Science- testing materials

Date: 24th Nov 2022 @ 11:25pm

We have been exploring and investigating the properties of materials this half term in Science. We looked at a range of materials including: tin foil, paper, cardboard and wood, and talked about their properties. We then explored the materials and shapes used to build bridges. We learnt that triangles are the best shapes for strength. We predicted which of the materials would be the most suitable for building a bridge. The task then, was to build a bridge between two supports with each of the materials. We decided to keep one variable the same to keep our test fair. Each time, we would put a 200g weight on our bridge to see if it supported well. We tested our bridges and chose the most suitable material based on the outcome. The children were then challenged to make a stronger bridge using only paper. They were asked if they could incorporate triangles into their design. Some children decided to fold their paper like a fan. They were so surprised when they realised that it would now hold the 200g weight, simply by changing the shape! Watch out for those surprised faces!