Lesson Planning

Teaching

• Understand that some materials need to be able to 'give' a little and not break (for bridges carrying heavy traffic, for example).
• Look at a selection of materials and discuss how they might be tested for their rigidity.
• Devise an investigation to test the flexibility of materials (by hanging weights from string onto the end of each strip of material).
• Make predictions and carry out the investigation, recording the results.

Activities

1. Understand that some materials need to be able to 'give' a little and not break (for bridges carrying heavy traffic, for example).
2. Explore a selection of materials and discuss how they might be tested for their rigidity (identical lengths of wood, plastic, metal, card).
3. Devise and carry out an investigation to test how much they will bend and discuss the results.

Investigation - exploring over time, pattern seeking, problem solving
Devise an investigation to test how much they will bend by hanging weights from string onto the end of each strip of material.

Vocabulary
Squash/squashing, bend/bending, stretch/stretching, material, properties, strong, weak, rigid, flexible