Key Stage 3 Living in a Material a World
Suggested Year: 8, 9 or 10 In this unit, pupils explore different types of materials. They explore materials that can be classified as natural or synthetic, materials that have been used for hundreds of years and those that have been discovered in the last 100 years. Pupils investigate the huge impact that new materials have had on our daily lives, including the areas of sport, transport and medicine. Pupils have the opportunity to make their own synthetic material (slime). Activity 1 might be best suited to Year 8 pupils while the other activities could be completed in Year 9 and/or 10, or teachers can decide to complete all the activities together. Statutory topic covered in this unit Chemical and Material Behaviour Unit links to the Big Picture Learning for Life and Work Employability Key Elements Employability Education for sustainable development Cultural understanding Cross-Curricular Skills Using Mathematics Using ICT Communication Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities Managing Information Thinking, Problem Solving, Decision Making Being Creative Learning Experiences Investigating and problem solving Linked to other curriculum areas Relevant and enjoyable Positive reinforcement Assessment for Learning Clear learning intentions shared with pupils Celebrate success against agreed success criteria Peer and self-evaluation of learning 2
Attitudes and Dispositions Personal responsibility Openness to new ideas Classroom Activities Activity 1: Investigating Different Materials Activity 5: Evaluation Activity 2: Investigating What Materials Are Made Up Of Activity 4: Exploring Modern Materials Activity 3: Preparing a Polymer 3
Activity 1: Investigating Different Materials Learning Intentions Pupils are learning to: identify different types of materials; and classify materials into suitable groups based on similarities and differences. Suggested Activities In groups, the pupils make a list of 20 types of materials. Or Give each group a prepared list of 20 common materials. Remind the pupils that in science and technology, materials refer to all substances, not just clothes. The pupils decide as a group which are the five most important materials to them. They could use card ranking or diamond ranking activities (outlined in the Active Learning and Teaching Methods booklet) to help them do this. As part of this decision, they must include how it would make a difference to their everyday life if these materials didn t exist. Following the group discussion, each group will report back to the class on their materials and their reasons for choosing them. Discuss with the pupils what classification means: to group objects or organisms according to similarities. Members of one group will be different from members of another group in some clear way. Key Stage 4 Link (Biological Classification) Write the original list of 20 materials on cards. In groups, the pupils sort the cards into groups. How many different ways of sorting can each group develop? 4
Possible ways of sorting include: metal or non-metal; expensive or inexpensive; necessary or unnecessary; hard or soft; and biodegradable or non-biodegradable. One method of classifying materials is natural vs. man-made or synthetic. Ask the class for opinions on the usefulness of these criteria for classification. Ask the pupils: What are their feelings about the words man-made, synthetic and natural? Is it easy to classify materials under these headings? If not, why not? The pupils then classify their list of 20 materials into the categories of natural and man-made. Look at one example of each in more detail to clearly define natural and man-made. 5
Activity 2: Investigating What Materials Are Made Up Of Learning Intentions Pupils are learning to: understand that all materials are made up of tiny particles called atoms and that: atoms and molecules can be arranged in different states: solid, liquid or gas; atoms can join together to form molecules; and molecules can form polymers; and give examples of everyday polymers. Key Stage 4 Link (Chemistry) Suggested Activities Put the pupils into groups of three or four. Changing States Give each group three different colours of play dough. They must make at least 10 small play dough balls with each colour. These coloured balls represent the particles or atoms that materials are made from. Arrange any 10 atoms in a square shape with each atom touching the one beside it. (This represents the particles in a solid.) Arrange another 10 in a small box so that they are free to move around each other as the box is tilted. (This represents the particles in a liquid.) Arrange another 10 in a much larger box so that they are free to move in any direction as the box is tilted. (This represents the particles in a gas.) Using these models, each group must identify the properties of a solid, a liquid and a gas. They could use Microsoft Word or PowerPoint to produce a poster showing these properties. The posters could be displayed in the classroom. 6
In their groups, the pupils must explain why a solid can be turned into a liquid when heated. Use the models to show how the particles start to move away from each other as they gain energy. The pupils complete a change of state diagram. They can use the words melting, evaporation, condensation and freezing. Solid Liquid Gas Melting evaporate Freezing condensation Atoms and Molecules Use the play dough balls of one colour to explain that the atoms in an element are all the same. Atoms can join together to form molecules. The atoms in a molecule can be the same (one colour), for example in oxygen gas. The atoms in a molecule can be different (two or three colours), for example in water. The pupils make several molecules of two colours. Use straws to connect them together in a long chain. This is a polymer a long chain of identical molecules (monomers). What is a Polymer? provides more information about polymers and Crosslinking describes how polymers can be made stronger, both are available at www.pslc.ws Give examples of natural polymers, such as hair, wool, linen, cotton, protein, starch and cellulose. Give examples of man-made or synthetic polymers, such as nylon, Lycra and polythene. Key Stage 4 Link (Organic Chemistry) The Kids Macrogalleria, available at www.pslc.ws, includes activities that you might find useful for this lesson. 7
