Foundation Science · AC9SFU03
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 Learning…
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Content description: recognise that objects can be composed of different materials and describe the observable properties of those materials
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.
Look closely at a pencil with an eraser. Name two materials. Describe one property you can observe.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Use an observable or safely testable property to explain the choice.
Is “spoon” a material? Can two spoons be made from different materials?
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?
Yes. A wooden block and a metal spoon can both be hard. One property does not uniquely identify a material.
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 ____.”
Answers depend on the objects. Check that the child distinguishes object names, materials and observable properties. Accept pointing and spoken descriptions.
Look at the pencil. Name two materials and describe one property you can observe. Point to the part you mean.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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