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Schemes of Work
QCA

Science at key stages 1 and 2    (Year 3)

Unit 3C: Characteristics of materials

QCA
About this unit

Through this unit children should extend their knowledge of the range of materials we use and of the properties that characterise them. This knowledge should help them recognise what needs to be considered when a material is chosen for a particular use.

Experimental and investigative work focuses on:

  • planning investigations
  • deciding what to change, what to keep the same and what to measure
  • deciding whether a fair comparison was made
  • using results to draw conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to relate science to materials they use every day, to obtain evidence to test ideas, and to identify hazards and risks as they work.

This unit takes approximately 10 hours.


Sections in this unit

This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.
1. Introduction
2. Finding useful materials
3. Properties of materials
4. Choosing materials for a purpose
5. Testing properties of materials
6. Testing absorbency
7. Testing ‘stretchiness’
8. Review