Year 7 Science

Materials and their properties

Guidance for Teachers and Parents.

Lesson 2- Using Raw Materials

National Curriculum: Programmes of Study for Sc3

Work on the classification of materials, the ways in which materials can be changed. Work on chemical reactions should emphase patterns of reaction and the importance of chemical change in making new substances.

Key Elements

(a) That virtually all materials are made through chemical reactions.

(b) That useful products can be made from chemical reactions.

Objectives

Pupils should:

(a) Understand the terms synthetic and natural in relation to clothing fabrics.

(b) Begin to explore the relationship between a material's properties and its uses.

(c) Understand that manufacturing processes are reactions that result in new materials with new properties and uses.

(d) Raw materials are required for new products.

Outcomes

Pupils are be able to:

(a) Distinguish between natural, synthetic (manufactured) materials.

(b) Realise that common substances like the air, fossil fuels and living things are sources of raw materials.

(c) Understand that processes like heat can change a material.

Notes

The terms natural and synthetic are in relation to clothing material. Synthetic fabric contains polymers manufactured from oil products. Manufactured is used here for materials that have been changed in some way from the original raw material. Pupils maybe confused that a chair is manufactured but the material is still very closely related to the original raw material - a tree.

All synthetic materials are maufactured but not all manufacture materials are synthetic.

Charcoal making is a simple demonstration of how a raw material can be processed. This should be performed only in a fume cupboard. Flammable gases are produced.

This can be used to introduce fossil fuels and their relation to living things.

The crude oil activity introduces an important topic that will be studied in more detail at Key Stage 4. Here pupils will see some new terms and be introduced to the idea that temperature and boiling point are key factors in separating the materials from crude oil.

Extension Work

Research into the origins of fossil fuels.

Return to Science Active