Materials Teaching Resources
Explore the properties of materials and where they are found with your students this school year! Explore worksheets, hands-on activities, lesson plans and more teacher-created resources for teaching students about materials found in nature and made by humans.
The printable and digital resources in this collection are aligned with the Australian science curriculum, and each one has undergone a careful review by a member of the Teach Starter teacher team.
Is this your first year teaching about materials? Or perhaps you're simply looking for some fresh information and ways to teach this science topic? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a materials definition to share with your students, plus explanations of the differences between matural and man-made materials!
What Are Materials? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Do you need a way to explain what materials are to your students? Here's a helpful definition from our teacher team that you can add to your lessons:
A material is a substance that is used to make an object. For example, a desk can be made from wood. Wood is the material.
Materials can come from nature, but they can also be man-made.
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Exploring Natural and Processed Materials PowerPoint
Explore natural and manmade materials with an interactive Natural and Processed Materials PowerPoint presentation.
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What’s It Made Of? Materials PowerPoint (F)
Explore the world and discover the materials we use to make everyday objects with our ‘What’s It Made Of?’ Materials PowerPoint Presentation.
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Properties of Materials PowerPoint
Explore the world of materials and the traits that make them useful with a Properties of Materials PowerPoint presentation.
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Changing Materials PowerPoint - Bend, Twist, & Stretch
Explore materials and how they can be changed by bending, twisting, stretching, tearing, and crushing with a Changing Materials PowerPoint.
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Combining Materials PowerPoint
Explore everyday objects, the materials they’re made from, and why those materials are chosen with an engaging, interactive Combining Materials PowerPoint Presentation.
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Exploring Everyday Materials Posters
Recognise and identify objects made from different materials with a set of Everyday Materials Posters for early learners.
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Material Mistakes PowerPoint
Explore the importance of choosing the right materials based on their properties with an interactive Material Mistakes PowerPoint presentation.
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Man-Made vs Natural Materials Gallery Walk Activity
Identify man-made and natural materials in the classroom with a Natural vs Processed Materials Gallery Walk.
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Types of Materials Flashcards
Explore things made of wood, glass, plastic, metal and other materials with our printable Types of Materials Flashcards.
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What’s It Made Of? Material Sorting Activity
Identify everyday objects made of paper, wood, metal, and more with a hands-on Material Sorting Activity.
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Material Properties Scavenger Hunt Activity Sheets
Observe materials and their properties in the real world with a printable Material Properties Scavenger Hunt Activity pack for school and home.
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Physical Properties of Matter Poster Pack
Discover the physical properties of matter with a set of printable Properties of Matter Posters for the classroom.
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Material World PowerPoint - Processed and Natural Materials
Discover the difference between processed and natural materials with an instructional slide show.
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Material Mistakes - Problem Solving Worksheets
Analyse the properties of materials and boost critical thinking skills with our Material Mistakes Problem Solving Worksheets.
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Which Material is Best? Worksheet Pack
Explore everyday objects, the materials they’re made from, and the properties that make them useful with our Which Material Is Best? Worksheet Pack.
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Sustainable Materials Task Cards
Explore familiar objects and discuss their sustainable features, environmental impact, and sustainability rating with printable Sustainable Materials Task Cards.
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Properties of Materials Task Cards
Explore materials and their most valuable traits with a set of printable Properties of Materials Task Cards.
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Properties of Materials Sorting Game
Teach your little learners about the basic properties of materials with an engaging sorting activity.
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Material Properties Worksheets (4-5)
Explore the properties that make materials useful with our printable Material Properties Worksheets for upper years' students.
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Observing Matter Worksheet Pack
Practise observing the properties of materials used in a range of objects with our Observing Matter Worksheet Pack.
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Why Do We Use That? Properties of Materials Game
Explore the properties that make different materials useful with an interactive, self-checking Properties of Materials Game.
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Changing Materials Scavenger Hunt - Year 2
Explore ways materials can be altered with a Bend, Twist, Stretch or Crush? Changing Materials Scavenger Hunt activity.
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Material World Classroom Display (F-2)
Kick off your Materials Unit with a printable ‘Material World’ Classroom display kit.
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Natural and Processed Materials Activity Book
Explore natural and processed materials and their properties with a printable Natural and Processed Materials Activity Book.
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Observing Physical Changes Investigation Booklet (Year 2)
Explore materials that bend, break, tear, twist, and stretch using a printable Observing Physical Changes Booklet for Year 2.
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Identifying Materials Worksheets - Mazes
Escape the maze by identifying the materials used in everyday objects with printable Identifying Materials Worksheets.
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Properties of Materials - Graphing Worksheets
Explore materials and mathematics with engaging Properties of Materials Graphing Worksheets.
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What's It Made Of? Identifying Materials Interactive Game (F-1)
Learn to recognise what things are made of with our ‘What’s It Made Of?’ Identifying Materials Interactive Game.
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Natural and Processed Materials PowerPoint
A teaching presentation comparing natural and processed materials and how humans make scientific comparisons.
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Recyclable Materials Sorting Activity
Cut and sort recyclable materials with a printable Recyclable Materials Sorting activity.
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Materials Around Us - Draw and Colour Worksheets
Observe and identify the materials around us with a set of Material Observation Draw and Colour Worksheets.
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Exploring Materials Unit Assessment
Assess your students knowledge of materials and their properties with a printable Exploring Materials Unit Assessment.