build an awesome shelter to survive the night, and hopefully the rain! He has a little help from his friends "Survival Man" and Laura. These are great skills for taking into the outdoors on your next adventure.
Suzy loves her TurboSuzy 3000 Down Hill Racer! Except... that it only races down hill.... and it doesn't have a few important things. If only it worked like a car. But how does a car work?
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Cars: How do cars work?
Suzy's World
Suzy loves her TurboSuzy 3000 Down Hill Racer! Except... that it only races down hill.... and it doesn't have a few important things. If only it worked like a car. But how does a car work?
A group of students investigate how to stop food rotting on a journey to Mars. They share what they know about the different methods of food preservation to come up with a plan.
Level
2
Type
Book
Connected 2017 Level 2: ‘Space Food’
Ministry of Education NZ
A group of students investigate how to stop food rotting on a journey to Mars. They share what they know about the different methods of food preservation to come up with a plan.
This article follows a class project that students conducted after their teacher challenged them to find out how the smell gets into a scented candle. In the process, they learned about distillation, states of matter, and what it takes to become scientists and technologists.
Level
2
Type
Book
Connected 2020 Level 2: ‘Making Scents’
Ministry of Education NZ
This article follows a class project that students conducted after their teacher challenged them to find out how the smell gets into a scented candle. In the process, they learned about distillation, states of matter, and what it takes to become scientists and technologists.
This book provides rich opportunities for children to carry out scientific investigations into fabrics in order to clarify and expand their conceptions about them. The topic of fabrics integrates with the technology and social studies curricula.
Level
1-4
Type
Activity Book
Fabrics: Origins, Properties, and Uses
Ministry of Education NZ
This book provides rich opportunities for children to carry out scientific investigations into fabrics in order to clarify and expand their conceptions about them. The topic of fabrics integrates with the technology and social studies curricula.
Hold it right there, buddy – it’s the “Forensics” show
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP3xuHnbXM4
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Forensics
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Hold it right there, buddy – it’s the “Forensics” show
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP3xuHnbXM4
Fresh food is a part of children's daily lives, and this topic provides them with opportunities to investigate: the physical and chemical properties of perishable commodities, including the properties that denote "freshness".
Level
1-2
Type
Activity Book
Fresh Food: How Food Keeps and Loses Its Freshness
Ministry of Education NZ
Fresh food is a part of children's daily lives, and this topic provides them with opportunities to investigate: the physical and chemical properties of perishable commodities, including the properties that denote "freshness".
Teach students about concepts such as air pressure and static electricity with the help of some fun balloon demonstrations and activities.
Level
1-4
Type
Activity
Fun with Balloons
Science Kids
Teach students about concepts such as air pressure and static electricity with the help of some fun balloon demonstrations and activities.
It’s time to talk trash with Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELDw2kjr1J4
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Garbage
Bill Nye The Science Guy
It’s time to talk trash with Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELDw2kjr1J4
Welcome to the final challenge for our Go Wild at home programme! Remember to send us any photos or videos as we'd love to see how you got on.
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Go Wild Knot Skills
Whenua Iti Outdoors
Welcome to the final challenge for our Go Wild at home programme! Remember to send us any photos or videos as we'd love to see how you got on.
If I hold something cold in my hands, why does it warm up? Where does the heat come from? And when I turn on the heater, where does the heat actually come from? Investigate how heat is produced, which objects make their own heat, and how heat is transferred.
Level
2
Type
Unit
Heating up
Primary Connections
If I hold something cold in my hands, why does it warm up? Where does the heat come from? And when I turn on the heater, where does the heat actually come from? Investigate how heat is produced, which objects make their own heat, and how heat is transferred.
Children become familiar with certain metals and some of their uses at a relatively young age, so metals are a popular topic of study in school science. Some properties that make metals useful are easily observed and readily investigated, and this book offers young children opportunities to explore them.
Level
1-2
Type
Activity Book
Introducing Metals: The Properties and Uses of Common Metals
Ministry of Education NZ
Children become familiar with certain metals and some of their uses at a relatively young age, so metals are a popular topic of study in school science. Some properties that make metals useful are easily observed and readily investigated, and this book offers young children opportunities to explore them.
What are some of the things that affect how fast your drinks go cold? Do some research with water, milk and a thermometer to find out.
Level
1-4
Type
Experiment
Keeping Drinks Hot
Science Kids
What are some of the things that affect how fast your drinks go cold? Do some research with water, milk and a thermometer to find out.
This book focusses on warm-blooded animals in order to provide a familiar and personalised context in which young children can investigate how animals, including people, maintain their body temperature.
Level
1-2
Type
Activity Book
Keeping Warm: Getting Heat Energy and Keeping It
Ministry of Education NZ
This book focusses on warm-blooded animals in order to provide a familiar and personalised context in which young children can investigate how animals, including people, maintain their body temperature.
Lordy! Suzy's having trouble lifting a special delivery. What can she use to help her move it? It's a problem that Suzy just wont "lever" alone! Oh, there's a thought - she could use a lever! The only thing she needs to ask first is... "What's a lever?"
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Lever: What is a lever?
Suzy's World
Lordy! Suzy's having trouble lifting a special delivery. What can she use to help her move it? It's a problem that Suzy just wont "lever" alone! Oh, there's a thought - she could use a lever! The only thing she needs to ask first is... "What's a lever?"