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New
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Year 7

Material selection

I can select the most appropriate materials using properties and chooser charts.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 7

Material selection

I can select the most appropriate materials using properties and chooser charts.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The purpose, environment and user of a product determine the material properties required.
  2. The product properties required determines the material chosen.

Keywords

  • Product - the object that will be designed and created

  • Purpose - the intended function of the product

  • Place - where the product will be used

  • Person - the user of the product

Common misconception

There is only one suitable material for each product.

There are many different materials which can be suitable once a choice has been made; it is important to explain and justify this.


To help you plan your year 7 design and technology lesson on: Material selection, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

A variety of timbers and polymers as real examples rather than pictures on the slide deck may enhance the lesson.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

Worksheets, writing equipment. Materials and examples of timbers and polymers.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a pillar drill NOT used for?
Correct answer: Creating straight lines
Creating holes in timbers
Creating holes in polymers
Q2.
Which tool is best for working with timber to cut a curved shape?
Correct Answer: Coping saw, Fretsaw
Q3.
Which manufacturing process joins materials?
Deforming
Correct answer: Fabricating
Wasting
Q4.
Scissors are usually used to cut which materials?
Metals
Polymers
Correct answer: Paper
Correct answer: Fabric
Q5.
How many products are produced in a batch production?
Correct Answer: More than one product, Some, Many, A number of products, More than one
Q6.
What is the purpose of a risk assessment?
Remove all the risks
Correct answer: Assess what the potential risks are
Correct answer: Minimise any potential risks

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these is not a factor when selecting materials?
Person
Product
Correct answer: Pulley
Place
Purpose
Q2.
Match the product to the place and material:
Correct Answer:kitchen chair,often polymer seat
tick

often polymer seat

Correct Answer:classroom chair,often timber seat
tick

often timber seat

Correct Answer:armchair,often fabric seat
tick

often fabric seat

Q3.
Which materials are garden chairs often made from?
Fabric
Timber
Correct answer: Metal
Correct answer: Polymer
Q4.
Which softwood is often used for indoor furniture?
Correct Answer: Pine, Douglas fir, Spruce
Q5.
Why are classroom chairs often made from polymers?
Correct answer: They are lightweight.
Correct answer: They are resistant to wear and tear.
They dissolve in water.
Correct answer: They are cost-effective to produce in large quantities.
Q6.
Which polymer is often used to manufacture classroom chair shells?
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Correct answer: Polypropylene (PP)
High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)

Additional material

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