Check it! - Materials - Year 1

The educational materials provided by Focus Education prompt Year 1 students to explore and identify the various materials found in their surroundings. These materials are the building blocks of the objects they encounter daily, whether at school, at home, or in the environment. To reinforce this learning, the programme suggests incorporating regular review sessions. These reviews can be carried out through engaging activities such as 'Brain dump!', where children spill out everything they know, 'Give me FIVE!', which could involve listing five items made from a specific material, or adding information to a 'mind map' to visually organise their thoughts on different materials.

Other suggested activities include 'Expand and Elaborate', where students are encouraged to think more deeply about the properties of materials, such as the flexibility of plastic or the strength of metal. The 'Retrieval Pyramids' activity is designed to assess understanding at different levels, with the expectation that all pupils can respond to the simpler queries at the base of the pyramid, while the higher tiers present more complex challenges. Questions might range from identifying the material best suited for making a window, to naming objects made from wood or plastic, to discussing the origin of wood, and even considering items composed of multiple materials. These exercises aim to solidify their knowledge of materials and their uses, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the topic.