Choosing the Right Material for the Job: Concept Map
≈ 24 minConcept Map
Organise the vocabulary, quantities and relationships into a connected model.
This extension applies that lens specifically to Choosing the Right Material for the Job.
Builders and engineers choose a material by matching its properties to the job it must do.
- A cooking pot must sit on a hot stove without melting, so we use metal — strong and able to handle heat.
- A window must let light in and be hard, so we use glass — transparent and hard.
- A shopping bag must be light and keep the rain out, so we use plastic — light and waterproof.
We can also make a material better for a job. Builders make a wall stronger by using bricks and cement together — this is called combining materials. We can waterproof a cardboard box by wrapping it in plastic, so the rain cannot soak in.
Worked example. A farmer needs a fence to keep goats in. Should it be made of paper, glass or metal wire?
Metal wire — it is strong, it does not break when a goat pushes against it, and it lasts outside in the rain and sun. Paper would tear at once, and glass would shatter. The job needs 'strong and long-lasting outdoors', and metal has those properties.
Natural Sciences — Grade 4 — Concept Map: Why are cooking pots usually made of metal?
Natural Sciences — Grade 4 — Concept Map: A builder wants to make a strong wall. Which choice is best?
Natural Sciences — Grade 4 — Concept Map: You wrap a cardboard box in plastic so the rain cannot soak in. Making something keep water out like this is called making it ___. Fill in the missing word.
Name the original topic being extended by this concept map lesson.
Which statement is the best evidence-led starting point for Choosing the Right Material for the Job: Concept Map?