Material world

Material world addresses AC Science Understanding ACSSU074 Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties that can influence their use, through the context of exploring why certain materials are used to make products such as clothes and bags.

Explore our new sequences for Year 4 aligned to AC V9

Material world provides students with hands-on opportunities to:

• consider why some materials are biodegradable and others are not
• investigate how quickly processed materials will rot
• explore the absorbency of different materials
• investigate the tensile strength of different materials
• inquire how materials are used to heat things or keep them warm

Students apply their new learning by:

• planning and conducting an investigation into the thermal insulation properties of different materials

Linking science with literacy

In the Primary Connections approach, students are supported to create representations that draw on and strengthen their literacy development. In Material world, students represent and explain their understanding about how natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties that can influence their use, by creating these representations:

• Analogy
• Factual text
• Glossary
• Graph
• Labelled diagram
• Role play
• Data table
• Word wall

This is a classic Primary Connections sequence aligned with the Australian Curriculum V8.4. It is only available as a downloadable package.

The Material world sequence package includes all the resources you need to teach this sequence, including:

• The Material world unit PDF
• Equipment list
• Australian Curriculum v8.4 alignment
• Student eResource sheets
• Assessment resources:
  • Assessment rubrics
  • Work samples
  • Student self-assessment
  • Achievement standard class checklist

Teacher tools

Our new all-online sequence Take, shape and create shares a curriculum content descriptor with this sequence. Take, shape and create is aligned to the Australian Curriculum V9 and contains embedded professional learning and supplementary teacher advice.