Year 1 Materials

This Year 1 unit offers a series of engaging, hands-on outdoor lessons that bring the science of materials to life through real-world challenges, sensory exploration, and playful investigations. Your pupils will develop key skills in observation, classification, vocabulary, and critical thinking as they explore properties, compare materials, and apply their learning in fun, meaningful contexts.

Lesson Plans

Identifying materials and objects

Engage your Year 1 pupils in a fun, outdoor lesson where they’ll master identifying objects and the materials they’re made from! This hands-on lesson fosters scientific observation and classification skills through interactive ‘object soup’ and real-world material sorting.

Learning objective:

To identify the materials objects are made from.

Describing properties of materials

Inspire your class with a lively sensory exploration that brings the world of materials to life. This interactive lesson builds scientific observation, rich vocabulary, and critical thinking through playful, hands-on discovery.

Learning objective:

To describe the simple physical properties of everyday materials.

Comparing everyday materials

Connect your Year 1 pupils with science outdoors with this hands-on lesson which fosters scientific observation, critical thinking, and classification skills through interactive stations and a fun ‘Grouping Game’.

Learning objective:

To compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their properties.

Solving a problem using knowledge of properties

Inspire your Year 1 class with an exciting outdoor scenario that brings science to life through exploration and real-world problem-solving. This engaging lesson nurtures teamwork as pupils apply their knowledge in a fun, meaningful context.

Learning objective:

To apply my knowledge of properties to solve a problem

Testing materials

Ignite curiosity with an exciting outdoor adventure where Year 1 pupils test materials for Jam-Jar Sam’s rainforest expedition! This hands-on lesson sparks critical thinking as children explore, evaluate, and improve their real-world designs.

Learning objective:

To test which materials are sensible for outdoor adventures.

Before you get started

Safety and suistanability is super important!