Grade 3 · Unit 5: Investigating materials

Sorting materials

Group materials using diagrams like a scientist.

Groups of materials

We can sort objects by the material they are made of. Metal, wood, plastic, glass, rock, rubber and fabric are common groups. We can also sort by properties, like hard or soft.

Natural or man-made?

Natural materials come from plants, animals or the ground: wood, cotton, jute, wool and rock. Man-made materials are made by people: plastic, glass, nylon and paper. Many man-made materials are made from natural ones. Glass is made from sand.

Venn diagrams

A Venn diagram uses two circles that overlap. One circle could be “metal” and the other “shiny”. A shiny metal spoon goes in the middle, because it fits both criteria.

Things that fit neither rule go outside both circles. A Venn diagram shows clearly which things share properties.

Carroll diagrams

A Carroll diagram is a grid with two rules. The columns could be “flexible” and “not flexible”. The rows could be “metal” and “not metal”. Each object goes in the box that fits both rules.

What I learnt

• I can sort materials into groups.
• I can use Venn and Carroll diagrams.
• I know the difference between natural and man-made materials.