Describing Material Properties
Describe simple physical properties of everyday materials such as hard/soft, stretchy/stiff, shiny/dull, rough/smooth, waterproof/absorbent, transparent/opaque
What a learner can do afterwards
- Use at least five property words correctly: hard, soft, stretchy, shiny, rough, smooth, transparent, waterproof
- Describe the properties of three different materials using at least two property words each
- Explain why a property matters (e.g. 'waterproof means water doesn't soak through')
The lesson
Every material has properties. A property is a word for how it feels or looks. Touch it or look closely, then describe it.
A metal spoon is hard and shiny. It feels smooth, and it will not bend.
A sponge feels soft and rough. It soaks up water fast, so it is absorbent, not waterproof.
A rubber band is stretchy and soft. It stretches when you pull it. A glass window is transparent and smooth. Light passes right through it.
Properties matter for real reasons. A raincoat is waterproof, so rain does not soak through. That keeps you dry.
Materials have properties like hard, soft, shiny, rough, stretchy, transparent, and waterproof. Use these words to describe what you touch and see.
Watch it
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.