Natural Sciences and Technology

GRADE 5 TERM 2 “CATCH – UP PROGRAMME”

The following are some of the websites that can be accessed for videos, pictures and
information about the topics as outlined in the National Annual Teaching Plan.

These links were obtained from the “SASOL Inzalo Siyavula Learner Books”

Metals and non-metals

�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/txberiu/2608488360/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bazzadarambler/4691025268/

Uses of metals

�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kb35/2289942750/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/julied/5843340917/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mauroescritor/6342745960/

Processing materials

�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dinnerseries/5884182567/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfoodaddict/6119407106/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bptakoma/3402706921/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrfussyfont/4858831798/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/98675081@N00/2840478281/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/acwa/4604675692/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/artbystevejohnson/5513243322/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/daquellamanera/2709815541/

Processed materials

�. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NlhtLDR-3s&feature=related
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/69103026@N00/2060032435/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/miusam/428068620/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/37743612@N05/4685092625/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cameronparkins/210589508/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/christianhaugen/3657221524/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/9511023@N03/4279851038/
�. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rvoegtli/5404885227/
Many of the activities outlined in this booklet deal with investigations and / or
experiments. It is advised that the educator revises the various steps and
procedures as well as possible safety precautions when using “The Scientific Method”

The Scientific Method

In Natural Sciences and Technology, you get to be a scientist! As a scientist, there is a

certain process that you need to follow when you conduct experiments called the
Scientific Method. Below are the steps that outline of what the method looks like.

1. AIM: Why am I doing this experiment? (What do I want to find out?)

________________________________________________________________

2. HYPOTHESIS: What do I think the results of this experiment will be? It should
be an expected answer to the question above(AIM)
________________________________________________________________

3. MATERIALS: All the things/ resources I will need in order to conduct the
experiment. List all the apparatus, equipment, substances and chemicals etc.
________________________________________________________________

4. METHOD: A brief step by step guide of what you need to do in order to complete /
conduct this experiment.

Step 1: ___________________________________________________________

Step 2: __________________________________________________________

Step 3: __________________________________________________________

Step 4: __________________________________________________________

Step 5: __________________________________________________________

5. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: A short statement that answers the AIM

Was the Hypothesis correct YES NO

6. DISCUSSION: Some questions that may help you with further development

How can the results of the experiment / investigation be used?

________________________________________________________________

What other question/s does the experiment / investigation raise?

________________________________________________________________
LESSON ONE
INTRODUCTION TO METALS AND NON METALS

In this chapter we will learn about metals and non-metals. Do you remember learning
about materials in Grade 4? Metals and non-metals are two different classes of materials.
Each class has its own unique properties.

Metals and non-metals are used to make things because they have certain properties.
Properties are the things that are special or unique about an object or a material. We can
use the properties of a material to describe what an object is like.

INVESTIGATION: What are the properties of metals?

In a science investigation we want to answer a question or find
something out.
What would you like to find out in this investigation? (We call this the
AIM of the investigation.)
_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

MATERIALS: You will need the following objects

1. Coins (Money) 2. Metal spoon 3. Metal pencil sharpener

4. Metal nail or screw 5. Steel wool
6. Piece of chalk (or a stone) 7. Cork 8. Sponge 9. Plastic spoon
10. Small, strong glass (learners should not drop this on the floor)

METHOD: Follow these instructions

1. Find the above objects and place them in front of you. Notice all the different
shapes. Write the name of each object in the table below.
2. Hold each object in your hand. Does it feel hot or cold? Rough or smooth?
3. Look at each object carefully. Is it shiny or dull? Can you describe its colour?
4. Drop each object on the floor (if you are certain it will NOT BREAK), or gently tap
it against your table or the floor. What sound does it make?
5. Write your observations in the table below (you may use words from the box below
or you may use your own words).

Shiny Makes a Rough Heavy Smooth Rigid

ringing sound
Heavy Soft Makes a Light Hard
dull sound
Warm Dull Sharp Makes no Flexible Cold
sound
OBSERVATIONS:
Fill in the observations from your investigation of different non-metals below.

How does the What the object The sound that is

Name of the object object feel when I looks like? AND made when the
touch it What colour is the object is tapped or
object? dropped.

CONCLUSION:

1. What have you learned from investigating the properties of metals?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. What have you learned from investigating the properties of non – metals?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
LESSON TWO

Properties of METALS:

• Metals can be found all around you and are usually shiny. The shine that we see
when light reflects off the surface of a metal is called the lustre of the metal.
• Most metals are hard and they feel heavy. They are solid, strong and durable.
• We say metals are dense as their particles are packed close together.
• Metals conduct electricity and heat well. (You will learn more about electricity
next term).
• Metals are malleable (they can be shaped into flat sheets) and they are ductile
(this means they can be made into thin wire).
• Most metals can be heated to high temperatures without melting or changing
their shape, which is one of the reasons why pots and pans are made of metal.
• Some metals are magnetic and some are not.
• Metals are mined from the Earth.

