Science·Matter & Materials·language
Material Properties Vocabulary
Use technical vocabulary to describe and compare material properties — conductor, insulator, thermal, electrical, transparent, opaque, translucent, soluble, insoluble, magnetic, flexible, rigid, density — and apply these terms precisely when selecting and justifying materials for particular purposes
Suggested ages 9–11
Learning journey
Your child is exploring how materials behave and change — investigating which substances dissolve in water, learning to separate mixtures, and distinguishing between changes that can be reversed and those that create entirely new materials.
Evidence of understanding
- Classify a set of materials as electrical conductors or insulators and explain why using the correct terms
- Use 'transparent', 'translucent', and 'opaque' correctly and distinctly in descriptions
- Apply at least four property terms correctly when justifying a material choice for a given purpose
Assessment prompt
If Material Properties Vocabulary had to choose a material to make a window, could they use words like 'transparent' and 'insulator' to explain their choice — not just say 'you can see through it'?
Standards alignment
No external standards are linked to this topic.