Everyday Materials
KS1SC-KS1-D004
Understanding of the properties of common materials and their suitability for different purposes, and how the shape of some materials can be changed.
National Curriculum context
The Everyday Materials domain introduces children to the fundamental chemistry concept that the world is made of different materials, each with distinctive properties. In Year 1, pupils learn to distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made, identify and name common materials including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water and rock, and describe physical properties such as hard, soft, stretchy, shiny, rough, smooth, bendy, waterproof, absorbent, opaque and transparent. In Year 2, this understanding deepens as pupils compare the suitability of materials for different purposes and discover that the shape of solid objects can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching. This domain builds the scientific vocabulary and classification skills that underpin all subsequent chemistry work in KS2, particularly the study of rocks, states of matter, and properties and changes of materials.
5
Concepts
3
Clusters
1
Prerequisites
5
With difficulty levels
Lesson Clusters
Identify common materials and distinguish objects from materials
introduction CuratedUnderstanding that objects are made from materials, and naming those materials, is the prerequisite for all further materials science. The object/material distinction is a key conceptual move at KS1.
Describe and compare properties of different materials
practice CuratedLearning property vocabulary (hard/soft, rigid/flexible, transparent/opaque) directly enables the key KS1 idea that materials are chosen for their properties. These two concepts are functionally inseparable.
Investigate how forces can change the shape of solid materials
practice CuratedPhysical transformation through squashing, bending, twisting and stretching is a distinct practical investigation that links materials to forces and introduces reversibility as a concept for later KS2 work.
Teaching Suggestions (1)
Study units and activities that deliver concepts in this domain.
Which Material Is Best?
Science Enquiry Fair TestPedagogical rationale
This is the most widely taught KS1 fair test because the context is immediately meaningful (keeping teddy dry), the variables are tangible, and the results are visible and dramatic. Children can see and feel the difference between waterproof and absorbent materials, making the abstract concept of material properties concrete. The investigation builds early fair testing skills: changing one thing, observing the result, and comparing materials systematically.
Access and Inclusion
2 of 5 concepts have identified access barriers.
Barrier types in this domain
Recommended support strategies
Prerequisites
Concepts from other domains that pupils should know before this domain.
Concepts (5)
Object vs Material Distinction
knowledge AI DirectSC-KS1-C024
The conceptual distinction between an object (a made thing with a function, such as a chair, a bottle, or a window) and the material it is made from (the substance of which it consists, such as wood, glass, or plastic). This is a foundational concept in chemistry that underpins all further study of materials. An object can be made from multiple materials; the same material can be used to make many different objects.
Teaching guidance
Use a 'what is it made of?' routine when handling objects. Deliberately choose objects made from one obvious material first, then introduce objects made from multiple materials. Classroom hunts where pupils label each object and its material(s) are effective. Emphasise the question 'What is it made from?' as distinct from 'What is it?'
Common misconceptions
Children frequently name an object when asked what it is made of (e.g., saying 'table' when the material is 'wood'). Some children believe that only man-made things are materials, not natural materials like rock or water.
Difficulty levels
Beginning to distinguish between what an object is and what it is made from, when prompted by the teacher.
Example task
I am holding a wooden spoon. What is the object? What is it made from?
Model response: The object is a spoon. It is made from wood.
Consistently distinguishing object from material for several everyday items, beginning to notice that the same object can be made from different materials.
Example task
Name the object and the material for each: a glass bottle, a plastic ruler, a metal coin.
Model response: Glass bottle: the object is a bottle, the material is glass. Plastic ruler: the object is a ruler, the material is plastic. Metal coin: the object is a coin, the material is metal.
Explaining the difference between an object and a material, and recognising that a single object can be made from more than one material.
Example task
Look at this pair of scissors. Is 'scissors' a material or an object? What materials is it made from? Why might it use more than one material?
Model response: Scissors is an object — something made for a purpose (cutting). It is made from two materials: metal for the blades because metal is hard and sharp, and plastic for the handles because plastic is comfortable to hold and does not hurt your hand. Different parts use different materials because each material has properties suited to that job.
