Testing how increasing the thickness of a particular material changes how stiff or flexible it is.
In this Design and technology video, the teacher is guided through a method for testing how stiff or flexible a material is when it is made thicker by folding it in half and then in half again. This provides them with the skills and knowledge to guide Year 2 pupils to carry out their own exploration of thickness and flexibility themselves.
The video shows how to set up the test with two piles of books of equal height and place the material being tested across like a bridge. Connecting cubes are then placed in the centre of the bridge and the pupils should observe how much the material bends or how many cubes can be used before it collapses. The emphasis of the learning in this lesson is on experimentation, observation and asking questions.
This video is part of Kapow Primary’s Design and technology videos, which enable teachers and pupils to explore and make their own products.
See more of our Year 2 Design and technology scheme of work.
