Year 7 ILA Homework
Properties of Materials and Recycling
Homework Objective 1
To be able to identify standard recycling symbols
GUIDANCE/SUPPORT for homework 1
Recycle
Recycling means that you take the material used for a part, break it down or melt it and
use it to make a new part. Recycling can be carried out for metals and many different
types of wood, plastics, card and paper.
It is easiest to recycle products that are made from only one material. Unfortunately,
many products are made up of lots of different parts and materials, which means that
they need to be taken apart to allow recycling. As a result, it can sometimes cost more to
recycle than it would to make new material.
Homework Task 1 - Identify the standard recycling symbols shown below from 1 to 6
Products containing materials that can be recycled are often marked to show the
material that they are made from.
1
2
3
4
6
5
Recycling Images courtesy of :
http://www.recyclenow.com/why_recycling_matters/recycling_symbols.html
http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/513B04AAB66E868B80256EBD00338A6E
Extension
Get photographic evidence of SIX plastics products that each have the ONE of the SIX different
numbers in the recycling triangle (i.e. Numbers 1 to 6)
to
Homework Objective 2
To be able to analyse an existing products in detail.
Homework Task 2 – Product Analysis
Choose an existing product made from wood and metal or plastic and metal, then analyse
each part of the product by answering the following questions:
1. What is the function of the product?
2. What is the function of each part of the product?
3. What is the properties of each material ?
Note
• The product must have minimum of THREE different types of materials
• You can use the sheet of A4 provided
TIPS
 Be selective and only use relevant information in your analysis
 Avoid simple descriptions in your analysis
Products Analysis
Homework Task 2 – Product Analysis
Objective:
To be able to analyse an
existing products in detail.
Task:
 Choose an existing product
made from wood and metal or
plastic and metal, then analyse
each part of the product by
answering the following questions.
 What is the function of the
product?
 What is the function of each part
of the product?
What is the properties of each
material ?
The product must have minimum
of THREE different types of
materials
 Be selective and only use relevant
information in your analysis
Product 1
 Avoid simple descriptions in your
analysis
GUIDANCE/SUPPORT for homework 2
Properties of materials
Different materials have different properties. This means that each material
might perform differently when tested or used in the same way.
When you are designing a product, you need to choose a material that has the
properties needed by your product.
GUIDANCE/SUPPORT for homework 2
Properties of materials
Some of the questions that you may ask and some of the material properties that you might find
related to materials are shown in the table below.
Here is an examples of product analysis
Products Analysis
Product: Stainless Hand Trowel
Function of Trowel: Digging and planting
Objective:
To be able to analyse an
existing products in detail.
Wooden Handel
Stain steel Metal ring
Made from stain steel to
protect the handle from soil
made from strong Ash wood
To comfortably hold and use
the blade
Stain steel Shaft
Hanging thong
Made from stain steel
for maximum
durability.
made from leather
to hang the trowel
when is not in use.
Plastic tag
made from
thermoplastic to
show the company’
name/to promote
the company
Stain steel Blade
Polished stainless steel for easy
movement through soil and rust
resistance
string
Card Label
made plastic/ cotton
To hold the label
Can be printed on to show size , price and
company’s details etc
Task:
 Choose an existing product
made from wood and metal or
plastic and metal, then analyse
each part of the product by
answering the following questions:
 What is the function of the
product?
 What is the function of each part
of the product?
What is the properties of each
material ?
You can use the sheet of A4
provided
TIPS
 Avoid simply describing the
obvious things about existing
products; try to show that you are
making judgements.