1 - Getting Started ~3 mins
Look at these everyday things. A raincoat, a cushion, a shopping bag. Why do you think each one is made of the material it is? What job does each material do?
2 - Which Job Shall We Try? ~4 mins
Today you will work in small groups. Each group picks one job to test: keeping a toy dry, finding the cosiest material for a cushion top, or finding the strongest material for a bag handle. Ask a simple question: which material is best for our job?
3 - Sort Our Candidate Materials ~6 mins
Handle the materials on your tray. Sort them into two groups: might suit our job, and probably will not. Talk about what you notice that matters for your job.
4 - Try Materials for the Job ~14 mins
Look at the materials you sorted. Whisper to your group: which one do you think will work best, and why?
Then try two or three materials. Do each try the same way so you can compare fairly. Your teacher will show your group's same-each-time steps.
Watch carefully. Which material did the job best? Be ready to say what you saw or felt.
5 - Record Our Question and Choice ~6 mins
On your Investigation Journal page, record your group's question, the materials you tried, and the best choice. Use the sentence stems on the board. One person can write while the group helps with the words. Add one short reason from what you saw or felt.
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