Activity

Use a dictionary (or your N. S. Tech Textbook) to find the meanings of the following
words. Discuss them in your class and write the most appropriate definition in the space
provided below

Dense: _____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Malleable: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Ductile: ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Lustre: ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Uses of metals
Here are some of the more common uses of different types of metals
Copper is often used to make electrical conducting wire.
Gold is malleable and ductile and can be shaped into jewellery and ornaments.
Aluminium is light, strong and durable and is used to make aeroplanes.
Iron is strong and is used in building, making bridges and railway lines.
Stainless Steel is used to make medical and kitchen utensils.
Can you name three other metals (not listed above) and write down one use for each of
them in your books

Find pictures of at least 5 of the metals listed above, paste them in your books and give a
brief description of how the metal is being used
Memorandum for vocabulary above

Dense – particles are packed closely together.

Malleable – Able to be beaten or hammered into shapes.
Ductile – Able to be stretched out or drawn into wires.
Lustre – The shininess of the material.

LESSON THREE
Properties of NON – METALS

• can be soft or flexible, like rubber;

• can be hard and brittle, like glass;
• do not have a silvery (lustrous) appearance, but tend to be dull;
• Can be grouped into different categories (ceramics, wood, rubber, plastic, glass
etc.)
• Usually feels neither cold nor hot.

Activity

Use a dictionary (or your N. S. Tech Textbook) to find the meanings of the following
words. Discuss them in your class and write the most appropriate definition in the space
provided below

Brittle: ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Flexible: ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Dull: ______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Categories: _________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Activity

Some uses of Non – Metals

Here are some of the more common uses of different types of non – metals.

Copy this table in your books and Match the materials (a) to the properties (b) and the
uses (c).

A - Materials B - Properties C - Uses

Glass Soft, waterproof, flexible Shoes
Paper Waterproof, rigid, shiny Cutlery
 Leather Soft, flexible, heat Chair
insulator
Wood Rigid, transparent, hard Rain Coat
Plastic Smooth, flexible, absorbent Writing pad

Memorandum

A - Materials B - Properties C - Uses

Glass Rigid, transparent, hard Window
Paper Smooth, flexible, absorbent Writing pad
Leather Soft, flexible, heat Shoes
insulator
Wood Strong, stiff Chair
Plastic Soft, waterproof, flexible Rain Coat
Metal Waterproof, rigid, shiny Cutlery

Lesson Four
ACTIVITY: Choosing a material to build a house

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. When we choose a material for a certain purpose, we look for a material with the right
properties for the job. Look at the two pictures of houses below.
2. Can you see that house A and house B are made of different materials?
3. 1nswer the questions that follow.

QUESTIONS:

1. What material was used to build house A?

___________________________________________________________________

2. What material was used to build house B?

___________________________________________________________________
3. If you had to build a house next to the ocean, which one would you choose, house A or
house B?

___________________________________________________________________

4. Write down two reasons why you would build this house next to the ocean rather than
the other one.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

5. Write down at least three other materials that could be used for building a house.
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Lesson Five

Special properties of metals

In this chapter we will learn about some of the uses of metals. The properties of metals
make them suitable materials for many different objects. We will soon investigate some
special properties of metals that we have not thought about yet.

Activity

Use a dictionary (or your N. S. Tech Textbook) to find the meanings of the following
words. Discuss them in your class and write the most appropriate definition in the space
provided below

Conduct: __________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Magnetic__________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Rust__________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Corrosion__________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Tarnish__________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

.
Lesson Six
Metals and magnets

ACTIVITY: Learning about magnetism

Have you ever played with magnets? Did you notice how magnets attract other magnets,
and also certain metal objects?

MATERIALS: What you will need

• Metal objects: coins, metal pencil sharpener, nail or screw, paper clip, steel wool etc.
• Non-metal objects: paper or cardboard, cotton wool, fabric, plastic spoon, sponge etc.
• Magnet
.
INSTRUCTIONS / METHOD: What you are expected to do

1. Sort the objects in front of you into two groups: metals on one side and non-metals on
the other.
2. Write the names of all the metal objects in the column named "Metal objects" in the
table below.
3. Write the names of all the non-metal objects in the column named "Non-metal objects"
in the table below.
4. Hold each object close to the magnet to see if it is attracted to the magnet or not?
5. Write your observations in the table below.

Is the object Is the object

attracted to the attracted to the
Metal objects magnet? Non-metal objects magnet?
Answer YES or NO Answer YES or NO

QUESTIONS:
Use the information from the table above to say decide whether the following statements
are True or False.

