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New
New
Year 7

Materials in design

I can identify different materials and categorise them.

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New
New
Year 7

Materials in design

I can identify different materials and categorise them.

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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Materials can be categorised using aesthetics.
  2. Materials can be categorised using physical properties.
  3. Materials can be categorised using mechanical properties.
  4. Materials can be categorised using the categories paper and board, timber, metal, polymer and textiles.

Keywords

  • Physical properties - characteristic evident all the time and can usually be measured, such as weight

  • Aesthetics - how the product looks including colour, texture and style or theme.

  • Mechanical properties - characteristic evident when the material is being worked, reacting to external forces and loads

  • Strength - the ability to withstand a force

Common misconception

Wood, plastic and fabric are the correct terminology

Timbers and boards, polymers and textiles are the correct terms


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

This lesson is best with a handling collection of sheet materials for pupils to investigate first hand.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

A range of sheet materials such as grey board, foam board, calico, felt, plywood, mdf, corrugated polypropylene, HIPS, acyrlic, aluminum, mild steel, brass.

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - equipment
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision required

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.
Which of the following are sourced from trees?
Correct answer: Timber
Polymer
Metal
Correct answer: Paper
Correct answer: Board
Q2.
Which of these are made from fossil fuels and cannot be replaced?
Timber
Correct answer: Polymer
Metal
Paper
Board
Q3.
Timber can be replaced by planting more trees, this makes timber a material which is ...
Correct Answer: Sustainable, Environmentally friendly
Q4.
Timber can be categorised into which groups?
Wood
Correct answer: Hardwood
Correct answer: Softwood
Correct answer: Manufactured boards
Medium wood
Q5.
Match the type of strength.
Correct Answer:Compression,Resists crushing force
tick

Resists crushing force

Correct Answer:Tension,Resists pulling force
tick

Resists pulling force

Correct Answer:Shear,Resists sliding force
tick

Resists sliding force

Correct Answer:Torsion,Resists twisting force
tick

Resists twisting force

Correct Answer:Bending,Resists warping force
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Resists warping force

Q6.
What is a specification?
Idea drawings
Correct answer: A list of things a product must have or do
Plans
A review of the product

6 Questions

Q1.
Why do designers consider different materials?
To select the strongest
To select the brightest colour
To select the cheapest
To select the easiest to manufcature
Correct answer: To select the most appropriate
Q2.
Materials can be categorised by ...
Correct answer: Aesthetics
Correct answer: Properties
Correct answer: Material groups
Easiest to use
Q3.
Which word is concerned with appearance and can be defined as 'an appreciation of visual beauty' or 'how it looks'?
Correct Answer: Aesthetics
Q4.
Which material is lightweight, can be printed or moulded?
Correct Answer: paper, board, paper and board
Q5.
Match the physical properties to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:Density,How solid a material is.
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How solid a material is.

Correct Answer:Electrical conductivity,How well electricity can to pass through.
tick

How well electricity can to pass through.

Correct Answer:Absorbency,The ability to soak up liquid, light or heat.
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The ability to soak up liquid, light or heat.

Correct Answer:Thermal conductivity,How well heat can to pass through.
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How well heat can to pass through.

Q6.
Select the mechanical properties from the list below.
Density
Correct answer: Compressive strength
Conductivity
Correct answer: Elasticity
Correct answer: Tensile strength