All lessons › Material matters › Lesson 6
Australian primary science · Years 3–4 · Lesson 6 of 6
Material match challenge
Inquiry question: Which materials would you choose for a school lunchbox, and why?
Check practical materials
Applying evidence to a design
What students learn
We choose materials for a job by matching their properties to what the job needs.
Success criteria
- I can list the properties a lunchbox needs.
- I can choose materials and explain my choice using evidence from our tests.
- I can name one limitation of my evidence.
Preparation and materials
Before this lesson: Evidence about flexibility, waterproofness and insulation (lessons 2–4) and re-use (lesson 5).
- Students’ investigation records from lessons 2–5 — Each pair
- Material samples from earlier lessons — 1 set per group
- Printed design sheet — 26 (individual)
Teacher setup
- Return records from earlier lessons.
- Print one individual record per student (assessment).
Safety and adaptations
- No new safety concerns.
Review your school policies and curriculum requirements before teaching.
How to investigate
The lesson sequence should leave pupils with evidence to interpret, not only an activity to finish.
- List the jobs of the box, lid and outer bag: contain food, resist leaks, survive use, slow warming and be re-used. A stiff box can be useful; flexibility alone does not prove it survives a drop.
- For each need, choose a material and find the evidence in your records.
- Write a claim, evidence and reasoning for your main material under the table.
- Write one limitation of your evidence under the table.
- Individually complete the design sheet.
Teacher modelling prompt
Model a justification: “Claim: The lid should be plastic. Evidence: In lesson 3, the plastic kept the cup dry. Reasoning: A lunchbox lid must be waterproof. Limitation: we tested a thin plastic bag, not a thick lid, so a real lid might behave a little differently.”
Record and explain evidence
Recording question: Which materials would make the best lunchbox?
| What it needs | Material I chose | Evidence from our tests |
|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Example recording headings; record actual observations, including inconclusive results.
Discussion prompt
Which claim considers more of the properties a lunchbox needs?
Check understanding
What should pupils know? Choose one material for your lunchbox. Name a property it has and why that property is needed.
Explain with evidence: Name one limitation of the evidence you used.
Apply the idea: Which material would you choose for a beach umbrella, and why?
Teacher answer guidance and saved classroom work are available through the main lesson experience where supported.