1. All the metal objects are attracted to the magnet. _______________

2. Some of the metal objects are attracted to the magnet. ______________

3. Some of the metal objects are not attracted to the magnet. ____________

4. Some of the non-metal objects are attracted to the magnet. _____________

5. None of the non-metal objects are attracted to the magnet. _____________

Lesson Seven
Metals and corrosion

Have you ever noticed how some metal objects are shiny when they are new, but over time
the shine disappears and they become dull and blotchy? The car in the picture was once
shiny and new, but look at it now! It is covered in rust from standing out in the rain for so
long.

Rust has a reddish-brown colour and a rough texture. Rust is very common; it is the
product that forms when iron corrodes. During corrosion, iron reacts with oxygen in the
air or in water to form iron oxide (the chemical name for rust). Rust is a type of
corrosion, but it is not the only type.

Other types of corrosion include:

• Tarnish (found on silver teapots, trays, trophies and jewellery)
• Patina (the green coating that we sometimes see on copper objects)
• Black spots that appear on brass.
• Aluminium oxide (grey-white coating that forms on aluminium)

Investigation:

Testing different metal objects in a moist environment to see if they will show any signs
of corrosion (rust) and / or tarnishing.

Materials: You will need:

Five bottles with lids that can form a good air-tight seal

A range of items to test.

Paper clips wire drawing pins iron filings coins.

Method: What you will need to do

1. Add a small amount of water, say 100ml to each bottle
2. Place each item inside the bottle with water.
3. Place the bottles on a windowsill in the Sun and observe daily for ten days.
Conclusion: Fill in the results of your observation in the table below:

Material tested My Prediction My Observation

E.g. Stainless Steel It will not rust It did not rust

Paper clips

Wire

Drawing pins

Iron filings

Coins.

CONCLUSION:
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Memorandum Fill in the results of your observation in the table below:

Material tested My Prediction My Observation

(Learners answers may vary)
It may not rust It did not rust because of its
E.g. Stainless Steel property
They will not rust because it is It did not rust because of the
Paper clips covered with plastic covering

Wire It will rust It did rust because its property

Drawing pins It will not rust It did rust

Iron filings They will rust It did rust

Only some of the coins rusted
Coins. They will not rust and some became dull/Tarnished

CONCLUSION: In the presence of moisture and oxygen, items made of iron corrode and
form a thin brown layer on the iron called rust.
Lesson Eight
Metals conduct Heat

We will now investigate another special property of metals. But first, a question: How do
we cook food on the stove? We put the food inside a metal pot, and then we heat the
outside of the pot. This makes the food cook on the inside! How does the heat get inside
the pot? Most metals transfer heat well. This transfer of heat is called conduction.
Conduction means that if one of a metal rod is heated, the opposite end of the same rod
will also become warm.

ACITIVITY: Learning about heat flow (Thermal Conductivity)

MATERIALS: What you will need

• A container (a 1 litre yoghurt tub, bottle or a 1 litre ice cream container)

• Hot water (not boiling but you still need to be careful not to burn)
• Ice cold water
• Metal spoon
• Plastic spoon
• Wooden spoon (a pencil or a stick will also do)

INSTRUCTIONS: What you are going to do

1. Fill the container with the warm water.

2. Place the spoons in the hot water so that their handles are above the surface of the
water as in the image.

The three spoons in a container with warm water.

3. Leave them in the water for about 20 seconds
4. Feel the handles of each of the spoons in turn. Which spoon feels the warmest?
Write your answer below.
5. Empty the container and rinse the spoons under the cold tap.
6. Fill the container with the ice cold water.
7. Place the spoons in the ice cold water so that their handles are above the surface of
the water.
8. Leave them in the water for about 20 seconds.
9. Feel the handles of each of the spoons in turn. Which spoon feels the coldest?
Write your answer below.
QUESTIONS: Use complete sentences to answer in the spaces provided

1. Did the metal spoon feel warm after it had been standing in the warm water?

___________________________________________________________________

2. Where did the heat (that you felt with your fingers) come from?

___________________________________________________________________

3. How did the heat reach your fingers?

___________________________________________________________________

4. Complete the sentence.

The spoon feels hot because heat flows from to _______________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

5. Did the metal spoon feel cold after it had been standing in the ice cold water?

___________________________________________________________________

6. Where did the cold (that you felt with your fingers) come from?

___________________________________________________________________

7. How did the cold reach your fingers?

___________________________________________________________________

8. Complete the sentence. Write the sentence out in full.

The spoon feels cold because heat flows from to_______________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

9. Which material (metal, plastic or wood) is the best conductor of heat?

___________________________________________________________________
Memorandum
QUESTIONS: Use complete sentences to answer in the spaces provided

1. Did the metal spoon feel warm after it had been standing in the warm water?
Yes, the metal spoon felt warm.

2. Where did the heat (that you felt with your fingers) come from?
The heat came from the warm water

3. How did the heat reach your fingers?

The heat reached my fingers through the metal spoon.

