Property of Materials

In this lesson, students carry out an investigation to classify different objects based on the type of material they are made from, and then test specific properties of different materials to determine which materials have properties best suited for an intended purpose. 

• There are different kinds of materials, and each material can be described by its properties. Materials are kinds of matter that make up objects.  
• Objects are made up of materials. Because of this, objects have properties that are a result of the materials that make them up. Different objects can be made up of different materials, and can share some properties with other objects but have other properties that are different.
• There is a relationship between a material’s properties and the ways in which it can be used, which is one reason why it is important to understand how to evaluate a substance’s properties.
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• Think about different objects that are made up of the same material. How are these objects similar? How are they different?
• Can different types of materials have similar properties?
• Why is it useful to have clothes and shoes that are flexible?
• How do the properties of the plastic spoon/paperclip make it useful for how it is used?
• How do the properties of a material make it suited for a specific purpose?
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Misconception: Gasses are not matter because we cannot see them.

Fact: All gasses, including air, are matter because they are made up of atoms and molecules.

Misconception: Ice is a different substance from water.

Fact: Ice is the solid form of water. It becomes water when heat is added.

Absorbency : the ability of a solid material to soak up a liquid

Flexibility:  the ability of a solid material to bend easily without breaking

Gas: matter that has no shape and spreads out, completely filling its container

Hardness: the ability of a solid material to keep its shape when an outside force is applied

Liquid: matter that takes the shape of its container but has no shape of its own

Material:  any kind of matter that makes up objects

Matter: everything that is made up of atoms and takes up space; includes all of the solids, liquids, and gasses around us

Property: an observable or measurable characteristic of matter

Science: all knowledge learned from experiments

Solid: matter that holds its own shape until something changes it by force

Temperature:  a measure of heat

Texture: the way a material or object feels

The Stickiness of Burs

One day, a man named George de Mestral took his dog for a walk in the woods. George observed that burs were sticking to his pants and his dog’s fur. George was curious. He wanted to know how the burs could stick to fabric and fur.

The Texture of Velcro

George studied the texture of the burs. He wanted to know if he could make a new material that copied the texture of the burs. This would allow it to stick to other things easily. After eight years of research and testing, George came up with a new material. He called it Velcro. Velcro is now used in many different items to hold two parts together.

Materials and Objects

Velcro is one kind of material. Materials are kinds of matter that are used to make up objects. There are many different kinds of materials. Plastic is a material. Cotton is a material. Metal is a material. Wood is a material. Some objects are made up of one kind of material. Some objects are made up of more than one kind of material.

In the hands-on activity of this lesson, students will conduct two investigations. In the first part, students investigate the question: “Can different types of materials have similar properties?” In the second part, students investigate the question: “How do the properties of a material make it suited for a specific purpose?” First, students carry out an investigation in which they sort objects into five different groups based on the type of material each is made from. Then, students collaboratively collect, record, and analyze data about the properties of each material listed, based on the results of their testing. Finally, students use the data they gathered about the specific properties of the different materials they tested to construct an explanation about which properties/materials would be best suited for specific purposes.