Sorting materials
This Topic is About...
- I will sort materials into different groups.
- I will test materials to find out what they are like.
- I will ask questions about the properties of materials.
You’re going to think and work like a real scientist!
Key Words
- Earth
- planet
- recycle
- testing
- waste
Tap to Learn the Meanings!
- Earth: The place we live—our home world.
- planet: A big, round object in space that goes around a star.
- recycle: To turn old materials into new things instead of throwing them away.
- testing: Trying something out to see what happens or how well it works.
- waste: Things we throw away because we do not want them anymore.
Great job learning new science words!
Our Planet and Recycling
The planet we live on is called Earth. When we recycle materials we can use them again. When we recycle we make less waste. Recycling is one way to look after planet Earth.

Sorting Waste Materials
The children are sorting waste materials into groups.

Materials Sorted into Groups
This girl has sorted her materials.

Think Like a Scientist
Rough and smooth fabrics
You will need: some things made of different materials.

What to do:
- Sort the materials.
- Put all the metal things in a group.
- Put all the plastic things in a group.
- What other groups can you make?
Safety first:
Some metal things can be sharp. Be careful when touching them.
There are different ways to sort materials.

Are these things in the right groups?
Which group does the spoon go in?
Try this:
- Make some groups like this.
- Put all your hard things in one group.
- Put all your soft things in a different group.
- Now put all your rough things in one group.
- Put all your smooth things in a different group.
- What other groups can you make?
How am I doing?
Ask a friend to look at your groups. Have you put things in the right groups?
Now look at a friend’s groups.
Think Like a Scientist 2
Sorting materials by testing
You will need: some things made of different materials.
Some materials are flexible.
Some materials are rigid.

These children are testing materials to find out more about them.
Question:
Which materials are flexible?
What to think about:
- What question could you ask about materials?
- How could you test your materials to find out?
- Use what you find out to make new groups.
- Think of other tests that you could do.
Great work! You are testing materials like a real scientist.