4. Complete the sentence.

The spoon feels hot because heat flows from the hot water into the metal spoon.

5. Did the metal spoon feel cold after it had been standing in the ice cold water?
Yes the spoon felt cold.

6. Where did the cold (that you felt with your fingers) come from?
The heat came from the ice cold water.

7. How did the cold reach your fingers?

The cold reached my fingers through the metal spoon.

8. Complete the sentence. Write the sentence out in full.

The spoon feels cold because the cold flows from water into the metal spoon.

9. Which material (metal, plastic or wood) is the best conductor of heat?

Metal is the best conductor of heat.

Processing Materials
Lesson One
Introduction to combining materials

When we combine materials, new materials are made. The properties of the new materials
are often different from the properties of the materials we started with.
All products and objects have been made using raw materials. A raw material is something
that has not been processed or changed. Processing is about combining and changing into
new and useful products.

There are many ways to process existing materials into new materials. There are also
many reasons why we would need to process materials into new materials.
When we bake a cake, we are processing flour, eggs and other ingredients (that may not
taste very nice on their own) into cake which tastes really good!
We process materials to make them stronger, or more durable, or waterproof, or even
just to make them look more beautiful or interesting.
Activity

Use a dictionary (or your N. S. Tech Textbook) to find the meanings of the following
words. Discuss them in your class and write the most appropriate definition in the space
provided below

Process - ___________________________________________________________

Mixture - __________________________________________________________

Combine - __________________________________________________________

Raw material - _______________________________________________________

Memorandum

Process – To combine and change materials to form new materials and/or products.

Mixture – New materials that form after mixing different materials.

Combine – When two or substances are mixed together.

Raw Material – Something that has not been processed or changed.

Lesson Two

Mixing

Often, when we mix materials together, the properties of the new material or product is
different from the properties of the materials we started with. New materials that form
after mixing different materials are sometimes called mixtures.

Mixing and setting

Have you ever watched builders mix concrete when they want to build a wall or a house?
Look at the people in the pictures below. What are they doing?

The people in the pictures are mixing sand and water with building cement. The mixture
of sand, water and cement is called concrete. Concrete is like mud when it is wet, but
when it dries out it sets into a hard, strong material. Concrete can be used to make bricks
and pavements and to plaster walls. In the first picture people are using spades to mix
the concrete. They are using the spades like we would use a spoon to stir sugar into a cup
of tea. The people are using their muscles to do the work required for mixing the
concrete.
 Visit the website below to see a video
Mixing cement – goo.gl/rWh9r

Activity: Match Column A with Column B and then write a letter as your answer in the space provided in
Column C

Column A Column B Column C

1. Mixture A) A thick mixture of a solid and a liquid 1 = E

2. Plaster of B) The list of raw materials that are selected to go into
Paris the mixture 2 =
C) A powder that quickly becomes a hard solid when mixed
3. Paste with water. 3 =
D) Change in different way to get new materials or
4. Dissolve products with new properties 4 =

5. Process E) Something that is made by mixing things together 5 =

6. Ingredients F) Mixes completely with water 6 =

Memorandum

Column A Column B Column C

1. Mixture A) A thick mixture of a solid and a liquid 1 = E

2. Plaster of B) The list of raw materials that are selected to go into
Paris the mixture 2 = C
C) A powder that quickly becomes a hard solid when mixed
3. Paste with water. 3 = A
D) Change in different way to get new materials or
4. Dissolve products with new properties 4 = F

5. Process E) Something that is made by mixing things together 5 = D

6. Ingredients F) Mixes completely with water 6 = B

Lesson Three

Mixing and Cooling

Have you ever tasted jelly? Jelly comes in many different colours and flavours. Which is
your favourite? To make jelly, we must dissolve jelly powder in hot water. When the
solution of jelly powder in water is placed inside a fridge and cools down, something very
special happens: The solution sets, and turns into a delightfully wobbly, sweet treat! The
jelly powder has been processed into something new!

ACTIVITY: Making Jelly

MATERIALS: What you will need

• A packet of jelly powder
• A bowl
• A cup for measuring
• Hot and cold water
• Spoon for mixing

INSTRUCTIONS: What you are going to do

1. Read the instructions on the packet of jelly.

2. Pour the jelly powder onto the bowl.
3. Look carefully at the dry jelly powder. What does it look like?
4. Touch the jelly powder with your finger. What does it feel like?
5. Place a few grains of the jelly powder on your tongue. What does it taste like?
6. Write your findings in the table below.
7. Follow the instructions on the packet to make the jelly.
8. Cool the jelly until it sets.
9. Describe the properties of the prepared jelly in the same way that you did for the
starting materials. Here are some words that you may find useful. You may also use your
own words.

liquid clear powdery sweet sticky

investigation powder sand water Colour change
transparent wobbly (Jelly – Like) Solid / stiff slippery

Table of observations: You may use the words given above to complete the table below

Properties Dry jelly powder Water Prepared jelly

(before mixing) (before mixing) (after it has set)
What does it
look like?
What does it
feel like?
What does it
taste like?
QUESTIONS: Answer using complete sentences

1. What materials did you start with? (These are called the starting materials.)
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. What happened to the jelly powder when you mixed it with the water?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3. Why is the water a different colour?

___________________________________________________________________

4. How did the jelly mixture change when it cooled down?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

5. Write a short paragraph to describe how the process has changed the properties of
the jelly. Try to use as many of the following words as possible in your paragraph:
liquid clear powdery sweet sticky
investigation powder sand water Colour change
transparent wobbly (Jelly – Like) Solid / stiff slippery

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Memorandum.
1. What materials did you start with? (These are called the starting materials.)
A packet of jelly powder, hot and cold water (learners could include sugar as well)
2. What happened to the jelly powder when you mixed it with the hot water?
The jelly powder dissolved into the hot water
3. Why is the water a different colour?
The colouring from the jelly powder has changed the colour of the water
4. How did the jelly mixture change when it cooled down?
The jelly became a solid
5. Write a short paragraph to describe how the process has changed the properties of
the jelly.
When we started, the water was colourless (no colour/clear) and odourless (no
odour/smell) and the jelly powder felt like fine sand and smelt sweet like strawberries
(fruit). When we mixed them together, the powder completely dissolved into the water,
changing the water’s colour and taste. Initially it was a liquid and after it set and cooled it
became a wobbly solid that was sticky to touch and sweet to taste.
Lesson Four
Mixing and Cooking

Cooking food is also a form of processing. Have you ever seen what a raw egg looks like?
The same egg looks quite different when it is cooked. Notice how the egg white is
transparent when it is raw, and white when it is cooked. When it is raw, the egg is runny,
like liquid. When it is cooked, the egg is solid but soft like rubber or soft plastic.
Look at the pictures below.

Activity: Use the given template to draw a flow diagram to explain / describe how you
make a fried egg from the starting materials. You must include labels to explain the
process. Look at the following flow diagram about how to make a cup of tea for inspiration
and assistance. Your Flow diagram should look something like this.
Lesson Five
Mixing and Drying / Firing

Another way of processing materials is by mixing them and then drying or firing the
mixture. This is done to materials like clay to make bricks. In Grade 4 you learnt that clay
is small, smooth particles of broken rock. These clay particles absorb water. When just
the right amount of water is mixed with clay, the clay becomes soft, sticky and malleable.

In rural areas, bricks are made on a small scale. Straw, dry grass or animal dung is mixed
with clay to keep the particles together when it dries in the sun. This prevents the clay
from cracking when the water evaporates. Clay can be shaped by hand or in moulds to
make bricks.

You can see sundried mud bricks in industrial (large- scale) brick-making, small rock
particles are mixed with very fine coal dust and water. The coal dust and water helps
spread the heat evenly through the bricks when they are fired. Machines compress the
wet clay mixture into the shape of bricks, after which they are dried and fired in very
hot kilns at 600 to 900 °C.

A kiln is a furnace or oven that dries, bakes or burns material in order to process it. Clay
becomes hard when all the water in it evaporates at 500 °C. This is done in a kiln because
the heat from the Sun is not hot enough to evaporate all the water in the clay. Fired clay
is hard and water-resistant, but brittle. Different temperatures of firing will produce
bricks with lighter or darker colours.

Activity: Write five sentences describing the properties of wet clay and how processes
like drying and firing change sundried mud bricks and fired clay bricks.

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

Memorandum Sentences might include but learners answers may vary grammatically
1.1 Clay absorbs water to become soft and malleable.
1.2 Wet clay is malleable and we can shape it with our hands or in a mould.
1.3 We can shape it into blocks to become mud / clay bricks.
1.4 Wet clay is sticky and becomes hard when the water dries out in the sun.
1.5 People mix grass and straw with the clay to make the bricks strong.
1.6 We get stronger bricks when the clay is fired to become very dry.
Lesson Six
Properties and Uses of raw materials

We call materials that have not yet been processed raw materials. Raw materials are
made into other things. When raw materials are in the form in which they are found in
nature, we can call them natural materials. A natural material is any material that comes
from plants, animals, or the ground.

We have learnt that there are many different ways in which materials can be processed
to give them new properties. After processing they may look, smell, feel or taste
different. They will probably also be used for a totally different purpose from before.
Processed materials are materials which have been refined or built by humans from raw
materials. Some examples include paper, steel and glass.

ACTIVITY: Raw or processed material?

In this activity you must study a list of materials and then decide which materials / items
represent raw materials and which represent processed materials. It is recommended
that this should be a small group activity, since discussion and joint decision making is
required.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Below is a list of different materials.

