Science · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Choosing the Right Material

Active learning works for this topic because young students need to touch, see, and test properties directly to move beyond appearances. When students physically interact with materials, they link abstract words like waterproof or bendy to real-world results, which strengthens memory and reasoning.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: Science - Everyday materials

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Placemat Activity
• 45 min · Small Groups

Testing Stations: Material Properties

Prepare stations for waterproof (pour water on samples), see-through (hold up to light), and strong (stack books). Small groups rotate every 10 minutes, test materials like fabric, glass, wood, and record which suit each property. Discuss findings as a class.

Evaluate why glass is used for windows but wood is not.

Facilitation Tip

During Testing Stations, circulate with a clipboard and ask each group to state one property they observed before moving to the next station.

What to look for

Provide students with three material samples (e.g., paper, plastic wrap, fabric). Ask them to write one sentence for each, stating one property and one object it would be good for. For example: 'Paper is absorbent, so it would be good for drying spills.'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Placemat Activity
• 35 min · Pairs

Design Challenge: Umbrella Build

Provide fabric, plastic, paper, and sticks. Pairs design a mini umbrella frame, test materials by sprinkling water, and select the best waterproof cover. Pairs present their choice and reason why it works.

Justify the choice of material for making an umbrella.

Facilitation Tip

For the Umbrella Build, set a time limit of 10 minutes so groups focus on quick tests of waterproofing rather than decoration.

What to look for

Hold up common objects (e.g., a glass jar, a wooden spoon, a metal key). Ask students to give a thumbs up if the material is a good choice for that object and explain why. Prompt: 'Why is glass good for a jar but not a hammer?'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Placemat Activity
• 25 min · Whole Class

Window Sort: See-Through Match

Display materials including glass, wood, paper, and clear plastic. Whole class sorts them into 'window yes' or 'no' piles, tests by looking through to a picture, and votes on explanations.

Design an object and select the best materials for its construction.

Facilitation Tip

Use the Window Sort to model how to compare transparency by holding materials up to a window or light source together as a class.

What to look for

Present a scenario: 'Imagine you need to build a boat that floats. What material would you choose and why?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to use property vocabulary like 'waterproof' or 'lightweight' to justify their choices.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Placemat Activity
• 30 min · Small Groups

Purpose Cards: Material Hunt

Give cards with purposes like 'window' or 'umbrella'. Small groups hunt classroom materials, test properties, and match the best one with reasons. Share matches on a class chart.

Evaluate why glass is used for windows but wood is not.

What to look for

Provide students with three material samples (e.g., paper, plastic wrap, fabric). Ask them to write one sentence for each, stating one property and one object it would be good for. For example: 'Paper is absorbent, so it would be good for drying spills.'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by starting with the simplest property tests before asking students to combine multiple properties in design challenges. Avoid rushing to conclusions; let students discover contradictions, such as wood’s strength not helping for windows. Research shows that when students experience failed predictions, their understanding deepens more than when they only hear correct answers.

Successful learning looks like students describing properties with evidence from tests, matching materials to purposes with reasons, and designing simple objects while discussing trade-offs. You will hear clear property language tied to specific tests and see justifications that move beyond guesswork.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Testing Stations, watch for students assuming shiny materials are waterproof because they reflect light.

  Have students splash water on metal foil and nylon fabric side by side, then ask them to describe what happens. Use their observations to redirect the idea that shine does not equal waterproofing.

• During Design Challenge: Umbrella Build, watch for students choosing the strongest material regardless of other properties.

  Prompt groups to test multiple properties by asking, 'Can your umbrella let light through if you choose metal? Would it bend in the wind?' Use their struggles to highlight trade-offs.

• During Window Sort: See-Through Match, watch for students selecting wood because it is familiar and common.

  Ask students to hold wood and glass to a light source and describe what they see. Use their responses to shift focus from familiarity to evidence of light-passing.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Placemat Activity