You will learn
- Name common materials.
- Match objects to materials.
- Say where materials come from.
- Compare two materials.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Wood, cotton and wool are natural materials.
- Plastic and glass are made by people.
- Metal comes from rocks.
- Paper comes from plants.
Words to know
a thin material made from plants
a stretchy material
found in nature
made in a factory or workshop
1. Discover: The market stall
At the market, Femi sees a wooden bowl, a clay pot, a metal bucket, a plastic basin and a woven basket. “They are all containers,” he says. “But they are made of different materials.”
Think: What materials can you see?
2. Understand: Everyday materials
Idea 1: Natural materials
Natural materials come from nature. Wood comes from trees. Cotton comes from a plant. Wool comes from sheep. Stone and clay come from the ground.
Idea 2: Materials made by people
Some materials are made by people. Plastic and glass are made in factories. Rubber can come from rubber trees and can be made too. Metal comes from rocks and is shaped by people.
Idea 3: Paper and fabric
Paper comes from plants. Fabric is made from fibres such as cotton or wool. Each material has its own properties.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Natural or made?
Wood and plastic.
- Wood comes from trees.
- Plastic is made in a factory.
- So wood is natural and plastic is made.
Answer: Wood is natural. Plastic is made by people.
Example 2 (We do it together): Match
Window, tyre, shirt.
- Window: glass.
- Tyre: rubber.
- Shirt: fabric.
Answer: Windows use glass, tyres use rubber and shirts use fabric.
Example 3 (You try): Compare
Paper and metal.
Show the steps and answer
- Paper is thin and tears.
- Metal is hard and strong.
- They are used for different jobs.
Answer: Paper tears easily and metal is hard.
Did you know?
Glass is made by melting sand at a very high heat in a factory. It is never made at home.
Why this matters
Knowing where materials come from helps us use them wisely and not waste them.
4. Explore: Materials museum
Make a materials museum on a table.
- Collect safe objects of different materials.
- Label each with its material.
- Sort natural and made.
- Show your museum to the class.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? We use many materials every day.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Wood comes from ___.
- Wool comes from ___.
- Glass is ___ by people.
- Paper comes from ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Where does wood come from?
Trees.
Question 2. Where does wool come from?
Sheep.
Question 3. Is plastic natural?
No.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Where does wood come from?
- Where does wool come from?
- Is plastic natural?
- Name a natural material.
- What is a tyre made of?
Level 2: Grow
- Name two materials made by people.
- What is paper made from?
- Compare wood and plastic.
Level 3: Stretch
- Sort: wool, plastic, wood, glass.
- Explain why we must not waste paper.
- Make a labelled materials museum.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
Which natural materials are used near you?
Show a sample answer
Clay, wood and stone.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Some are natural.
Fix: Plastic is made in factories.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name common materials.
- I can match objects to materials.
- I can say where materials come from.
- I can compare two materials.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Wood, cotton and wool are natural materials.
- Plastic and glass are made by people.
- Metal comes from rocks.
- Paper comes from plants.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Wood. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name three common materials. [3 marks]
- Name a natural material. [1 mark]
- What is plastic? [1 mark]
- Compare paper and metal. [3 marks]
- Why should we not waste paper? [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Any three [1 each]
- Wood, cotton, wool, stone or clay [1]
- A material made by people [1]
- Paper tears [1]; metal is hard [1]; different uses [1]
- It comes from trees [1]; trees take time to grow [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Where does wood come from?
- Where does wool come from?
- Is plastic natural?
- Name a natural material.
- What is a tyre made of?
- Name two materials made by people.
- What is paper made from?
- Compare wood and plastic.
- Sort: wool, plastic, wood, glass.
- Explain why we must not waste paper.
Homework
Look at five objects at home. Write the material for each. Tick natural or made.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Where does wood come from? | Trees. | 1 |
| 2. Where does wool come from? | Sheep. | 1 |
| 3. Is plastic natural? | No. | 1 |
| 4. Name a natural material. | Wood, cotton, wool, stone or clay. | 1 |
| 5. What is a tyre made of? | Rubber. | 1 |
| 6. Name two materials made by people. | Plastic and glass. | 1 |
| 7. What is paper made from? | Plants. | 1 |
| 8. Compare wood and plastic. | Wood is natural; plastic is made. | 1 |
| 9. Sort: wool, plastic, wood, glass. | Natural: wool, wood. Made: plastic, glass. | 1 |
| 10. Explain why we must not waste paper. | It comes from trees. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Trees.; 2 Sheep.; 3 No.; 4 Wood, cotton, wool, stone or clay.; 5 Rubber.. Level 2: 1 Plastic and glass.; 2 Plants.; 3 Wood is natural; plastic is made.. Level 3: 1 Natural: wool, wood. Made: plastic, glass.; 2 It comes from trees.; 3 Objects with labels..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name common materials | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Match objects to materials | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Say where materials come from | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Compare two materials | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “All materials are made in factories.” Some are natural.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use five objects. Name the material and say natural or made.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns about common materials and where they come from. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Name materials in the kitchen.
- Ask, “Is it natural or made?”
- Reuse paper at home.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name common materials; match objects to materials; say where materials come from; compare two materials.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. Objects of wood, metal, plastic, glass, paper, rubber and fabric; labels; trays. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Gather safe objects. Remove any broken glass or sharp metal. Make labels.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Hold up different objects and ask, “What is this made of?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach natural and made materials.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners build a museum.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners sort natural and made.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is it made of? Is it natural?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “All materials are made in factories.” Some are natural.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use five objects. Name the material and say natural or made. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 6, topic 2; Next Generation Science Standards, structure and properties of matter; Cambridge Primary Science Stage 1, materials; IB Primary Years Programme, how the world works. These sources informed the lesson.