2. In your group, you need to sort the materials into two categories:
Raw materials and Processed materials.
3. In your group, discuss all the materials listed before deciding in which category each
one belongs.

Bread Minerals from a mine Sausage

Rice Metal furniture Wheat

Maize meal Wooden furniture Animal skin

Vegetable Soup Toothpaste Leather shoes

Honey Vegetables Petrol

Crude oil Meat Necklace made of shells

Mealies Wood Metal from a mine

All the materials in the list above have been placed into a table (below). Discuss each
material in your group and decide how to classify it. Is it a raw material or a processed
material? Does it come from plants, animals or the ground? You can look at the table to
guide you.
Material What type of material is it? What is the origin of the
(raw or processed) material? (plant, animal or
Earth)
Bread
Rice
Maize meal
Toothpaste
Vegetable Soup
Meat
Wood
Honey
Sausage
Metal furniture
Wooden furniture
Leather shoes
Petrol
Necklace made of
shells
Minerals from a mine

QUESTIONS:
1. Draw a new table in which you place each processed material next to the Raw material
that it may have been made from.
For instance, in the table below, bread and wheat have been placed next to each other,
because bread can be made from wheat.
2. In your table, try to match up as many Raw materials with Processed materials as you
can.
3. Which of the materials do not match any other materials? Can you think of a match for
each one that does not have a match?

PROCESSED MATERIAL RAW MATERIAL

BREAD WHEAT
Below is a list of some processed materials.

1. Write down at least three ways (per product) in which we use these products.

PRODUCT /
MATERIAL How do we use it How do we use it How do we use it

Plaster of Paris

Concrete

Fabrics

Ceramics and Glass

Plastics and Paints,

2. Find at least one picture (in magazines, newspapers and / or the internet) to show how
we use each of the products above

Lesson Seven
Processed materials have special Properties

Materials that have been processed are very useful to us because they have special
properties. We already know that processed materials can be strong and durable. But
what other properties do they have?

What do you put on when it is raining outside? Some processed materials are useful to
use because they are waterproof. A rain jacket is made of a material which is waterproof,
and so is an umbrella. Maybe you might wear gum boots or wellingtons? These shoes are
very waterproof and made from specially processed plastic and rubber. Paint is a
processed material. The pigments used to make paint are natural materials, but the final
product is a processed material.
Activity

1. Use a dictionary (or your N. S. Tech Textbook) to find the meanings of the following
words. Discuss them in your class and write the most appropriate definition in the space
provided below

Durable - __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Waterproof - _______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Fire resistant - ___ __________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Texture - _________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. Find at least one picture (in magazines, newspapers and / or the internet) to show your
understanding for each of the definitions above.

Memorandum

Durable – Able to withstand pressure or damage. Something that is long lasting.

Waterproof–Impervious to water. Something that does not allow water to enter (or leave)

Fire Resistant – A material or substance that does not burn (or catches fire) quickly.

Texture – The feel, appearance or consistency of the surface of an object or substance.

Lesson Eight

Traditional Processing

People have been processing materials from the earliest times. In the old days only
natural materials were available and people found many clever ways to make these
materials more useful. The first people who lived in our land had ways to harden wood and
bone for making tools and hunting weapons.

They also had ways of reinforcing the mud used for making traditional huts. They knew
which materials made the best clothes and blankets, and which grass made the softest
beds. They also knew exactly which reeds would make the best mats to cover their walls,
and how to build houses best suited for their climate and lifestyle. Some of these
traditional ways of processing materials are still used today.
Before South Africa was a country, several interesting groups of people lived in our land.
The Khoikhoi people were one of the first nations to live in Southern Africa and many
modern day South Africans are descendants of the Khoikhoi. The Khoikhoi were pastoral
people who kept goats, but also hunted animals for their meat and skins.

Activity: Case Study - Traditional materials and processing.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. The following story tells us about the young Khoikhoi hunter, Heitsi, who prepares to go
on an expedition to hunt a springbok.
2. Read the story carefully, and look out for clues about the ways in which 7eitsi's people
used and processed materials.
3. When you have read the story, answer the questions that follow.

Heitsi prepares for the hunt

Heitsi is getting his hunting kit ready for the hunt. He is not a man yet, but already a
good hunter. When he was born, 11 summers ago, his mother named him after Heitsi-eibib,
who was a mythical hunter, sorcerer and warrior in the stories of his people. His father
and uncles have taught him how to use the traditional hunting weapons of the Khoikhoi:
the bow and arrow and the "kierie" (throwing stick).

Heitsi is very excited about the hunt. Today he is hoping to kill a springbok, because he
wants to cut a head dress for himself from the skin of the springbok. He can already
imagine how envious his friends will be when he wears it proudly around his head. He will
give the rest of the springbok skin to his mother to turn into a blanket (karos) or a piece
of clothing for his new baby sister. His mother will scrape the skin with a sharp stone or
metal blade to remove the hair and rub it with animal fat for a long time to make it soft.

