ABSTRACT
If children in the primary phase of education are to be involved in ‘thinking and doing’ and solving problems, then they will need a range of suitable materials. The wider the choice the better, but realism is essential in terms of cost, storage facilities, the tools and techniques needed to work the materials and the skills of the teacher. Whatever boys and girls decide to make, as a result of attempting to satisfy a need, they will have to use materials. Such materials can be listed under three headings: natural, synthetic and mixed. The natural materials are those available from nature and include wood, metal, and clay. Materials that are manufactured by people are called synthetic and include glass, concrete, and plastics. The mixed group are natural materials which are altered to give them better properties: these include fabrics of various kinds-leather, plywoods and paper. As the children become more involved with a wider range of materials through Design Technology then they will decide from experience and availability which materials are most suitable for the problem they are attempting to solve. Many suitable materials can be provided by the teacher and the children at no cost. Each day, usable items are thrown away which could be brought into school, for example cardboard boxes and tubes, plastic bottles, jars and lids, cotton reels and drink cans, old records and the lids from containers and jars. All these and many more items can be used in problem-solving work and there exists a virtually limitless supply which children and parents will deliver to school.
