Science Fenns K-5Grades K to 5
A kitchen table with a rock, an ice cube, a steel spoon, a plastic spoon, a cup of juice and a balloon of air, with a magnet and a thermometer beside them.

Science / All lessons / Matter and Mixtures

Classify Matter

Temperature, mass, magnetism and state.

Lesson 8 of 40

Try this first

Before we start

Today’s story

Classify Matter

Maya empties the junk drawer onto the kitchen table. There are keys, a rubber band, a nail, a marble and a spoon. It is a big pile of stuff. She wants to sort it. She just needs a way to tell things apart.

Scientists classify matter by its properties. A property is something you can observe or measure. Temperature tells how hot or cold. Mass tells how much matter. Magnetism tells if a magnet pulls on it. State tells if it is a solid, liquid or gas.

One object has many properties. A cold steel spoon is a solid. It has some mass. A magnet pulls on it. Sorting by one property at a time keeps things clear. Here are the steps.

See it

Five steps. Every time.

    Hands on

    Junk Drawer Sort

    25 minutes · Do this with a grown-up nearby

    You need

    • A magnet
    • A small kitchen scale or balance
    • A kitchen thermometer
    • Ten small safe objects such as a spoon, nail, coin, button, rock and eraser
    • A cup of ice water
    • A cup of ice water and a cup of warm tap water

    Do this

    1. Lay the objects on a tray.
    2. Predict which ones the magnet will pull.
    3. Test each object with the magnet and write yes or no.
    4. Weigh each object and write its mass.
    5. Measure the temperature of the ice water and the warm water and write each number.
    6. Sort by one property.
    7. Sort again by another property.
    Write or draw: A table with columns for Object, Magnet yes or no, Mass in grams and State. Add a line for the two water temperatures.

    Watch for: Notice that being heavy or shiny does not decide if a magnet works. Check for surprises.

    Safety: Keep small objects away from little brothers and sisters and do not put anything in your mouth.

    Same every time

    Three rules

    Rule 1Sort by one property at a time.

    Mixing two rules makes a mess.

    Rule 2Test, do not guess.

    A magnet can surprise you. Some metals are not magnetic.

    Rule 3Label your groups.

    A group without a name is confusing.

    Grandpa Fenn’s notebook

    Say it like a scientist

    matter
    Anything that has mass and takes up space.
    property
    Something you can observe or measure about an object.
    state
    Solid, liquid or gas.
    magnetic
    Pulled by a magnet.

    Poppy’s quiz

    Six questions

    Tap an answer. Green means right. You will see why.

    Talk about it

    Say it out loud

    • How do you know if something is a solid, a liquid or a gas?
    • What do you sort at home or on the farm? What property do you use?
    Did you know

    A penny is not pulled by a magnet, even though it is metal.

    Someone who does this

    A materials scientist tests the properties of new metals and plastics.

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