Page 66 - FOUNDATIONS FOR LIFE; EXPLORING GOD’S UNIVERSE

Science Y5 – God’s Amazing Matters – lesson 18

7. Divide the children into groups to devise and conduct experiments to further explore the
properties of the textiles. Give strips of a variety of materials for the children to work on,

eg cotton, silk, wool, nylon, linen, kapok, polyester.

Encourage the children to find clear ways of recording their findings. If time is short, or
there are a number of less able children in the group, the worksheet may be used.

• Find adjectives to describe each fabric.
• Are they elastic?
• What happens when they are washed in hot and/or cold water?
• Do they dry quickly?
• How do they appear when examined under a microscope?
• Can they easily be torn?
• What happens if a spot of bleach is put onto them?
• Do they crease a lot?
• Are they soft to wear?
• What is each one used for? (Refer to books or the Internet.)

8. Gather back to share results. Talk briefly about how to recycle fabrics/clothes through
charity shops or refuse centres. The Salvation Army often collects old clothes for

homeless people.

9. Encourage the children to have a sense of gratitude for the variety of clothes we have
and for men and women through the ages who have used their God-given talents to create
new textiles and machinery.

Learning for Life (Fulfilment)

1. The pupils will have been made aware of the number and variety of natural and man-made
textiles.

2. They will have had opportunity to devise experiments to find the properties of a selection
of materials.

3. They will hopefully realise the importance of recycling old clothes and other fabrics.

64