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Education use licence

All around us are things made from interesting materials. Who would once have imagined things like CDs, sticky notes or floppy silicone ovenware? Materials that we now take for granted are the products of imagination and exploratory science. What new materials will be part of the world of the future and how might existing materials be used in new ways? What might materials allow us to make and do? The What's it made of? unit is an ideal way to link science with literacy in the classroom. Through investigations, students develop skills of observing, describing, comparing and communicating. The unit provides opportunities for students to explore, through hands-on activities, what things are made of in the school environment and the properties of the materials used to make them.

Unit at a glance (PDF)
Unit outcomes (PDF)
Unit overview (PDF) (DOC)
Equipment lists (PDF)
Assessment resources
Resource sheets
Factual texts
Useful websites

Assessment resources

In Primary Connections units, assessment is an ongoing and embedded process which enhances learning.

Recording and reporting tools included are:

1 2 3

Assessment checklists (PDF) (DOC) Assessment rubrics (PDF) (DOC) Science journal/work sample tags (PDF) (DOC)

These tools provide only a snapshot of the variety of assessment and reporting methods that can be used in conjunction with Primary Connections.

Resource sheets

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Tell me about it (PDF) Material labels (PDF) What's it made of? (PDF) Role badges (PDF) (DOC)

Factual texts

What are these things made of?
Stanton, Judi (Rigby Literacy Science, 2004, 12pp)
ISBN 0 731 2387 5

Is it...? Hard or Soft
Parker, Vic (Little Nippers Series, Harcourt Education, 2004, 24 pp.)
ISBN 0 431 17402 4

Is it...? Rough or Smooth
Parker, Vic (Little Nippers Series, Harcourt Education, 2004, 24pp.)
ISBN 0 431 17400 8

Is it...? Shiny or Dull
Parker, Vic (Little Nippers Series, Harcourt Education, 2004, 24 pp.)
ISBN 0 431 17401 6

Is it...? Slippery or Sticky
Parker, Vic (Little Nippers Series, Harcourt Education, 2004, 24 pp.)
ISBN 0 431 17403 2

Material Detectives: Glass - Let's Look at Marbles
Royston, Angela (Read and Learn Series, Harcourt Education, 2006, 24pp.)
ISBN 1 844 43427 3

Material Detectives: Rock – Let's Look at Pebbles
Royston, Angela (Read and Learn Series, Harcourt Education, 2006, 24pp.)
ISBN 1 844 43634 9

Glass: Exploring the science of everyday materials
Edwards, Nicola and Harris, Jane (Science Explorers Series, A & C Black Publishers, 1999, 25pp.)
ISBN 0 7136 6193 3

Metal: Exploring the science of everyday materials
Edwards, Nicola and Harris, Jane (Science Explorers Series, A & C Black Publishers, 1999, 25pp.)
ISBN 0 7136 6327 8

Paper: Exploring the science of everyday materials
Edwards, Nicola and Harris, Jane (Science Explorers Series, A & C Black Publishers, 1999, 25pp.)
ISBN 0 7136 6196 8

Plastic: Exploring the science of everyday materials
Edwards, Nicola and Harris, Jane (Science Explorers Series, A & C Black Publishers, 1999, 25pp.)
ISBN 0 7136 6194 1

Useful websites

BBC Schools – sorting stuff
A flash game about sorting materials for ages 5-6.

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