Material Makers Real-World Challenge

In the Material Makers Real-World Challenge, a real-life material scientist introduces pupils to the world of work and discusses the relatable knowledge and essential skills they use in their role. Pupils then look at the properties of building materials, discover a range of innovative materials created by scientists, discover materials used in the building industry and consider their essential skills as they become material makers themselves as they make and test the strength of corrugated cardboard planks, and imagine new materials based on a set of desirable properties.

The presentation links the skills used in the classroom to the skills used by real scientists in the world of work. Each activity in the presentation has been designed to support the development of science knowledge and skills and pupils are encouraged to reflect on their skill development at the end of the challenge. The teacher slide notes provide a link to the Skills Builder Framework.