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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Comparing and Observing Properties of Rocks Game
Practise comparing the physical properties of rocks with an interactive Comparing Rocks Game for early years students.
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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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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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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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Bend, Twist, or Stretch Worksheet Pack
Explore physical changes in different materials with a printable Bend, Twist or Stretch? Worksheet Pack for Year 2.
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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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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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Functional and Structural Properties of Materials Worksheets (4-6)
Explore and identify the properties of materials with a set of Functional and Structural Properties of Materials Worksheets for upper-primary grades.
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Mixed-Up Materials Bingo Game
Practise identifying materials with an exciting Mixed-Up Materials Bingo Game.
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Properties of Materials Word Wall Vocabulary
Forty-eight 'properties of materials' vocabulary cards.
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Observing Properties of Matter Task Cards - Year 5
Practise observational skills and discover the characteristics of matter with a set of printable Year 5 Properties of Matter Task cards.
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Sorting Rocks By Properties - Science Sorting Mats
Make sorting rocks by properties hands-on and engaging with our Printable Rock Properties Sorting Mats for Kindergarten through Year 3.
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Describing Properties of Materials Beanbag Toss Game
Learn about the properties of materials and how to describe them with an exciting beanbag toss game.
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Uses of Materials Sorting Activity
Explore the materials objects are made of with a fun sorting activity for students.
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Things That Stretch, Bend and Twist – Sorting Activity
Introduce your students to physical changes in materials with a stretch, bend and twist material sorting activity.
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Physical Changes in Matter Interactive Game
Observe and predict physical changes in matter with an engaging, interactive Science Game!
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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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Natural Materials Poster
A poster displaying different natural materials and explaining what natural materials are.
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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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Properties of Materials - Graphing Worksheets
Explore materials and mathematics with engaging Properties of Materials Graphing 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.
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Plantable Seed Paper Activity Pack
Make your own Plantable Seed Paper and learn about physical changes, recycling, and biodegradable materials with a printable Make Your Own Paper Activity pack.
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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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Mistaken Materials Worksheets
Explore materials and their positive properties with a set of printable Mistaken Materials Worksheets.
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What If? Choosing Materials Worksheets
Explore everyday objects and identify the best materials to make them with our What If? Choosing Materials Worksheet pack.
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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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Materials and Their Properties Worksheets (F-1)
Explore the properties of different materials with a set of printable Materials and Their Properties Worksheets for little learners.
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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 Properties Worksheet Pack (F-2)
Identify objects made from different materials and note their properties with a printable Properties of Materials Worksheet Pack.
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Natural and Man-Made Materials Worksheets
Introduce your students to different materials and their properties with these Natural and Man-Made Materials Worksheets.
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Natural vs Man-Made Materials Scavenger Hunt
Explore and identify examples of natural and processed materials with our Natural vs Man-Made Materials Scavenger Hunt Worksheets.
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Recycling With Heat Worksheet
Explore how reversible and irreversible changes lend themself to recycling with a printable Recycling With Heat Worksheet.