35-minute lesson
Year 1 Science: Changing the shape of materials
Lesson objective
- Change the shape of materials by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.
- Describe whether a material goes back to its shape or stays changed.
Success criteria:
- I can squash, bend, twist and stretch a material.
- I can say if a material springs back or stays in its new shape.
- I can record my results in a simple table.
Materials
- Play dough
- A sheet of paper
- A rubber band
- A sponge
- A pipe cleaner
- A paper towel or tea towel
Introduction
4 minIntroduce today's words:
- material: What an object is made of, such as paper, plastic, metal or wood.
- squash: To press something so it gets flatter.
- stretch: To pull something so it gets longer.
- twist: To turn the ends of something in opposite directions.
- bend: To make something curve or fold.
Ask your child what they already know about changing the shape of materials.
Explanation
7 minEverything is made of a material. Paper, play dough, rubber and sponge are all materials.
We can change the shape of many materials using our hands. We can squash them, bend them, twist them or stretch them.
Some materials spring back to their old shape when we let go. A sponge and a rubber band spring back.
Other materials stay in their new shape. Play dough stays squashed and a scrunched-up sheet of paper stays scrunched.
Knowing how materials behave helps people choose the right one. Hair ties are made of stretchy material so they spring back, and pipe cleaners bend and stay put, which is great for craft.
Worked examples
5 minSquashing a sponge
What happens when you squash a sponge and then let go?
Step 1: Hold the sponge and press it flat with your hand.
Step 2: Look: it gets flatter.
Step 3: Let go and watch.
Step 4: The sponge springs back to its first shape.
Answer: The sponge squashes, then springs back.
Twisting play dough
What happens when you roll play dough into a snake and twist it?
Step 1: Roll the play dough into a long snake.
Step 2: Hold each end and turn them in opposite directions.
Step 3: Let go and watch.
Step 4: The play dough stays twisted.
Answer: The play dough changes shape and stays twisted.
Guided practice (do together)
7 min1. Which material springs back after you stretch it?
(a) Play dough (b) A rubber band (c) Paper (d) Aluminium foil
2. You press play dough flat with your hand. What did you do?
(a) Stretched it (b) Twisted it (c) Squashed it (d) Melted it
3. Which material stays scrunched after you scrunch it?
(a) Paper (b) A sponge (c) A rubber band (d) A bouncy ball
4. Why are hair ties made of a stretchy material?
(a) So they melt (b) So they are see-through (c) So they are heavy (d) So they stretch and spring back
Independent practice
9 min5. Turning the two ends of a pipe cleaner in opposite directions is called…
(a) Squashing (b) Twisting (c) Pouring (d) Stretching
6. Pulling a rubber band so it gets longer is called s______.
7. Is play dough a material? Answer yes or no.
8. After you squash a sponge and let go, does it spring back or stay flat?
Questions to check understanding
- Can you squash, bend, twist and stretch a material?
- Can you say if a material springs back or stays in its new shape?
- Can you record my results in a simple table?
- What was the trickiest part today?
Answer guide
1. A rubber band — A rubber band is stretchy and springs back when you let go.
2. Squashed it — Pressing something flatter is squashing it.
3. Paper — Scrunched paper stays scrunched; it does not spring back.
4. So they stretch and spring back — Hair ties need to stretch over hair and then spring back to hold it.
5. Twisting — Turning the ends opposite ways is twisting.
6. stretching — Pulling something to make it longer is stretching.
7. yes — Play dough is a material: it is what a play dough model is made of.
8. spring back — A sponge springs back to its shape when you let go.
Review
3 minRecap the success criteria together. Watch for these common misconceptions:
- Children may think changing shape makes a new material. Squashed play dough is still play dough.
- Some children think all soft things spring back. Play dough is soft but stays squashed.
Extension activities
- Build a model Australian animal from play dough and pipe cleaners.
- Find three things at home that bend and three that do not.
Suggested follow-up
- Revisit changing the shape of materials tomorrow with two or three quick questions from memory.
- Try the online practice check for this topic and look at any questions that need another go.
Tips for parents
- Draw a simple table with columns 'squash', 'bend', 'twist', 'stretch' and tick what each material can do.
- Ask 'What do you think will happen?' before each test.
- Safety: do not stretch rubber bands towards faces, and keep small pieces away from very young siblings.