object
a thing made or used for a purpose
Learning goals
Learning intention: Objects can be made from one or more materials. Materials can be described using observable properties such as hard, soft, smooth, rough, bendy, stiff, shiny or dull.
- Name common materials.
- Describe observable properties.
- Compare two materials.
- Distinguish an object from the material it is made from.
- Explain why a material may suit a particular use.
Prerequisite knowledge
Students should be able to name familiar classroom and household objects, use simple describing words and compare two things by what they can see or feel. Encourage safe observation rather than guessing.
Key concept
Object, material and property are different ideas. A chair is an object; wood may be one material; hard and stiff are observable properties. One object can contain more than one material.
material
what an object is made from
property
a feature that can be observed or tested
compare
notice similarities and differences
Worked teaching sequence and checks
One object, several materials
Look closely at a pencil with an eraser. Name two materials. Describe one property you can observe.
Show answer and teaching guidance
Possible materials: wood, graphite, metal and rubber. Possible observations: the wooden body is stiff; the rubber eraser is softer than the metal holder. Use the actual pencil: some pencils have different parts.
Sort by what you observe
Place a fabric scrap, wooden block and metal spoon on a tray. Look and gently feel. Sort them by one property, such as flexible or stiff. Explain your rule.
Show answer and teaching guidance
For these samples, the fabric may bend easily while the block and spoon stay stiff. Accept a different grouping when supported by what the child observes. Colour alone does not identify a material.
Look closer and record
Look at a fabric scrap with your eyes, then through a magnifying glass. Draw what you notice. Tell a partner what the magnifying glass helped you see.
Show answer and teaching guidance
Accept observed detail such as threads, gaps or a woven pattern. Record what is visible in this sample; do not require every fabric to look the same.
Important questions and answers
Is “spoon” a material? Can two spoons be made from different materials?
Show answer and teaching guidance
Spoon names an object. Spoons can be made from materials such as metal, wood or plastic. Inspect examples rather than assuming every spoon is metal.
Can two materials share a property?
Show answer and teaching guidance
Yes. A wooden block and a metal spoon can both be hard. One property does not uniquely identify a material.
Assessment-style questions and review hints
Choose two safe objects. Name a material in each. Say one property they share and one difference you observe.
Review hint: “This is a ____. It is made from ____. I notice ____.”
Show answer and teaching guidance
Answers depend on the objects. Check that the child distinguishes object names, materials and observable properties. Accept pointing and spoken descriptions.
Exit ticket
Look at the pencil. Name two materials and describe one property you can observe. Point to the part you mean.
Show answer and teaching guidance
For this pictured pencil: wood and rubber; the wood is stiff, or the rubber eraser is soft. Accept other accurate observations and adapt to the actual pencil. Reteach with object → material → property if the child gives only object names.
Worked examples
Object → material → property
chair → wood → hard / stiff
cloth → fabric → soft / bendy
spoon → metal → hard / shiny
cloth → fabric → soft / bendy
spoon → metal → hard / shiny
Match a material to a use
towel → absorbent fabric
window → transparent glass
raincoat → water-resistant material
window → transparent glass
raincoat → water-resistant material
Use an observable or safely testable property to explain the choice.
Questions and answers
- What is an object?
- A thing made or used for a purpose.
- What is a material?
- What an object is made from.
- What is a property?
- A feature of a material that can be observed or safely tested.
- Can one object contain several materials?
- Yes. Many everyday objects combine materials because different parts need different properties.
Common misconceptions
- Object = material: name the object first, then what it is made from.
- Using only colour: also use properties such as hard, soft, rough, smooth, bendy or stiff.
- Guessing without observing: look, touch or use a safe simple test before describing the property.
Guided practice
- Find three classroom objects. Name each object, its material and one property.
- Compare wood and fabric using two property words.
- Choose a suitable material for a towel, spoon or raincoat and explain why.
Independent practice
- Name one material used to make classroom objects.
- Which word describes a property: soft or chair?
- Find an object made from more than one material and name both materials.
- Choose two objects and compare the materials they are made from.
Reasoning and problem-solving
You need to choose a material for a lunchbox that should be light, stiff and easy to wipe clean. Compare two possible materials and explain which one you would choose using observable properties.
Practice and review
- Look at a classroom object. Name the object, one material and one property.
- Explain why fabric is more suitable than glass for a towel.
- Give an example of an object made from two materials and explain why both may be useful.
Review hint: use the sentence pattern “The object is ____. It is made from ____. The material is ____.”
Check understanding
Exit ticket
Look at the pencil. Name two materials and describe one property you can observe. Point to the part you mean.
