Building material

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/building-material

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the historical material basis?Early construction relied on indigenous materials: stone, timber, earth, and plant matter
2. What is the impact of industrial revolution?Mass production of iron, steel, and cement enabled larger, more complex structures
3. What were the first building materials used by early humans?Early people used stone, timber, earth (like adobe or rammed earth), reeds, and thatch to build homes and shelters.
4. Why did the Industrial Revolution change building materials?It brought iron, steel, and cement, which are stronger and can be made in large amounts, letting people build taller and stronger structures.

Tensile Strength: A material's ability to withstand pulling forces without breaking.
Embodied Energy: The total energy consumed in the extraction, manufacturing, and transportation of a material.
Reinforced Concrete: Concrete embedded with steel bars or mesh to increase its tensile strength and structural integrity.