Beginner
40 mins
Teacher/Student led
+65 XP
Teacher-led from the board. Pupils do not need a device, but can follow on one.

A Materials Hunt

In this lesson you will explore everyday objects in the classroom to identify what they are made from. You will learn to name materials like wood, plastic and metal and match them to things around you.

Teacher Class Feed

Load previous activity
    Your turn
    Your teacher is running this lesson on the board. Here is the part you can try yourself.
    Ste exploration
    Observation

    1 - Getting Started ~3 mins

    A classroom chair close up, showing its plastic and metal partsLook around our classroom. What are the things near you made of? Is your chair wood, plastic, or metal? Hands up: one thing you can see and a guess about its material.

    2 - What Is a Material? ~5 mins

    Key point

    The three example objects for wood, plastic and metal, side by sideToday's big word is material: what something is made of.

    Look at these real things. A pencil is mostly wood. A lunch box or bottle lid is often plastic. A coat hook or scissors blade is often metal.

    Note

    Our word bank on the board also shows glass, fabric and paper. We will use those words on the hunt. You do not need to learn every name by heart before we start.

    Which material do you think your pencil is made of?

    3 - Materials Hunt ~12 mins

    Key point

    You are in a group, and your group has its own classroom zone. Stay with your group in that zone.

    Look carefully. Gently touch only the things you were told are safe to touch. Point to each find and say: this is a ___. It is made of ___ (use a word from the word bank on the board: wood, plastic, metal, glass, fabric or paper).

    4 - Favourites on the Tray ~5 mins

    What the sharing tray looks like holding the groups' findsCome back together. As a group, pick one favourite find from the hunt. If it is small, ask first, and if the answer is yes, put it on the sharing tray at the front. If it must stay put (like a window or door), one person draws it quickly on scrap paper instead.

    Look and feel your favourite together and name its material. One person from your group will be chosen to speak.

    5 - Record in Your Journal ~9 mins

    Your Investigation Journal page has a box for each material: wood, plastic, metal, glass, fabric and paper.

    In each box, draw one thing we found that is made of that material. Then write its name on the line under the box.

    Tip

    A quick drawing is enough. Start with the material you found most easily. Can you fill all six boxes?

    Pupil practice · Investigation Journal
    Module 2 · Materials: Natural and Man-made, Properties and What Suits a Job
    Lesson 9 · A Materials Hunt
    Download Investigation Journal sheet (PDF)
    123learn · Online learning platform

    Unlock the full learning experience

    You're previewing this lesson. Get full access to this lesson and hundreds more — each one ready to teach, with interactive activities, printable resources and pupil progress tracking built in.

    Hundreds of curriculum-aligned lessons
    Interactive activities in every lesson
    Printable resources & progress tracking
    Copyright Notice
    This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2026. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.
    🍪 Our website uses cookies to make your browsing experience better. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more