Heitsi slings the quiver in

which he keeps his arrows
over his shoulder. The quiver
is made from tree bark. It is a
good quiver, but he really
wants one made of animal
skin like the one his father
carries. The arrows inside the
quiver have wooden shafts
and sharp tips made of metal.
His younger cousins have
arrows with tips made of
hardwood. In the old days all
the arrow tips were made of
wood or bone, but Heitsi's
people have been making
contact with other peoples
who have introduced them to
metal.
He also keeps some tinder in his quiver. Tinder is the name for the soft, dry plant
materials his people use when starting a fire. Another item he keeps in the quiver is a
hollow reed that can be used like a straw to suck up water that has collected on the
leaves of plants. He knows that he has to handle the arrow tips very carefully because
they are very sharp. He keeps them sharp by rubbing them on a special stone.

Another reason why Heitsi handles the arrows very carefully is because their tips have
been covered with a layer of poison. His cousins sometimes use the sap from poisonous
plants to treat their arrow tips, but he prefers to use snake poison because it is more
potent. He picks up his bow, and admires it for a moment. He made it himself from the
flexible wood of a wild olive tree. The bow string is made from the gut of a small wild cat
that he hunted last summer.

His uncle's bow has a string made of twisted palm leaves, and it makes a beautiful sound
when Uncle holds the end of the bow in his mouth and taps against the string with a stick.
Tonight, when they return from the hunt, the men will dance around the fire while the
women sing and clap their hands. There will be stories told about the hunt, and Heitsi will
honour the soul of the springbok that he has killed.

The last weapon he picks up is his kierie. It has a long handle and a knob at the top end.
The kierie was a gift from his favourite uncle. Uncle made it himself from strong wood.
To make the kierie even stronger, Uncle placed it close to the fire for a long time. The
heat from the fire dried out the wood and made it tough and strong.
At last Heitsi is ready for the hunt...

ACTIVITY:

In the story, many different traditional materials used by the Khoikhoi people are
mentioned. In the table below, you must fill in what material was used for each purpose in
the middle column. In the column on the right you must fill in what other material could
be used for the same purpose.

Purpose – What material was used? What other material could

What did Heitsi do be used?
Making a quiver for arrows

Making the arrow shaft

Making the arrow tip

Making poison for the

arrow tip
Making a bow

Making a string for the bow

Making a blade for

scraping the hair
..
Use complete sentences to answer the questions below that are based on the given Case
Study – “Heitsi prepares for the hunt”

1. What processing method was used to turn animal skin into soft leather?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. What processing method was used to make wood harder so that it could be used to
make an arrow tip or kierie?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3. What processing method was used to make bone harder so that it could be used to
make arrow tips?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

4. How did Heitsi keep his arrow tips sharp?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

5. List at least 5 materials that you would you use if you were asked to make a bow and
arrow as a class project?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Memorandum

Purpose – What material was used? What other material could

What did Heitsi do be used?
Making a quiver for arrows Tree Bark Animal Skin

Making the arrow shaft Wood / tree branches Hardwood / metal

Making the arrow tip Metal Wood / Bone

Making poison for the Sap from poisonous plants Snake Poison
arrow tip
Making a bow Wood from the wild Olive Other strong flexible
Tree Trees
Making a string for the bow Animal Gut Twisted Palm Leaves

Making a blade for Sharp stone Metal

scraping the hair
1. What processing method was used to turn animal skin into soft leather?

The animal skin would be scraped with a metal blade to remove the hair, dried and cured
(rubbing with animal fat).
2. What processing method was used to make wood harder so that it could be used to
make an arrow tip or kierie?
Wood is made harder by drying and firing (placed next to the fire)

3. What processing method was used to make bone harder so that it could be used to
make arrow tips?
Bone is made harder by drying

4. How did Heitsi keep his arrow tips sharp?

He would rub the arrow tips against a special stone

5. List at least 5 materials that you would you use if you were asked to make a bow and
arrow as a class project?
Learners’ answers may differ.
Wood, Tree branches, String, Cardboard, Feathers, Metal bottle caps, Dowel sticks,
elastic.

Lesson Nine
Traditional uses for Modelling

Many cultures use clay to manufacture bricks. The traditional Xhosa hut is an example of
a simple structure made from processed materials. Its walls were built from mud, clay
bricks and grass. Xhosa people would make clay bricks by mixing clay and water, moulding
the mixture into brick shapes and then allowing the bricks to dry in the sun. The clay
bricks were then plastered with mud. Traditionally, both the building work and the
decoration of the building was the responsibility of the women.

