Creating Pictograms and Bar Charts
Students represent data visually using simple pictures or bars to count and compare items, introducing basic data representation.
Key Questions
- Explain how a pictogram visually highlights the largest or smallest group.
- Predict the changes to a chart if additional items are added to a collection.
- Compare the ease of extracting information from a chart versus a disorganized pile of objects.
National Curriculum Attainment Targets
About This Topic
Physical properties involve describing how materials look and feel. Year 1 pupils learn to use scientific vocabulary such as hard, soft, stretchy, stiff, shiny, dull, rough, smooth, bendy, waterproof, and absorbent. This aligns with the National Curriculum target of describing the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials.
This topic is highly experimental. Students learn that the properties of a material determine its use, for example, why we use glass for windows (it is transparent) but not for footballs (it is brittle). Students grasp this concept faster through structured discussion and peer explanation during 'fair test' experiments.
Active Learning Ideas
Simulation Game: The Teddy's Umbrella
Students test different materials (paper, fabric, plastic, foil) by placing them over a 'dry' teddy and spraying water. They observe which material keeps the teddy dry and discuss the property of 'waterproof'.
Think-Pair-Share: The Silly Object Challenge
Show pictures of 'silly' objects, like a chocolate teapot or a glass hammer. Pairs discuss why the material's properties make the object useless and suggest a better material.
Stations Rotation: Property Testers
Set up stations for 'The Bendy Test', 'The Scratch Test', and 'The Shine Test'. Students move through with different materials, recording which ones pass each test on a simple chart.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionStudents often think 'hard' and 'strong' mean the same thing.
What to Teach Instead
Show that a biscuit is hard but not strong (it breaks easily), while a piece of string is not hard but is very strong. Hands-on 'breaking' tests help clarify these different properties.
Common MisconceptionChildren may believe that all plastics are 'bendy'.
What to Teach Instead
Provide a variety of plastics, from a flexible carrier bag to a rigid plastic ruler. This helps them see that one material type can have different properties.
Suggested Methodologies
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key property words for Year 1?
How do I teach the difference between 'absorbent' and 'waterproof'?
Is it safe to test 'transparency' with glass in Year 1?
What are the best hands-on strategies for teaching physical properties?
More in Grouping and Organizing Data
Sorting Objects by Properties
Students identify different attributes of objects like color, size, and shape to group them, understanding classification.
2 methodologies
Digital Data Entry and Display
Students use a simple computer program or spreadsheet to record and display information about the class or a collection of items.
2 methodologies
Collecting Data: Surveys and Tally Marks
Students learn to collect simple data by conducting surveys and using tally marks to record responses, understanding data collection methods.
2 methodologies
Interpreting Simple Charts
Students practice interpreting information presented in simple pictograms and bar charts, answering questions about the data.
2 methodologies
Data Storytelling: What Our Charts Tell Us
Students learn to tell a simple story or draw conclusions from the data they have collected and charted, practicing basic data analysis.
2 methodologies