Explaining that the same material can be used to make many different objects, and the same object can be made from different materials, giving examples and reasons.
Example task
Give two examples of objects that can be made from glass. Then give two different materials a bottle could be made from. Why might you choose one material over another for a bottle?
Model response: Glass can be used to make windows and drinking glasses — because it is transparent and smooth. A bottle could be made from glass or plastic. A glass bottle is heavier but does not change the taste; a plastic bottle is lighter and does not break if you drop it, which is safer for children. The choice depends on what matters most — weight, safety, or keeping the taste.
Delivery rationale
Science knowledge concept — factual content deliverable with visual representations and adaptive quizzing.
Access barriers (1)
The distinction between an object and a material is a fundamental conceptual abstraction — separating 'what something is' from 'what something is made of'. Young children naturally think in terms of objects; materials thinking is a taught scientific perspective.
Material Identification
Keystone knowledge AI DirectSC-KS1-C025
The ability to recognise and name common everyday materials: wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, rock, brick, paper, cardboard, fabric, elastic and foil. Building a broad vocabulary of material names allows pupils to describe the world with precision and is prerequisite to studying material properties and suitability.
Teaching guidance
Provide collections of real material samples for handling and naming. Include both natural and synthetic materials. Match samples to labels. Use material ID games and classroom hunts. Distinguish between similar-looking materials (glass vs clear plastic) by exploring their properties.
Common misconceptions
Children often think all clear, hard materials are glass (many are plastic). They may not recognise rock in manufactured form (e.g., granite worktop). Some children do not identify water as a material.
Difficulty levels
Naming two or three common everyday materials (wood, plastic, metal) when shown examples.
Example task
Feel these three objects. Can you name the material each one is made from? Here are word cards to help: wood, plastic, metal.
Model response: This one is wood — it feels hard and has lines on it. This one is plastic — it is smooth and light. This one is metal — it feels cold and heavy.
Naming a wider range of everyday materials including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, rock, fabric and paper.
Example task
Go on a materials hunt around the classroom. Find and name as many different materials as you can.
Model response: Wood — table top. Metal — scissors blades. Plastic — ruler. Glass — window. Paper — book. Fabric — curtains. Rubber — eraser. Cardboard — tissue box.
Identifying all NC-specified materials (wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, rock, brick, paper, cardboard, fabric, elastic, foil) and distinguishing between similar-looking materials by testing properties.
Example task
Here are two transparent objects — one is glass and one is plastic. They look the same. How could you tell which is which?
Model response: I could tap them — glass makes a ringing sound and plastic makes a duller sound. Glass feels colder when you touch it. Glass is heavier than plastic of the same size. Plastic bends a bit if you press it but glass does not — it would break. You could carefully check if it scratches easily — plastic scratches more easily than glass.
Classifying materials as natural or manufactured and explaining that some manufactured materials are designed to have specific properties.
Example task
Sort these materials into natural (found in nature) and manufactured (made by people): wood, plastic, rock, glass, cotton fabric, metal, rubber. Which ones are trickier to sort? Why?
Model response: Natural: wood (from trees), rock (from the ground), cotton (from cotton plants), rubber (from rubber trees). Manufactured: plastic (made in factories from oil), glass (made by melting sand). Metal is tricky — the metal ore comes from the ground (natural) but it has to be melted and shaped in factories (manufactured). Rubber is also tricky because natural rubber comes from trees but most rubber now is synthetic.
Delivery rationale
Science knowledge concept — factual content deliverable with visual representations and adaptive quizzing.
Material Properties
Keystone knowledge AI DirectSC-KS1-C026
Knowledge and understanding of the physical properties of common materials expressed through paired descriptors: hard/soft, stretchy/stiff, shiny/dull, rough/smooth, bendy/not bendy, waterproof/not waterproof, absorbent/not absorbent, opaque/transparent. Pupils test and describe properties of materials through direct sensory investigation and simple tests. Mastery involves accurately describing a material's properties using scientific vocabulary.
