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Science · Grade 2

Describe and Classify Materials

Second graders become material detectives. They describe materials by observable properties (color, texture, hardness, flexibility, absorbency, sinking or floating), run tests to find those properties, classify the same objects in different ways using a clear sorting rule, and tell solids from liquids by whether they keep their own shape.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 75 minutes
  • Materials and properties check: 8 questions
  • Ways to answer: fill in the blanks, choose an answer, match pairs, sort into groups and true or false
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What learners will discover

  • Describe materials using observable properties (color, texture, hardness, flexibility, absorbency, sinking or floating) and the tests that show them.
  • Classify materials into groups using one property at a time and state the sorting rule.
  • Classify materials as solids or liquids by whether they keep their own shape.

Lessons

  1. Properties we can observe 4 steps2 practiceabout 20 min
  2. Sink or float: a property test 4 steps2 practiceabout 18 min
  3. Classify by a rule 4 steps2 practiceabout 18 min
  4. Solid or liquid? 5 steps2 practiceabout 19 min
  5. Materials and properties check 8 questions at the end

Keep exploring

Games to practice with

  • Marble MountainLay straights, curves, drops and splitters to roll marbles down the mountain.
  • Habitat Builder 3DFind the right home for frogs, camels, polar bears and more.
  • Weather LabPredict the weather in a box, then run a fair test to find out why.

More 2nd grade science

Guide for grown-ups