Environmental impact of materials
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the environmental impact that materials have during a product's life cycle.
Key learning points
- Manufacturing materials uses energy, resources, and creates emissions.
- Using a product can consume energy, resources, and produce waste.
- Disposing of products can create waste, pollution, and lose valuable resources.
Keywords
LCA - life cycle assessment; assesses the environmental impact at every stage of a product’s life
Carbon footprint - total amount of greenhouse gases a product or activity produces
Product miles - distance a product travels from production to consumer
Common misconception
The environmental impact of a material only happens when the product is thrown away.
A material’s environmental impact occurs at every stage of its life cycle; during manufacture, use, and disposal.
Teacher tip
Use real product examples and trace their life cycle to make each stage’s environmental impact evident for students.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these is NOT a material?
Q2.What is the main job of the matrix in a composite material?
Q3.Put the stages in the correct order from source to stock form:
Q4.Which group includes only natural materials?
Q5.Match the material to its source:
ores in rocks
crude oil
sheep
trees
Q6.What is the main purpose of recycling?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which stage of the Life Cycle Assessment involves processing raw materials?
Q2.Which of these products is most energy efficient in use?
Q3.Match the word to its definition:
waste buried in the ground, often polluting soil and water
turning waste into something new and more valuable
processing used materials into a new material
assesses the environmental impact at every stage of a product’s life
total amount of greenhouse gases a product or activity produces
distance a product travels from production to consumer
Q4.Transporting materials long distances increases , adding to the carbon footprint.
Q5.Refining materials by uses large amounts of ...
Q6.Which of these design features helps reduce a product’s carbon footprint during use?
To help you plan your 11 design and technology lesson on: Environmental impact of materials, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 design and technology lesson on: Environmental impact of materials, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 design and technology lessons from the Timbers unit, dive into the full secondary design and technology curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.