Best Material for the Job
Aligned to 2-PS1-2 — Next Generation Science Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Different materials are good at different jobs, so we test them to see which one works best for what we need.
Worked examples
Example 1
To catch rainwater you would pick a plastic cup, not a paper towel, because plastic holds water and paper soaks it up.
Example 2
To make a jump rope you would choose rope, not string, because rope is strong enough not to snap.
Example 3
A material can be right for one job and wrong for another. Paper is great for drawing and terrible for a raincoat.
Practice questions
- Name one material that would make a good umbrella and tell why.
- Test a paper towel and a sponge to see which soaks up more water.
- Pick the best material to wrap an ice cube so it melts slowly, and say why.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
El Mejor Material para la Tarea
Diferentes materiales sirven para diferentes tareas, por eso los probamos para ver cuál funciona mejor para lo que necesitamos.
Ejemplo 1: Para juntar agua de lluvia elegirías un vaso de plástico, no una toalla de papel, porque el plástico retiene el agua y el papel la absorbe.
Ejemplo 2: Para hacer una cuerda de saltar elegirías soga, no hilo, porque la soga es lo bastante fuerte para no romperse.
Ejemplo 3: Un material puede servir para un trabajo y no para otro. El papel es genial para dibujar y pésimo para un impermeable.
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