When we are making something, it is important to choose the right materials. You could build a good strong bridge from stone, but a bridge made of chocolate wouldn’t carry much weight. It might be rather tempting for people to have the odd nibble from it too!

It is alright to make a house from ice if you live near the North Pole but it wouldn’t be a good idea if you lived in a rainforest, would it?

If you are building a place to live, choosing the right material for the job is very important!

In order to decide which materials are right for each job, we have to know something about the properties of the materials. This activity will help to test what we know about materials and their properties.

Example

What material is a saucepan made from?

- metal

- wood

- plastic

Answer

A saucepan would be made from metal because it is strong and hard. Metal can also be heated up until it is very hot without melting, which is essential when cooking! 

Wood would be set on fire and plastic would melt. 

Let's try some questions now.