New
New
Year 5

Thermal insulators: plan

I can plan to investigate the physical property of thermal insulation.

New
New
Year 5

Thermal insulators: plan

I can plan to investigate the physical property of thermal insulation.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Different materials have different physical properties.
  2. A thermal insulator is a material that does not allow heat to pass through easily.
  3. Different materials can be suitable or unsuitable for thermal insulation depending on their properties.
  4. In a comparative test, the variable that is being changed has names or labels, such as the names of plants.
  5. When we control variables, it means we keep them the same throughout an investigation.

Common misconception

Children may think that thermal insulators only keep things warm.

Task A specifically addresses this misconception. Children will have opportunities to investigate which cup has the best thermal insulation properties for keeping drinks cold in lesson 5 of this unit.

Keywords

  • Material - A material is the substance that objects are made from such as wood, metal or plastic.

  • Physical properties - The physical properties of a material are the features that can be observed or measured.

  • Thermal insulator - A thermal insulator is a material that does not allow heat to pass through it easily.

  • Comparative test - In a comparative test, the variable that is being changed has names or labels, such as the names of plants.

  • Variables - Variables can be controlled, measured or changed.

Make sure children understand that thermal insulators can keep things cold as well as warm. Focus on the idea that good thermal insulators limit temperature changes.
Teacher tip

Equipment

This is a planning lesson but it may help children to have access to a range of cups made from different materials, as well as thermometers and stopwatches. They will carry out tests in lesson 4.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the word or phrase used to describe what a material can do or how it behaves?
physical mass
Correct answer: physical properties
physical weight
physical size
Q2.
Match the material to the physical property.
Correct Answer:sandpaper,rough

rough

Correct Answer:ice,smooth

smooth

Correct Answer:wool,soft

soft

Q3.
Which materials are not magnetic?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: all non-metals and some metals
some non-metals and some metals
all metals
Q4.
What is the name for materials which do not allow electricity to pass through them easily?
electrical conductors
electrical materials
Correct answer: electrial insulators
electrical wires
Q5.
What is the name for materials which do not allow sound to pass through them easily?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: sound insulators
sound conductors
sound keepers
sound blockers
Q6.
If you were choosing materials to build a bridge, which of these would be useful to base your choice on?
An image in a quiz
the materials' names
Correct answer: the materials’ physical properties
the materials’ colour
the materials’ size

6 Questions

Q1.
Different materials often have physical properties.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: different
Q2.
A thermal insulator is a material that …
allows heat to pass through easily.
does not allow any heat to pass through.
Correct answer: does not allow heat to pass through easily.
Q3.
What type of enquiry is used when the variable that is being changed has names or labels, e.g. types of materials?
research using secondary sources
fair test
Correct answer: comparative test
identifying and classifying
Q4.
What makes a material suitable or unsuitable for thermal insulation?
its cost
its colour
Correct answer: its properties
its name
Q5.
Match the physical property to the expected observation.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:cup made from a good thermal insulator ,hot drinks cool down slowly

hot drinks cool down slowly

Correct Answer:cup made from a poor thermal insulator,hot drinks cool down quickly

hot drinks cool down quickly

Q6.
What does it mean to control variables in an investigation?
An image in a quiz
change the variables
Correct answer: keep variables the same
know how many variables there are

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