Year 2 Properties of Materials Activities

Covers: Activity Resources Relation to National Curriculum Downloads
Activity One - Materials Around The House

Activity 1

Materials Around The House


  • Dt1/1.3a explore and evaluate a range of existing products
  • Sc2/1.4 identifying and classifying
  • Sc2/1.5 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses
Activity Two - Comparing Properties

Activity 2

Comparing Properties


  • Dt1/1.3a explore and evaluate a range of existing products
  • Sc2/1.4 identifying and classifying
  • Sc2/1.5 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses
Activity Three - Suitable Materials

Activity 3

Suitable Materials


  • Dt1/1.3a explore and evaluate a range of existing products
  • Sc2/1.4 identifying and classifying
  • Sc2/1.5 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses
Activity Four - Identify Material Origins

Activity 4

Identify Material Origins


  • Sc2/1.4 identifying and classifying
  • Sc2/1.5 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses

Activity Five - Create A Recycling Poster

Activity 5

Recycling Poster


  • Sc2/1.4 identifying and classifying
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses
Activity Six - Create A Sculpture Using Different Materials

Activity 6

Create A Sculpture With Materials


  • Range of recycling items for example:
  • yoghurt pots
    egg cartons
    cereal box
    toilet rolls
    straws
    bottle tops
  • Tissue paper
  • Straws
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Tape
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses
  • Ar1/1.1 to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
  • Ar1/1.2 to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
Activity Seven - Printing With Different Materials

Activity 7

Printing With Different Materials


  • White card
  • Poster paint
  • Objects made from different materials for example:
  • Metal – spoon / fork
    Plastic – cup / bottle
    Glass – jar
    Wood – bark / stick
    Rock – stone from outside
    Rubber – toy car tyres
  • Ar1/1.3 to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
Activity One - Materials Around The House

Activity 1
Materials Around The House

Practical Resources:

Relation to Curriculum in England:

  • Dt1/1.3a explore and evaluate a range of existing products
  • Sc2/1.4 identifying and classifying
  • Sc2/1.5 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses

Downloads:

Activity Two - Comparing Properties

Activity 2
Comparing Properties

Practical Resources:

Relation to Curriculum in England:

  • Dt1/1.3a explore and evaluate a range of existing products
  • Sc2/1.4 identifying and classifying
  • Sc2/1.5 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses

Downloads:

Activity Three - Suitable Materials

Activity 3
Suitable Materials

Practical Resources:

Relation to Curriculum in England:

  • Dt1/1.3a explore and evaluate a range of existing products
  • Sc2/1.4 identifying and classifying
  • Sc2/1.5 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses

Downloads:

Activity Four - Identify Material Origins

Activity 4
Identify Material Origins

Practical Resources:

Relation to Curriculum in England:

  • Sc2/1.4 identifying and classifying
  • Sc2/1.5 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses

Downloads:


Activity Five - Create A Recycling Poster

Activity 5
Recycling Poster

Practical Resources:

Relation to Curriculum in England:

  • Sc2/1.4 identifying and classifying
  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses

Downloads:

Activity Six - Create A Sculpture Using Different Materials

Activity 6
Create A Sculpture With Materials

Practical Resources:

  • Range of recycling items for example:
  • yoghurt pots
    egg cartons
    cereal box
    toilet rolls
    straws
    bottle tops
  • Tissue paper
  • Straws
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Tape

Relation to Curriculum in England:

  • Sc2/3.1a identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for different uses
  • Ar1/1.1 to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
  • Ar1/1.2 to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination

Downloads:

Activity Seven - Printing With Different Materials

Activity 7
Printing With Different Materials

Practical Resources:

  • White card
  • Poster paint
  • Objects made from different materials for example:
  • Metal – spoon / fork
    Plastic – cup / bottle
    Glass – jar
    Wood – bark / stick
    Rock – stone from outside
    Rubber – toy car tyres

Relation to Curriculum in England:

  • Ar1/1.3 to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space

Downloads:

Suggested Resources

How do I use these activities?

This topic is designed to help children identify and classify different materials around their house, while learning about Venn diagrams and creating a recycling poster. It is a great resource that covers the National Curriculum of England in Art, Design & Technology and Science.

The related activities provided by Hands-On Education are engaging and fun for primary aged children and cover most points of the national curriculum for England. They offer a wide range of resources that can be used to teach children about measurements, testing materials, or flying machines.

By signing up for a free account, you can access videos, activity sheets and easy to understand activity plans to support children in their learning journey. Overall, this is a fantastic educational resource that provides a lot of value for teachers and parents alike.

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