Show answer and teaching guidance
For this pictured pencil: wood and rubber; the wood is stiff, or the rubber eraser is soft. Accept other accurate observations and adapt to the actual pencil. Reteach with object → material → property if the child gives only object names.
Teacher and parent guidance
For teachers
Use real objects and safe observation. Ask students to say the object, material and property as three separate ideas. For First Nations elaborations, use locally appropriate community-approved sources and respect cultural authority.
For parents and carers
Choose safe household objects and ask, “What is it? What is it made from? What can you observe about the material?”
Curriculum alignment
Content description: recognise that objects can be composed of different materials and describe the observable properties of those materials
These are curriculum teaching examples used as a breadth check, not separate mandatory outcomes.
First Nations teaching guidance: Use a locally appropriate, community-approved source; name the relevant Peoples and Country/Place; respect cultural authority and permissions; and do not present one example as universal across First Nations Australians.
E1
observing and manipulating objects to identify the materials they are made of and recognising that some objects are made of more than one type of material
Teaching example: Inspect a pencil with an eraser. Point to its wooden body, graphite core, metal holder and rubber eraser where present. Explain that one object can contain several materials.
E2
recognising that tools such as magnifying glasses enable more-detailed observations
Teaching example: Observe a fabric scrap with the eyes and then with a magnifying glass. Draw a detail that becomes easier to see, such as threads or gaps.
E3
sorting and grouping materials based on observed properties such as colour, hardness, texture and flexibility
Teaching example: Sort a fabric scrap, wooden block and metal spoon by an observed property. State the sorting rule, then try a different rule.
E4
creating a display of different materials, naming each material and exploring language to describe properties of materials
Teaching example: Make a small labelled display: object, material and an observed property. Invite a partner to check each label against the sample.
E5
using a digital camera to collect images of objects on a materials scavenger hunt
Teaching example: Photograph three safe classroom objects. Add a material label and one observed property to each picture; avoid photographing people.
E6
suggesting why different parts of everyday objects, such as saucepans and clothing, are made from different materials
Teaching example: Compare the wooden body and rubber eraser of a pencil. Discuss why a stiff body is useful for holding and why an eraser needs different properties.
E7
investigating the ways in which First Nations Australians make utensils for different purposes by combining different materials
Teaching example: Use a locally appropriate, community-approved example of a utensil made by named First Nations Peoples. Follow the source when identifying its materials and purpose, and respect permissions.
Victoria and NSW: this migration does not assert a descriptor-level one-to-one equivalent without separate official verification. The Australian Curriculum code remains the canonical lesson identity.
Official curriculum references
Official curriculum sites are the source of record.
Practice and teaching resources
🎥 Optional Video Lesson
The SkillrHub lesson remains the primary learning resource. This optional video reinforces the explanation; you can complete the lesson and practice without watching.
Before you watch:
- Pause after each worked example.
- Try the examples yourself.
- Return to the SkillrHub lesson before continuing.
Recommended: Texture
Scratch Garden — Describing how the surface of a material feels. Use the lesson to identify what objects are made from.
As you watch: Which words describe a surface you might touch?
Load video player Loads YouTube in this lesson. See the video notice below.
Try it: With an adult, compare safe pieces of cloth, paper and wood. Name each material and describe its surface.
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Curriculum equivalents: Victoria, NSW and international
Curriculum equivalents for That objects can be composed of different materials and describe...
Mapped skill: recognise that objects can be composed of different materials and describe the observable properties of those materials
These references identify matching or closely related learning. Curriculum sequence, terminology and depth vary, so teachers should use the mapped skill and lesson difficulty to confirm suitability.
| Region | Curriculum framework | Closest level or code |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australian Curriculum v9.0 | AC9SFU03 · Foundation |
| Victoria | Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0 — Science | VC2S2U04 · Foundation–Level 2 |
| New South Wales | NSW Science and Technology K–6 Syllabus (2024) | STE-SCI-01 · Early Stage 1 |
| United States (USA) | Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) | Kindergarten |
| Canada (Ontario) | Ontario Curriculum — Science | Kindergarten |
| United Kingdom (England) | National Curriculum in England — Science | Year 1, Key Stage 1 |
| India | NCERT / CBSE — Science | Foundational Stage / Balvatika 3 |
Australian Curriculum v9.0 is the canonical source for this SkillrHub lesson. Victoria and NSW entries name the closest published state codes or outcomes; international entries are planning references rather than claims of identical curricula.
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Topic reference: AC9SFU03 — AC9SFU03: Objects and Materials
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