Science lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 60 minutes
Tell the object from the material it is made of
Materials and their properties
CCSS NGSS.2-PS1-1England: KS1 Y1 Everyday materials
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Tell the object from the material it is made of.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Everyday materials
Leads to: Test which materials are waterproof; One material, many objects; one object, many materials
Materials: A tray of everyday objects, Sorting hoops, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Everyday materials). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What is a mirror usually made from? (plastic / wood / metal / glass) → glassPrompt: Is it hard or soft? Shiny? Can you see through it?
- Which object is usually made of metal? (a garden shed / a key / a toothbrush handle / a window) → a keyPrompt: Picture each object. What does it feel like?
- A spoon can be made of metal, plastic or wood. What does this show? (Only metal is a material. / All materials are the same. / Spoons are not objects. / The same object can be made from different materials.) → The same object can be made from different materials.Prompt: Think about spoons you have seen.
Hook · 6 min
- Pass round objects made of different materials and ask why each one was chosen.
- Share the objective: Tell the object from the material it is made of. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Is this an object or a material: spoon?
- Step 1: An object is a thing we use, like a chair or a cup.
- Step 2: So the answer is: object
- Answer: object
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Is this an object or a material: plastic? (object / material) → materialPrompt: Ask: is it a thing you use, or the stuff things are made from?
- What material is this object usually made from: a plastic bucket? (plastic / clay (fired brick) / cardboard / wood) → plasticPrompt: Think about how it feels: hard and see-through, soft and warm, bendy and waterproof…?
You do: independent practice · 17 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Why are windows made of glass, not wood? (Glass is softer than wood. / Glass is warmer than wood. / Glass is transparent, so light comes in and we can see out. / Wood cannot be cut.) → Glass is transparent, so light comes in and we can see out.Prompt: What does a window need to let through?
- What material is this object usually made from: a plastic bucket? (glass / metal / plastic / clay (fired brick)) → plasticPrompt: Think about how it feels: hard and see-through, soft and warm, bendy and waterproof…?
Watch out for
- Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
- Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Everyday materials.
- Use concrete materials: a tray of everyday objects.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Test which materials are waterproof; One material, many objects; one object, many materials.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-1.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder