We have started working on our new unit of inquiry.
Here are some details about this new unit:
Central idea: We use different materials for different purposes to build structures.
Lines of Inquiry:
1. Famous structures
(looking at famous structures around the world, what they are made of and what their function is.)
2. Properties of materials
(looking at different types of materials, whether they are natural or man-made, the properties of these materials and how and why certain materials are used in construction and why some ARE NOT!)
3. Principles of design and construction
(Learning about the process of designing and constructing a structure from start to finish. We will also be designing our own structures.)
The key concepts we will be focusing on are FORM and FUNCTION.
During this unit we will be going on a great field trip to see a straw bale house and we will also have a flute making workshop linking what we are learning about in our unit to music and which materials are used for making different instruments.
Here are some fab websites linked to this unit:
Some of these sites are quite complex but would still be great to look at with your children. Some of them the children can work on independently!
1. http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/Science/changingmaterials.htm
Scroll down to the bottom of the Woodlands site for lots of other games and links to different websites about materials and their properties.
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/characteristics_materials.shtml
Characteristics and properties of materials
3. http://www.student.cardonald.ac.uk/internal/materials/construction/properties%20of%20building%20materials/index.htm
This above one is quite complex but would be a great challenge - read through with an adult!
4.http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/english/career_books/building_materials/page12.htm
5. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/materials.html
6. http://architecture.about.com/od/structural/Construction_Facts.htm
The above site would be a good reading activity do to with an adult.
7. http://www.archkidecture.org/learn.html
Architecture for kids!
8. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/materials/characteristic_materials/read1.shtml
Properties of materials
9. http://www.mikecurtis.org.uk/ks2_properties.htm
10. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/characteristics_materials.shtml
How can you support your child through this unit?
By looking at, discussing and reading through the contents of the above websites.
Looking at different materials around the house and discussing what the properties of the material are and why it was used to make a particular item.
If you see a building site along the road or near your house you might want to stop and talk with your child about what stage the construction is in and what is going on...
Any questions, please feel free to email me!
Happy researching!
Miss Lamb
d.lamb@dominics-int.org
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