2-PS1-1 · Science
Matter and Its Interactions
Your child should be able to observe, describe, and sort materials by properties like color, texture, hardness, flexibility, and whether they absorb water.
What the standard actually says
Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
Domain: Matter and Its Interactions — Exploring how different materials have different properties and how heating/cooling can change them.
Next Generation Science Standards*Examples and home activities
- Collect 10 household items. Sort them by hard/soft, rough/smooth, heavy/light.
- Do a 'sink or float' experiment in the bathtub or a bowl of water.
- Create a materials chart: what's it made of? What does it feel like? What does it look like?
Printable practice worksheet — 2-PS1-1
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________ Standard: 2-PS1-1
1. What did you observe? Draw it.
2. Write one question you want to investigate.
3. What do you predict will happen? Why?
4. Record your data in a simple chart.
5. What did you find out?
6. What would you change if you tried again?
secondgrade.com · Science · 2-PS1-1
Lessons that teach this
14 lessons list 2-PS1-1.
Week 1
- Monday · Science — Observe and classify objects by their properties (2-PS1-1).
- Wednesday · Science — Describe materials by observable properties; plan a test (2-PS1-1).
- Friday · Science — Sort materials by multiple properties; reflect on the week's learning.
Week 2
- Monday · Science — Students will observe, describe and sort household objects by properties such as color, texture, hardness, flexibility and whether they absorb water (2-PS1-1).
- Wednesday · Science — Students will test which materials absorb water and use the results to add a new property to their sorting chart (2-PS1-1).
- Friday · Science — Students will draw conclusions about how properties help us describe and use materials and create a texture collage (2-PS1-1).
Week 6
- Monday · Science — Students will show that a set of small pieces can be taken apart and built into a new object and review how properties describe matter (2-PS1-3, 2-PS1-1).
- Wednesday · Science — Students will explore cutting and folding paper into new objects and review reversible changes with the Week 4 play dough (2-PS1-3, 2-PS1-1).
- Friday · Science — Students will review the Properties of Matter unit by sorting, changing and building with materials and create a mosaic from small pieces (2-PS1-3, 2-PS1-1).
Week 32
- Wednesday · Science — Students will review the properties of matter by sorting kitchen materials by observable properties and testing which are best for a purpose (2-PS1-1, 2-PS1-2).
- Friday · Science — Students will draw conclusions about why some places have more living things than others and connect biodiversity to the properties of the materials found there (2-LS4-1, 2-PS1-1).
Week 36
- Monday · Science — Students will review the year's science units by sorting portfolio work into topics and choosing their best piece from each (2-PS1-1, 2-LS2-1, 2-LS4-1, 2-ESS2-1, K-2-ETS1-1).
- Wednesday · Science — Students will write a caption for each portfolio piece explaining the science idea it shows and the evidence behind it (all Grade 2 science standards reviewed).
- Friday · Science — Students will present their science portfolio, reflect on their growth as a scientist, and receive awards tied to real skills demonstrated during the year (all Grade 2 science standards reviewed).
Where it lives in our curriculum
This standard is taught in these weeks:
Related standards in Matter and Its Interactions
Your child should test materials to figure out which one works best for a job — like 'which material makes the best umbrella?'
2-PS1-3Your child should understand that things can be taken apart and rebuilt into something new — the pieces don't change, just the arrangement.
2-PS1-4Your child should know that heating and cooling can change materials — and sometimes you can undo the change (ice melting) but sometimes you can't (cooking an egg).