ABSTRACT
This chapter covers the key ideas: that there is a range of materials suitable for children to study; that children need to gain first-hand experience of some of these materials so that they can discover some of the properties for themselves; and that some materials may be changed by heating or cooling. It also covers the key ideas: that children will be able to use the first-hand information they have gained about each of the materials along with other ways of gaining information to make informed choices as to which materials are most suitable for a particular item or task. Children can be introduced to the idea of sorting and grouping materials by using everyday objects. The materials which children meet in their normal surroundings are both those which are in their original form, such as stone, and those which have been processed in some way, such as glass.
