If a material insulates electricity or heat it means it does not allow it to pass through it easily.

A fuel is something that can be used to generate heat or light.

Temperature is a measure of how hot something is.

We compare things by looking at what is the same and what is different.

The impact of something is the effect it has.

Insulating our homes and schools (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability)

Science

In this Properties, changes and separating materials unit, pupils learn to decide how mixtures might be separated, including through filtering, sieving and evaporating. In the Materials challenge unit, they will build on this knowledge to apply their understanding of separating materials to a wider range of everyday situations

In the Everyday materials unit, pupils learnt to compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their simple physical properties. In this Properties, changes and separating materials, pupils will build on this knowledge to compare an group together everyday materials on the basis of a wider variety of properties

This unit explores the properties of everyday materials, including hardness, solubility, and conductivity. It covers reversible changes like dissolving and mixing, and irreversible changes such as burning. Emphasis is on scientific enquiries, data recording, and presenting findings with evidence.

Properties, changes and separating materials

Physical activity and equipment requiring safe use

Match the season to the reason why fuel is used in buildings. 

Increase the temperature we expect of our rooms.

Reduce the temperature we expect of our rooms.

Make no changes to the temperature of our rooms. 

In winter, which of these actions is likely to reduce fuel costs?  

How does insulating buildings affect the amount of fuel needed to keep a building at a stable temperature?

How could you investigate heat loss around a school? 

the effect of thermal insulation on children’s happiness.

the effect of temperature on people's concentration.

the effect of actions intended to reduce heat loss.

If you analyse temperature data in response to actions linked to thermal insulation, you can find out ...

Compare fuel costs before and after the actions.

How can you tell whether actions to reduce fuel use have had an impact? 

If you want something to stay warm, which of these types of materials would you wrap it in?  

Which of these materials would you use to make a mat to protect a table from a hot saucepan?  

Which of these would improve the thermal insulation properties of a material? 

Thermal insulators help things cool down. 

Thermal insulators keep warm things warm.  

Thermal insulators keep cold things cold.  

In an investigation to see which was the best at keeping warm soup warm, the temperature of soup was measured in three different bowls over 10 mins.  Which bowl was the best at keeping the soup warm?

Content guidance

Risk assessment required - equipment

Adult supervision required

Introduction

What will you need for this lesson?

Are you ready to learn?

Equipment

Content guidance

Supervision

Worksheet