Activity 3: Preparing a Polymer Learning Intentions Pupils are learning to: work together safely to prepare slime or bouncy custard balls; and follow instructions. Suggested Activities The purpose of this activity is to allow pupils to have fun in science and to introduce polymers. These are simple reactions to create a simple cross-linked polymer. They introduce the idea that by reacting ingredients, new bonds can be made that will create new properties. The topic of polymers is very abstract at Key Stage 4 and this is the perfect opportunity to allow pupils to gain a simple understanding in a fun environment. Making Slime Method one involves mixing PVA glue, liquid starch and water. 1. Add equal amounts of water and glue to a bowl and mix. 2. Add five or six drops of food colouring and continue to mix. 3. Add the same amount of liquid starch as glue and water. Continue to mix. (Liquid starch can be found in most supermarkets near the washing powders.) How to Make Slime, available at www.sciencebob.com, includes the full method and a PDF handout. 8
Method two involves mixing borax with PVA glue and water. 1. Make a solution of borax by adding one spatula of borax to 10 cm 3 of water and stir. 2. Mix water with PVA glue. 3. Add food colouring and mix. 4. Add borax solution, one spoonful at a time, and mix until slime forms. 5. Leave for 30 seconds and then remove from the container. Make Slime with Glue and Borax, available at www.sciencebob.com, includes detailed instructions. You might also find 6 Recipes to Make Slime for Kids!, available at www.tipjunkie.com, useful for this lesson. Making Custard Balls These are made by mixing PVA glue with borax and custard powder. 1. Make a solution of borax by mixing borax with water. 2. Pour 15 cm 3 of glue into a beaker. 3. Add two spatulas of custard powder and one spatula of dry borax. 4. Add 0.5 cm 3 of borax solution and stir until smooth. 5. Remove from the container and rinse under water (borax is alkaline and can be an irritant). 6. Shape it into a ball and work it in your hands for a few minutes until it becomes elastic. 7. Wash your hands thoroughly. The Bouncing Custard Balls worksheet, available at resources.schoolscience.co.uk/ salters, includes the detailed method. 9
You might find www.stem.org.uk useful for this lesson. You must register for this site. It is free and very quick to do so. Once registered, members can log in to access resources in any STEM area. It also includes a worksheet about making Bouncing Custard Balls. 10
Activity 4: Exploring Modern Materials Learning Intentions Pupils are learning to: describe and explain: an alloy; a composite material; and nanoparticles and nanomaterials; and explore some examples and uses of these materials. Key Stage 4 Link (Chemistry) Suggested Activities An alloy is a mixture of elements, at least one of which is a metal. The bonding between the atoms of the metal is in regular layers. The atoms of the other elements are dotted randomly throughout. Ask the pupils to use the play dough balls from earlier to show the atoms in an alloy. In groups, the pupils discuss why this might be beneficial. The pupils could research how alloys are made and the names of some common alloys. Alloys, available at www.explainthatstuff.com, might be useful for this lesson. Nanomaterials are made up of tiny components with at least one measurement below 100 nm. What is a nanomaterial?, available at www.safenano.org, and Nanomaterials and integrated electronics, available at www.bbc.co.uk/education, might be useful for this lesson. A nanoparticle is the smallest unit that can still behave as a whole entity in terms of properties and transport. Nanoparticles often have very different properties to the bulk materials. They are being used in many different areas of our lives, from medicine to construction. The following websites include information and resources that you might find useful for this lesson. 11
What Are Nanoparticles? available at nanogloss.com Nanoparticle Applications and Uses available at www.understandingnano.com A composite material is one made from two or more different materials with different properties, but when combined they produce a new material with vastly different properties than the originals. In groups, the pupils carry out research to identify five composite materials. They should rank these in order of importance in our lives. The composite materials resource, available at www.rsc.org, might be useful for this lesson. 12
Activity 5: Evaluation Learning Intentions Pupils are learning to: discuss the developments in materials and whether our lives have been made easier or not because of them; and consider environmental issues such as waste disposal. Summary Project Each pupil, either individually or in a small group, chooses a topic about how man-made or synthetic materials have affected sport. Possible topics include: How has Lycra radically changed sportswear? What materials were used in the past? (For example, cycling jerseys used to be made from wool.) The impact of AstroTurf. The ideal football boot. Materials that help you go faster, for example in swimming and running. Lightweight materials in sport, for example trainers, bicycles, golf clubs and tennis racquets. Possible Strategies Ask the pupils to search online for the history of (material) or (material) in sport. They should use the headings positives, negatives and interesting to structure their research and its presentation. Using ICT This activity provides an opportunity to emphasise the importance of fact-checking and not relying on one source for information. It can also show the limitations of blogs and/or Wikipedia for research. 13