Natural & Processed Materials Incursion (Levels 3/4)

In this exciting 90-minute incursion, students explore various natural and processed materials; comparing and contrasting their physical properties. Students explore how these physical properties can influence how the materials are used, and conduct various tests to learn more about how each material behaves. Students are also challenged with considering how the environment can be negatively impacted by the production of various materials; in particular, single use plastics. Our passionate science educators carefully guide students through each step, prompting students to predict, observe and reflect on each activity.

• Students investigate various natural and processed materials, explore their physical properties; and identify how these properties can influence their use.

• Discussing prior knowledge of materials and where they come from (e.g. animal, plant or rocks and minerals).
• Identifying raw and processed materials.
• Processing a raw material to create a bioplastic; and considering how the properties of materials affect management of waste or can lead to pollution.
• Exploring the properties of various materials. 
• Investigating different materials for the property of water absorption.
• Conducting a fair test to explore the property of bounciness (elasticity). 
• Experimenting with Nitinol memory wire. 
• Observing a demonstration of the property of fire resistance in different fabrics.
• Exploring the property of magnetism using ferrofluid.

• Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties; these properties can influence their use (VCSSU060).
• Reflect on an investigation, including whether a test was fair or not (VCSIS071).
• Participate in guided investigations, including making observations using the senses, to explore and answer questions (VCSIS051).