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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Combining Materials Worksheets
Explore ways that different materials are used and why they’re chosen with a set of Combining Materials Worksheets.
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Bend, Twist or Stretch? Changing Materials Inquiry Activity
Explore materials, observe physical changes, make predictions, and share scientific observations with a hands-on Changing Materials Science Investigation.
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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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Observing Matter - Foundation Year Science Game
Practise observing the properties of matter with an engaging science game for foundation year students.
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Types of Materials - Printable Anchor Charts
Introduce your students to the different types of materials with a pack of printable anchor charts.
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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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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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Manmade vs Natural Materials Worksheets
Identify examples of natural and processed materials with a set of Man-Made vs Natural Materials Worksheets.
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What's It Made Of? Matching Materials Game (F-1)
Identify objects made of different materials with our hands-on ‘What’s It Made Of?’ Matching Materials Game.
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Mixed-Up Materials Bingo Game
Practise identifying materials with an exciting Mixed-Up Materials Bingo Game.
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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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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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Types of Physical Change - Science Sort
Sort examples of physical changes with a printable Types of Physical Change Science Sort.
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Searching For Natural and Processed Materials Activity
Explore the environment, identify common materials, and learn where they come from with a scavenger-hunt-styled Natural and Processed Materials Activity.
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Mapping Mixed Materials Worksheets
Explore objects made of various materials and identify the properties that make them useful with a set of printable Mapping Mixed Materials Worksheets.
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Which Material is Best? Task Cards
Identify the materials needed to make things with our printable ‘Which Material is Best?’ 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 Matter Interactive Game
Practise describing matter with an engaging science game for early years students.
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Science Experiment - Suck It Up!
A science experiment which investigates the absorptive properties of various materials.
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Processed Materials Poster
A poster displaying different processed materials and explaining what processed materials are.
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Natural Materials Poster
A poster displaying different natural materials and explaining what natural materials are.
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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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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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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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Which Material is Best? Interactive Game
Explore a variety of materials and how they can be used with an engaging Which Material Is Best? Interactive Game.
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Bend, Twist, Stretch Investigation Activity
Explore materials and their properties with a Bend, Twist, Stretch Investigation 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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Changes I Can See Worksheet Pack (Differentiated)
Explore physical changes and scientific predictions with a set of Changes I Can See Worksheets for Years 1-3.
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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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Hard or Soft? Describing Matter Activity Sheets (F-1)
Explore the world of matter with Describing Matter Activity Sheets for early years students.