Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - JHS 1

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Define what compliant materials are.
• Describe the main characteristics of compliant materials.
• Explain why using compliant materials is important.
• Identify compliant materials in everyday Ghanaian products.

Lesson summary

This lesson introduces learners to the world of compliant materials. In our daily lives in Ghana, from the clothes we wear made from wax print (Ankara), to the "chaley wote" on our feet, and the foam mattresses we sleep on, we are constantly interacting with materials that can bend, stretch, and fold. These are called compliant materials. Understanding their properties is the first step in learning how to select the right materials for making useful products, whether in tailoring, shoemaking, or modern manufacturing. This knowledge forms a foundation for future topics in design and production.

Lesson notes

A. What are Compliant Materials?

Let’s start with a simple activity. Take your pen and try to bend it. It's difficult, right? Now, take a piece of paper or the collar of your school uniform and try to bend it. It bends very easily!

Materials that behave like the paper or your uniform are called compliant materials.

Definition: Compliant Materials are materials that can easily change their shape when a force (like a push, pull, or bend) is applied to them. They are often described as being flexible, soft, or "bendy." Many of them can return to their original shape after the force is removed.