Testing material properties

In this STEM activity students will learn about the properties of materials through testing.

Exploring different materials and their properties is an excellent way to introduce children to engineering and design concepts, fostering their understanding of how things are built and encouraging creative problem-solving skills.

This experiment is part of a set of resources developed to support the teaching of the primary national curriculum, especially for key stage two (KS2). Students will learn about different types of materials, testing properties of everyday materials, and working out the density of a material.

The focus is on key topics within design & technology, science, and mathematics and could be carried out either in school or at home.

Activity: Working out what materials are used in everyday products

In this activity, learners will investigate everyday materials and learn about their properties by testing them. They will have an opportunity to weigh and work out the volume of a material. Using these numbers, they will calculate the density. They will then repeat this for other materials and discuss their results as a class.

This experiment will also help learners collect data through testing and measurement, using number skills in a practical context. It fits perfectly into a broader scheme of learning focusing on using maths and science to further understand the properties of materials.

This activity will take approximately 40 – 60 minutes.

Tools/supplies needed:

Resources required:

• Lemons or bottle of lemon juice
• Water
• Small bowls
• Cotton buds/paint brushes
• White paper
• Hairdryer or lamp
   

Follow our step-by-step guide on working out what materials are used in everyday products

Students carry out each test and record the results:

1. Magnetic test: Does the magnet attach, yes or no?
2. Flexibility test: Gently bend the material. How easily does it bend?
3. Transparency test: How easily can you see through the material?
4. Density test: Weigh each object and write down the weight in g.
5. Next, work out the volume of the object.
6. Learners share their experiences of testing materials.

Clear instructions on how to work out the density are included in our presentation.

The engineering context

Engineers must have a firm understanding of material properties when they design and manufacture a product. For instance, when space engineers designed the Mars rover, they used materials that can endure intense heat and radiation, as Mars is a challenging planet to work on.

This activity will provide a hands-on experience for students to understand the properties of materials, natural and man-made, and how to classify them. It is an excellent resource for a materials project or materials experiment, especially for KS2 level students.

Suggested learning outcomes

This activity will teach children about the diverse properties of various materials. They will learn how to distinguish between different types of materials. It will equip them with the skills to test these materials to understand what they are made from.

They'll also learn how to calculate the density of a material, a fundamental aspect of understanding its physical properties. Additionally, by conducting these experiments, children will develop practical scientific skills, such as observation, data recording, and analysis. The activity is designed to foster curiosity and instil a deeper appreciation for the materials that make up the world around them.

Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources

All activity worksheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs.

The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

You can download our step-by-step instructions below as either a classroom lesson plan or PowerPoint presentation.

And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation.