Which materials can withstand strong winds?

In this lesson, we will be investigating which materials can be blown down by creating our own wind using a hairdryer. We will be experimenting with different types of materials which have different weights. We will be creating our structures to experiment with in the next lesson, 'Will the wall I've built withstand strong winds?'. You will need playdough, twigs or sticks, hay or straw, sugar cubes, lego or plastic bricks and lastly glue or sticky tape. If you do not have these things, you can watch me model this experiment.

Which materials can withstand strong winds?

In this lesson, we will be investigating which materials can be blown down by creating our own wind using a hairdryer. We will be experimenting with different types of materials which have different weights. We will be creating our structures to experiment with in the next lesson, 'Will the wall I've built withstand strong winds?'. You will need playdough, twigs or sticks, hay or straw, sugar cubes, lego or plastic bricks and lastly glue or sticky tape. If you do not have these things, you can watch me model this experiment.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Designing a strong wall
  2. Planning an experiment to test ability to withstand strong wind

Licence

This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.

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3 Questions

Q1.
1) Was the sugar wall in our experiment waterproof?
Correct answer: No, the sugar was absorbed in the water.
Yes, the sugar was not affected by the water.
Q2.
2) What happened to the plastic bricks in our experiment?
The plastic bricks were affected by the water. Plastic is not waterproof.
Correct answer: The plastic bricks were not affected by the water. Plastic is waterproof.
Q3.
3) Choose 2 properties of a brick wall.
Correct answer: Hard
Correct answer: Strong
Weak
Wobbly

3 Questions

Q1.
1) What does heavy mean?
When something is heavy it describes an object which is easy to move and lift.
Correct answer: When something is heavy it describes an object which is hard to move and lift.
Q2.
2) What does light mean?
Correct answer: When something is light it describes an object which is easy to move and lift.
When something is light it describes an object which is hard to move and lift.
Q3.
3) Which materials are light? Choose 3.
Glass - cup
Correct answer: Paper - 1 sheet
Plastic - Bricks
Playdough
Correct answer: Straw
Correct answer: Wood - Twigs

Lesson appears in

UnitScience / Building things

Science