Below are ideas for extending this topic beyond the activity & exploration which you just completed.

• Lesson Assessment and Answer Key
• Readings: Three readings with comprehension questions.
• Video: Catch students' attention with a song about materials..
• Online Simulations: Reinforce & expand on knowledge gained through hands-on experimentation
• Activity: If your students liked making hats,try inventing a backscratcher.
  

These readings are free with registration on ReadWorks, a nonprofit committed to providing teachers with research-proven, Common-Core aligned readings. All readings include comprehension questions.

• T-Shirts and Shorts includes four readings to help students get ready for Grade 3.
  • Links: Introduction, Reading 1, Reading 2, Reading 3
• The Silk Mystery describes the properties of spider silk and scientists’ efforts to duplicate this natural material.
• A Playground Problem introduces modeling, an important concept in science, and describes building a playground with recycled materials.

Exploring the properties of materials with simulations doesn't substitute for hands-on experiments, but it can help reinforce & expand students' knowledge.

• Characteristics of materials: Students test whether materials are flexible, waterproof, transparent, and strong. Then they apply this knowledge in a simulated workshop where they make car tires, saucepans, and windows. Students can also experiment and see what happens when you make these objects using the wrong materials!
• Tinkerball: Students experiment with different materials to get a bouncing ball to land in a cup.