Teaching guidance
Provide a range of material samples and property-testing activities. Teach paired terms explicitly. Set up property testing stations: drip water on samples (waterproof/absorbent), feel surfaces (rough/smooth), try to bend (bendy/stiff), try to see through (opaque/transparent). Create a properties database of materials.
Common misconceptions
Children often confuse 'hard' with 'heavy'. They may say transparent means 'see through' but not understand that opaque means 'you cannot see through it'. Some confuse 'absorbent' and 'waterproof' as opposites when other categories exist (e.g., water-resistant).
Difficulty levels
Describing one property of a given material using simple paired descriptors (hard/soft, rough/smooth), with teacher modelling.
Example task
Feel this piece of sandpaper. Is it rough or smooth?
Model response: It is rough.
Using several paired descriptors to describe the properties of materials: hard/soft, rough/smooth, shiny/dull, bendy/stiff.
Example task
Describe the properties of this piece of tin foil using at least three describing words.
Model response: It is shiny, smooth and bendy. It is also thin and light.
Testing and describing a range of material properties including waterproof/not waterproof, absorbent/not absorbent, opaque/transparent, and recording results systematically.
Example task
Test these four materials for three properties: waterproof, transparent, bendy. Record your results in a table.
Model response: Table with columns: Material | Waterproof? | Transparent? | Bendy? — Cling film: yes, yes, yes. Paper: no, no (opaque), yes. Tin foil: yes, no (opaque), yes. Fabric: no, no, yes.
Recognising that the same material can have different properties depending on how it has been treated, and that properties can be tested and measured rather than just described.
Example task
A T-shirt is made of cotton fabric. A raincoat is also made of fabric but treated with a waterproof coating. How has changing one property made the material more useful? Can you think of another example?
Model response: The waterproof coating makes the raincoat fabric stop water getting through, while the cotton T-shirt would get soaked. Changing just one property (waterproofness) makes the material much more useful for rainy weather. Another example: paper is normally soft and weak, but when it is laminated (coated in plastic) it becomes waterproof and stronger — that is how we make things like place mats or book covers.
Delivery rationale
Science knowledge concept — factual content deliverable with visual representations and adaptive quizzing.
Access barriers (2)
Testing material properties involves handling multiple textures, surfaces and substances. Children with tactile defensiveness or sensory processing difficulties may find the multi-texture exploration distressing.
Material properties introduces many paired descriptors simultaneously: hard/soft, stretchy/stiff, shiny/dull, rough/smooth, bendy/not bendy, waterproof/not waterproof, absorbent/not absorbent, opaque/transparent. That is 16 vocabulary items in one topic.
Material Suitability for Purpose
knowledge AI DirectSC-KS1-C027
Understanding that materials are selected for specific uses based on their properties - some properties make a material suitable while others make it unsuitable. For example, metal is used for a car body because it is strong and hard, but not for a raincoat because it is not flexible. Mastery involves evaluating the suitability of materials for a given purpose by referring to specific properties.
Teaching guidance
Use design and technology contexts to explore material suitability - 'What material would be best for a raincoat? For a window? For a door?'. Encourage pupils to justify choices using property vocabulary. Comparative tests (testing which material is most waterproof for an umbrella) are the most powerful pedagogical approach here.
Common misconceptions
Children often choose materials based on familiarity or preference rather than properties. Some think there is always one 'right' answer for material choice, rather than understanding that multiple materials might work and that context determines the best choice.
Difficulty levels
Choosing a material for a simple purpose when given a clear reason, with teacher support.
Example task
We need to cover a window. Should we use cardboard or glass? Why?
Model response: Glass, because you can see through it.
Choosing a suitable material for a given purpose and explaining the choice using one or two property words.
Example task
Which material would be best for making an umbrella: paper, plastic or fabric? Explain your choice.
Model response: Plastic would be best because it is waterproof and will not let the rain through. Paper would get soggy and tear. Fabric would soak up the water.
