New
New
Year 7
Material sustainability
I can identify the sources of materials and assess their sustainability.
New
New
Year 7
Material sustainability
I can identify the sources of materials and assess their sustainability.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Materials can be from natural or synthetic sources.
- Materials can be from renewable or non-renewable sources.
- Metal ores and polymers made from crude oil are non-renewable materials.
- Materials sourced from plants and animals are renewable.
- Recycling ensures that materials are useful for longer, before being discarded.
Keywords
Synthetic - manufactured, not naturally occurring
Sustainable - using resources wisely so that they do not run out
Renewable - resources that are non-finite and can replenish itself
Recycle - convert waste into reusable materials
Common misconception
Recycling is good for the environment.
Recycling ensures that materials are useful for longer before being discarded, but the processing is an envionmental cost.
Sustainability is complex. This lesson debates the merits of different materials in regards to sustainability, with a view to supporting students making informed design decisions.
Teacher tip
Equipment
A range of natural and synthetic materials or products for students to handle.
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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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which two methods of fabricating are most used for joining timber?
Welding
Tape
Q2.
Match the different material terms:
polymers
timbers
fabrics
paper and boards
Q3.
What can polymers be made from?
Animal products
Metals
Q4.
Give another word for 'made by humans'.
Q5.
Which materials come from rocks and minerals underground and are also commonly called 'ore'?
Timbers
Polymers
Papers and boards
Q6.
Why are metal ores not sustainable?
They can always be recycled.
They are all renewable.
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
What are the main benefits of recycling?
Degrades material quality
Increased energy use
Q2.
What is 'sustainability'?
Ignoring environmental impact
Using up resources
Q3.
What is a synthetic material?
found naturally
Q4.
How can textiles be sustainably sourced?
synthetic sources
Q5.
Which of the 6Rs is this a definition for: 'convert waste into reusable materials'?
Rethink
Refuse
Reduce
Reuse
Q6.
Put the 6Rs in order of importance: