Grade Level
This lesson is suitable for students of any academic stage, but is designed for students in grades 4-6.
Subject
Science
Duration
30 minutes
Objective
Students will learn about the properties of materials that enable them to change shape. They will explore the concepts of elasticity, plasticity, and ductility and investigate how materials with these properties are used in everyday applications.
Materials
- Various materials with different properties (e.g. rubber bands, clay, copper wire)
- Rulers
- Scissors
- Pencils
- Paper
Procedure
Introduction (5 minutes)
- Begin the lesson by asking students if they have ever played with a rubber band or touched a piece of clay. Ask them to describe what those materials feel like and what they are able to do with them.
- Introduce the concept of changing shape materials by explaining that some materials have properties that allow them to stretch, bend, and twist without breaking. Let students know that they will be exploring these materials in this lesson.
Elasticity (10 minutes)
- Introduce the concept of elasticity by explaining that this property describes how easily a material can stretch and return to its original shape.
- Distribute rubber bands to each student and instruct them to hold the rubber band between their two hands and stretch it. Have them pay attention to how the rubber band changes shape and how it returns to its original shape when released.
- Ask students to describe what they observed about the rubber band. Reinforce that it stretched easily and returned to its original shape, which is a property of elasticity.
- Have students cut one end of the rubber band to create a long strand. Instruct them to use a ruler and a pencil to measure how far they can stretch the rubber band before it breaks. Ask students to share their results. Reinforce that this is a way to measure the degree of elasticity of a material.
Plasticity (10 minutes)
- Introduce the concept of plasticity by explaining that this property describes how easily a material can be molded or shaped without breaking.
- Distribute small pieces of clay to each student and instruct them to mold the clay into various shapes (e.g. balls, cubes, snakes).
- Ask students how easy it was to mold the clay and if they were able to change its shape without breaking it. Explain that this is a property of plasticity.
- Ask students to think of other materials that have the property of plasticity. Have them share their ideas with the class.
Ductility (5 minutes)
- Introduce the concept of ductility by explaining that this property describes how easily a material can be stretched into a wire-like shape without breaking.
- Distribute a piece of copper wire to each student and ask them to bend the wire into various shapes.
- Instruct students to then gently stretch the wire to create a longer, thinner wire-like shape. Ask students how easy it was to stretch the wire and if it broke. Explain that this is a property of ductility.
- Ask students to think of other materials that have the property of ductility. Have them share their ideas with the class.
Conclusion (5 minutes)
- Review the concepts of elasticity, plasticity, and ductility by asking students to summarize the properties of each.
- Ask students to consider how these properties are used in everyday applications (e.g. rubber tires, plastic toys, electrical wiring).
- Wrap up the lesson by asking students to reflect on what they have learned and how they might encounter changing shape materials in their daily lives.
Assessment
The teacher will assess student understanding through class participation, observation, and discussion. Additionally, students may be asked to complete a short written or drawn reflection on the lesson, describing what they have learned and how they might apply it in their own lives.