Uses of Everyday Materials — Year 2 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: Science — Uses of everyday materials: identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard, Year 2
Overview
Pupils build on their Year 1 knowledge of materials by investigating how the properties of materials determine their uses. They explore how materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting, and stretching, and compare the suitability of different materials for specific purposes.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the uses of everyday materials and explain why they are used.
- Compare how materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting, and stretching.
- Evaluate which material is most suitable for a given purpose.
- Understand that the same material can be used for different purposes.
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Give pupils a lump of clay and a piece of card. Ask: what can you do to each? Establish: some materials can be changed in shape easily, others cannot. Which changes were permanent? Which were reversible?
Introduce the four change types: squash, bend, twist, stretch. Discuss which materials allow each change. Connect to use: elastic bands can stretch (useful for holding things), metal can be bent (useful for guttering), clay can be squashed (useful for pottery). Show that some changes are permanent, some reversible.
Pupils test four materials (foil, rubber band, card, fabric) for each type of change and record whether it is possible and whether the change is permanent or reversible.
Design challenge: pupils choose the best material to make a waterproof hat, a stretchy glove, and a rigid bridge. They write their choice and justify it using property vocabulary.
Compare two materials for making a bag (paper and plastic). Pupils argue which is better, using evidence from their investigations about properties like waterproofing, flexibility, and strength.
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils think that all changes to materials are the same — be explicit about the difference between reversible changes (stretching elastic back) and permanent ones (tearing paper).
- Assuming that harder or stronger is always better — the best material depends on what is needed; a rigid cup is good, but rigid shoelaces would not work.
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Knowledge of material names and basic properties from Year 1.
- Experience testing and comparing materials.
Want a personalised version of this lesson?
Use Staffroom to generate a complete lesson plan tailored to your class — add context about ability, recent learning, or specific pupils and get a plan ready to teach. Free trial, no card required.