Evaluating the suitability of different materials for a given purpose by testing specific properties, and justifying choices with evidence from tests.
Example task
We need to choose a material for a waterproof hat. Test these three materials and recommend the best one. Explain your choice using evidence from the test.
Model response: I tested plastic, fabric and paper by pouring water on each. The plastic kept all the water out — waterproof. The fabric let some water through — not very waterproof. The paper went soggy and tore — not waterproof at all. I recommend plastic because our test showed it is completely waterproof, which is the most important property for a hat in the rain.
Explaining that material choice involves balancing several properties and that there may not be one perfect material, sometimes requiring a combination.
Example task
Why might a coat be made from fabric with a waterproof layer inside, rather than being made entirely from plastic? Think about the properties needed for a good coat.
Model response: A coat needs to be waterproof to keep rain out, but it also needs to be comfortable, flexible and breathable so the person does not get too hot and sweaty. Pure plastic would be waterproof but uncomfortable, stiff and would trap sweat inside. Fabric is comfortable and flexible but not waterproof on its own. By combining them — fabric on the outside with a waterproof layer inside — you get both comfort and waterproofness. Most real objects need a balance of several properties, not just one.
Delivery rationale
Science knowledge concept — factual content deliverable with visual representations and adaptive quizzing.
Physical Transformation of Solid Materials
knowledge AI FacilitatedSC-KS1-C028
Understanding that the shape of solid objects can be changed by applying physical forces: squashing (compressing), bending (curving), twisting (rotating) and stretching (elongating). Not all materials can be transformed by all methods, and some transformations are reversible while others are not. This introduces the concept of material response to force, a precursor to KS2 and KS3 work on forces and materials.
Teaching guidance
Provide a range of materials for hands-on exploration: clay, plasticine, foam, rubber bands, wire, paper, fabric. Pupils test each method systematically on each material. Introduce the idea of reversibility - does it spring back? Vocabulary: squash, bend, twist, stretch, change, shape, spring back, permanent.
Common misconceptions
Children often think that because a rubber band stretches, rubber is not solid. They may not distinguish between reversible deformation (stretching a rubber band) and permanent change (squashing clay). Some confuse physical change (shape change) with chemical change (making something new).
Difficulty levels
Showing that the shape of some objects can be changed by pushing, pulling or squashing them, through hands-on exploration.
Example task
Take this piece of plasticine. Can you change its shape? Show me how.
Model response: Child squashes the plasticine flat, then rolls it into a sausage shape.
Using the correct terms — squashing, bending, twisting and stretching — to describe how the shapes of materials can be changed.
Example task
Try squashing, bending, twisting and stretching each of these materials: plasticine, elastic band, pipe cleaner, sponge. Which actions work on each?
Model response: Plasticine: I can squash it flat, bend it, and twist it, but it does not stretch much. Elastic band: I can stretch it a lot and twist it, but not squash it. Pipe cleaner: I can bend and twist it but not stretch it. Sponge: I can squash it and bend it, it stretches a little and I can twist it.
Testing which materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching, and noticing which changes are reversible (spring back) and which are permanent.
Example task
Stretch an elastic band and then let go. Bend a paper clip and then let go. What happens? What is different about the two results?
Model response: The elastic band springs back to its original shape — the stretching is reversible. The paper clip stays bent in the new shape — the bending is permanent, it does not spring back. Some materials return to their original shape and some do not. The elastic band is elastic but the paper clip is not.
Explaining why different materials respond differently to squashing, bending, twisting and stretching, and linking this to real-world applications.
Example task
Why are springs made of metal rather than plasticine? Use what you know about how materials respond to being stretched and squashed.
Model response: When you stretch or squash a metal spring, it bounces back to its original shape — the change is reversible. Plasticine would stay in whatever shape you squashed it into because its changes are permanent. Springs need to go back to their original shape every time — that is how they work in mattresses, pens and trampolines. Metal is chosen because it is elastic for this purpose.
Delivery rationale
Science concept with significant practical requirements — AI delivers theory, facilitator manages practical.