Lesson 155: Sorting materials

🔬 SCIENCE (40 Lessons) • 🟠 E. Science Projects

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Objective

I can tell what material an object is made from and sort objects into simple groups, such as hard/soft or rough/smooth, and record my ideas on a chart.

Materials

Mini-lesson — What are materials and how do we sort them?

Look around you. You can see objects like chairs, cups, tables, and toys. Each object is made from a material.

Examples of materials

  • Wood – used for tables, blocks, and some toys.
  • Metal – used for coins, keys, and some spoons.
  • Plastic – used for bottles, toys, and rulers.
  • Glass – used for windows and some cups (handle with care).
  • Fabric – used for clothes, cushions, and soft toys.
  • Paper and cardboard – used for books and boxes.

Properties of materials

  • Hard or soft – A metal spoon feels hard. A soft toy feels soft.
  • Rough or smooth – A brick feels rough. A glass cup feels smooth.
  • Flexible or stiff – A rubber band bends easily (flexible). A wooden block does not bend (stiff).
  • Heavy or light – A stone may feel heavy. A paper cup feels light.

What does sorting mean?

  • Sorting means putting things that are alike together.
  • We can sort objects by what they are made from, such as "metal" or "plastic".
  • We can also sort by a property, such as "hard" and "soft".

Why do scientists sort materials?

  • Sorting helps us see patterns.
  • It helps us decide which materials are good for certain jobs, like glass for windows or fabric for clothes.
  • Sorting and naming materials is part of doing science projects.

When you sort materials and talk about their properties, you are thinking and working like a young scientist.

Picture strip: Objects and sorting mats

Objects and materials

Sorting by hard/soft

Guided Practice — Sort real objects by material

You will use real objects to sort by what they are made from and talk about their properties.

  1. Collect objects: With an adult, find a small set of safe objects from around your home or classroom. Try to include wood, metal, plastic, fabric, and paper.
  2. Talk about materials: For each object, say what you think it is made from, such as "This spoon is metal" or "This toy is plastic".
  3. Make sorting mats: On two pieces of paper, write "Wood/Metal/Plastic" on one and "Paper/Fabric/Other" on the other, or choose groups that fit your objects.
  4. Sort the objects: Place each object on the mat that fits its material. Move them around until every object has a place.
  5. Describe properties: Pick one object and describe how it feels, for example: "It is hard and smooth" or "It is soft and bendy".
  6. Record in your journal: Draw a quick picture of your two mats and write labels for each group.
  7. Use the tracing pad: Choose words like wood, metal, plastic, glass, hard, or soft and trace them slowly.
  8. Share out loud: Tell an adult one thing you noticed about which materials you have the most of.
Tracing Pad
Tracing snapshot for print
Tip: As you trace each word, say a short sentence, such as "Metal is hard" or "Fabric is soft".

Practice 1 — Sort by hard and soft

Practise sorting objects by the property hard or soft.

  1. On a page, draw two big boxes. Label one "Hard" and one "Soft".
  2. Choose at least six objects from around you (for example: pencil, rubber, book, cushion, ball, toy car).
  3. Touch each object and decide if it feels hard or soft. Draw a small picture of each object in the correct box.
  4. Under each box, write a simple sentence, such as "Hard things: pencil, book, toy car." and "Soft things: cushion, ball, teddy."
  5. Talk with an adult about one object that was tricky to decide and why.

Practice 2 — Sort by rough and smooth

Practise using your sense of touch to sort by rough and smooth.

  1. On a new page, draw two boxes and label them "Rough" and "Smooth".
  2. With an adult, find safe surfaces or objects to touch, such as wall, book cover, rug, table, shell, cardboard.
  3. Gently rub your fingers on each object and decide if it feels mostly rough or smooth. Draw or write the object in the right box.
  4. Add one describing word under each box, such as "Rough things feel bumpy." and "Smooth things feel flat and even."
  5. Circle the object that had the roughest texture and the one that felt the smoothest to you.

Practice 3 — Make a simple materials chart

Practise recording your sorting in a chart.

  1. In your journal, draw a chart with three columns labelled "Object", "Material", and "Hard or soft?".
  2. Choose at least five objects, such as spoon, book, sock, toy car, box.
  3. For each object, fill in the chart: write what it is, what material you think it is made from, and whether it feels hard or soft.
  4. Look down the "Material" column and see if you used any material more than once, such as plastic or fabric. Under the chart, write a sentence, such as "Many of my toys are plastic."
  5. Share your chart with someone and explain one thing you learned about the materials in your home or classroom.

Quick Check — Sorting materials

Answer each question about materials, properties, and sorting.

1) What is a material?

A material is what an object is made from.

2) Which of these is a material?

Wood is a material that many objects are made from.

3) Which word describes something that does not bend easily?

A stiff material does not bend easily.

4) Which object is most likely made from glass?

Windows are usually made from glass.

5) Which set of words all name materials?

Metal, plastic, and fabric are names of materials.

6) What does it mean to sort objects?

Sorting means grouping things that are similar in some way.

7) You are sorting by hard and soft. Where should a teddy bear go?

A teddy bear feels soft, so it belongs in the soft group.

8) Which pair matches a material and an object made from it?

A T-shirt is usually made from fabric.

9) Which sentence is an observation about a material?

Saying that a block feels hard and smooth describes what you feel.

10) You have a chart with columns "Object", "Material", and "Hard or soft?". What should you write under "Material" for a cardboard box?

A cardboard box is made from cardboard, which is a kind of paper.

11) Which list shows properties of materials?

Hard, soft, rough, and smooth are properties of materials.

12) A child sorts objects into "Metal" and "Not metal". Why is this a good science activity?

Sorting by metal and not metal helps us learn which objects use that material.

13) Why might we sort materials before building something?

Knowing which materials are hard, soft, or strong helps us choose the best ones.

14) Which set of words all match this lesson?

Material, wood, hard, and sort all belong to this sorting materials lesson.

15) Why is it important for children to learn about materials and how to sort them?

Learning about materials and sorting helps children understand their world and practise science skills.

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)

Next time I will practise…

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