Sort by Properties

Classify objects by one or two properties, and choose the best material for a job.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 27

Scientists sort, or classify, objects by their properties. You can sort by hardness, flexibility, texture, absorbency, mass, and more.
The same objects can be sorted different ways. A sponge and a rock are different in hardness. But a sponge and a pillow are both soft!
Properties help people choose the right material for a job. A window needs glass, so you can see through it.
A raincoat needs plastic, so the rain can't soak through. A towel needs cotton, so it soaks up water.
Your turn! Sort these by absorbency: do they soak up water?

Georgia Standards of Excellence in Science:

S2P1.a — Ask questions to describe and classify different objects according to their physical properties. (Examples of physical properties could include color, mass, length, texture, hardness, strength, absorbency, and flexibility.)