Answer the following questions in full sentences:

1. List the raw materials used to make a Xhosa hut.

________________________________________________________________ (3)

2. What are the first materials used to make clay bricks?

________________________________________________________________ (2)
3. Why are the bricks useful to the Xhosa?
________________________________________________________________ (2)

4. What other structures can be made out of clay bricks?

________________________________________________________________ (2)

Memorandum

1. List the raw materials used to make a Xhosa hut.

Raw materials such as grass, mud and clay are used (3)

2. What are the first materials used to make clay bricks?

Clay bricks are made with dry grass and wet clay (2)

3. Why are the bricks useful to the Xhosa?

Clay bricks can be used to build strong structures (2)

4. What other structures can be made out of clay bricks?

Clay bricks can also be used to make walls and storage units or animal pens (2)

Lesson Ten
Weaving and stitching using plant fibres

https://youtu.be/GOKN4L2Axg4 https://youtu.be/jLkj73F4fP8

In Africa, many people make objects by using plant products, called plant fibres. The
people weave and stitch the plant fibres together to make different objects, such as
reed mats, baskets, or even thatch to make a roof for a house. This is also a type of
traditional processing.

Picture 1 Picture 2

Can you remember Heitsi’s story? In the case study, we learnt that the Khoikhoi people
were nomadic and needed to move around. These people also weaved plant fibres to make
their houses which were easy to deconstruct, not heavy to move and rebuild elsewhere.

The framework of the house needed to be strong so that the house would stand firm.
Heitsi's mother and aunties have found some young trees nearby and are cutting long,
thin branches that will be perfect for making a frame for the house. Once they have cut
the branches, they strip off the leaves.
The men bend the flexible branches into crescent (half-moon) shapes and tie them
together with flexible strips of tree bark. This is how they build a dome-shaped
framework for the house.
Can you see the framework of tree branches? Can you see what the house is made of?

Activity: Answer the questions using complete sentences in the space provided.

1. What type of processing is being shown in Picture 1 above?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Picture 3 2. What raw materials are being Picture 4 used in picture 1 and picture 2
above?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3. Name three (3) objects that can be made using plant fibre as raw materials.
___________________________________________________________________

4. Name at least two (2) other objects do you think could be made using plant fibre as
raw materials.
___________________________________________________________________

5. Write a short description (in 5 steps) of how you would go about making a house, If you
were asked to make a similar house as the one shown in picture 3 and 4 above.
Step 1 _____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Step 2 _____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Step 3 _____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Step 4 _____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Step 5 _____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

6. Why do you think it was necessary for the ladies to find young flexible branches?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Memorandum

1. What type of processing is being shown in Picture 1 above?

Weaving and stitching

2. What raw materials are being used in picture 1 and picture 2 above?
Plants materials OR Plant Fibres are being used as raw materials

3. Name 3 objects that can be made using plant fibre as raw materials.
Reed mats, baskets, or even thatch to make a roof for a house.

4. Name at least two (2) other objects do you think could be made using plant fibre as
raw materials.
Learners’ answers may differ and teachers should accept any reasonable answer
Dinner Place Mats, coasters for drinks, ornamental mats and rugs, Ornaments for display,
Clothing, hats, shoes, pet cages / houses, furniture, eating utensils etc.

5. Write a short description (in 5 steps) of how you would go about making a house, If you
were asked to make a similar house as the one shown in picture 3 and 4 above.
Once again, Learners’ answers may differ and teachers should accept any reasonable
answer
Step 1: Design / Draw a plan of what the house will look like.
Step2: Find the appropriate raw materials, tools and resources.
Step 3: Start by making the framework of the house that will provide support and
structure.
Step 4: Cover the framework ensuring that it is waterproof and durable.
Step 5: Decorate the house to make it looks aesthetically pleasing

6. Why do you think it was necessary for the ladies to find young flexible branches?
Flexible branches will bend easily and not break. They would also be easier to work with
or process more easily.

Revision Activity: Answer the following questions using complete sentences

1. What are raw materials?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. What are natural materials?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

3. What are processed materials?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

4. Which processing method did the Khoikhoi people use to make wood and bone hard and
strong?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

5. Where did the Khoikhoi people find the material that they used to make their homes?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

6. How can sand and clay be made stronger if we want to use it to build a house?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Memorandum

1. What are raw materials?

Raw materials are materials that have not been processed.

2. What are natural materials?

Natural materials come from plants, animals or the Earth.

3. What are processed materials?

Processed materials are raw materials that have been changed or refined by humans.

4. Which processing method did the Khoikhoi people use to make wood and bone hard and
strong?
They used fire to dry the wood and bone slowly without burning it. This process is called
fire-hardening.

5. Where did the Khoikhoi people find the material that they used to make their homes?
All the materials were found in nature.

6. How can sand and clay be made stronger if we want to use it to build a house?
Sand and clay can be made stronger by adding a binder like cement, and/or by adding
reinforcing material like straw, pebbles or even steel reinforcements.