Grade 3 · Unit 5: Investigating materials

Properties of materials

Hard or soft, bendy or stiff – what is it like?

Describing materials

Materials are what objects are made from: wood, metal, plastic, glass, rubber, fabric and more. A property tells us what a material is like. Hard, soft, rough, smooth and shiny are all properties.

Bendy or stiff?

A flexible material bends easily, like rubber or fabric. A rigid material does not bend, like a brick or a metal bar. Some materials, like thin plastic, are a little flexible.

Water in or out?

A waterproof material does not let water through, like plastic or rubber. An absorbent material soaks up water, like a sponge, paper towel or cotton.

Can you see through it?

A transparent material lets light through so you can see clearly, like clear glass. An opaque material does not let light through, like wood.

Some materials can be described with many properties. Glass is hard, smooth, transparent, rigid and waterproof – but it breaks easily.

What I learnt

• I can describe materials using their properties.
• I can test materials for a property.