Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 5

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Identify three different methods of processing materials.
• Design a simple product using a chosen material.
• Safely use tools to construct a simple product.
• Explain why specific processing methods are used.
• Evaluate your own design and suggest improvements.

Lesson summary

In this week's lesson, we will delve into the exciting world of processing. Processing is about changing raw materials into useful products. Think about the maize grown in our fields and how it's processed into mielie meal, a staple food in many South African homes. Or the clay from the earth being processed into bricks to build houses. Understanding processing helps us appreciate how everyday items are made and encourages us to think creatively about making things ourselves. This is important because processing adds value to our resources, creates jobs, and improves our lives.

Lesson notes

Processing involves changing the form or properties of a material to make it more useful. This could involve simple changes, like cutting a piece of paper, or more complex changes, like melting metal and shaping it into a tool.

Key Concepts: Raw Materials: These are the basic materials that are used in a process. Examples include wood, clay, metal, plastic, and natural fibers like cotton or wool.

Processing: This is the act of changing a raw material into a useful product.

Methods of Processing: The specific techniques or steps used to change the raw material.

Tools and Equipment: The instruments used to aid in the processing of materials.

Product: The final item that is created after the raw material has been processed.

Common Methods of Processing: Cutting: Separating a material into pieces using a sharp tool.

Examples: cutting paper with scissors, sawing wood with a saw, slicing bread with a knife.

Shaping: Changing the form of a material without cutting it. This can be done by bending, folding, molding, or pressing.

Examples: bending wire into a shape, folding paper into an origami animal, molding clay into a pot.

Joining: Combining two or more pieces of material together.

Examples: gluing paper together, sewing fabric together, welding metal together, using screws to join pieces of wood.

Decorating/Finishing: Adding features to make a product more attractive or durable.

Examples: painting a wooden toy, varnishing a table, adding beads to a bracelet.

Heating/Cooling: Changing the temperature of a material to alter its properties.

Examples: melting chocolate to mold it, baking clay to harden it, freezing water to make ice.

Examples of Processing in South Africa: Maize to Mielie Meal: Maize (raw material) is harvested, dried, cleaned, and then ground (processed) into mielie meal (product), a staple food. The processing involves grinding and sifting.

Clay to Bricks: Clay (raw material) is dug from the ground, mixed with water, shaped into bricks (processed), and then fired in a kiln (oven) to harden them (product). The processing involves mixing, shaping, and heating.

Wood to Furniture: Trees are cut down (raw material), the wood is sawn, shaped, joined, and finished (processed) to create tables, chairs, and other furniture (product). The processing involves cutting, shaping, and joining.

Sugar Cane to Sugar: Sugar cane (raw material) is harvested, crushed to extract juice, the juice is purified, evaporated, and crystallized (processed) into sugar crystals (product). The processing involves crushing, purifying, evaporating, and crystallizing.

Example Process - Making a Paper Airplane: Raw Material: A rectangular sheet of paper.

Processing Methods: Folding (shaping).

Tools: Your hands.

Process: Fold the paper in half lengthwise. Fold the top two corners down to meet the center line. Fold the top edges down to meet the center line again. Fold the plane in half along the original center line. Fold the wings down on each side.

Product: A paper airplane.

Safety Considerations: Always be careful when using tools. Ask for help from a teacher or adult if you are unsure about how to use a tool safely. Wear safety goggles when cutting or shaping materials that can create dust or splinters. Never run with sharp tools. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: List the raw materials, processing method, and product for making a simple jam sandwich.

Solution: Raw materials: Bread, jam, butter (optional).

Processing method: Spreading (butter and jam), Cutting (the sandwich in half - optional), Joining (sandwich together).

Product: A jam sandwich.

Commentary: This question reinforces the basic vocabulary and the steps involved in breaking down a familiar activity into its components.

Question 2: You want to make a simple clay pot. What raw material will you need, and what are three processing methods you will use?

Solution: Raw material: Clay.

Processing methods: Shaping (molding the clay into the desired pot shape). Heating (baking/firing the clay pot to harden it). Decorating (painting or glazing the pot – optional).

Commentary: This question encourages students to think about the sequence of steps required in a more involved processing task.

Question 3: Thando wants to build a birdhouse using wooden planks. He has nails, a hammer, a saw, and wood glue. What is the main processing method Thando will be using to put the birdhouse together, and which tools will he use?

Solution: Main processing method: Joining.

Tools: Hammer, nails, saw (for cutting the wood to size), wood glue.

Commentary: This question focuses on connecting specific tools to specific processing methods. It also emphasizes that several tools might be involved in a single project, each serving a different purpose.

Question 4: Imagine you are making a bracelet out of beads and string. Describe the raw materials and the processing methods used to create the bracelet.

Solution: Raw Materials: Beads, string, clasp (optional).

Reference guide

• and the steps involved in making the toy.
• Explain why you would use glue instead of nails to join pieces of cardboard together.
• You want to make a candle. List the raw materials you will need and describe the steps you will follow to make the candle safely.
• Research and describe how glass is made from sand. Include the raw materials, processing methods, and tools used.
• Your friend wants to make a wooden picture frame, what processing methods would they use, and what tools would they need?
• Sarah is making a scarf. What are the raw materials, and what processing methods would Sarah use to create her scarf?