Year 5: Marvellous Materials

Year 5 pupils applied their scientific skills to explore the choices made by author Ted Hughes in writing ‘The Iron Man.’ They constructed figures using various materials and analysed how the story would change if the character were instead named Jelly Man, Fabric Man, Paper Man and so on. For example, Jelly Man would dissolve in the sea, while Fabric Man would become very heavy when wet and unable to move.

Pupils discovered that not all materials could support their own weight or remain upright. Additionally, they found that some materials were better suited for attaching parts or creating movable joints.Year 5 concluded that choosing iron for the Iron Man was a wise decision by Ted Hughes. It was a really engaging cross-curricular project and Year 5 are are now well-prepared to begin their next science unit, which focuses on materials!