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WorksheetYear 5Level 2 · Standard

Free Year 5 Choosing Materials: Properties and Uses Worksheet

Students describe materials by their properties — strong, flexible, waterproof, transparent, absorbent, conductor or insulator — explain why objects are made from particular materials, and plan a fair test of paper towels.

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Year
Year 5
Subject
Science
Topic
States of Matter & Materials
Difficulty
Level 2 · Standard
Estimated time
30 minutes
Curriculum
New Zealand Curriculum
Questions
15
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practise

  • describing the properties of materials
  • linking a material's properties to its use
  • explaining why some objects use more than one material
  • planning a fair test
  • identifying variables

Curriculum: New Zealand Curriculum. We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.

What's next?

Completed: Choosing Materials: Properties and Uses

Ready for more? Move on to Year 6 Science.

How to use this worksheet

  1. Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
  2. Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
  3. Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
  4. Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.

Common questions

Who is this worksheet for?

Year 5 students (typically ages 9–10) working on states of matter & materials. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.

Are the answers included?

Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.

How long does it take?

About 30 minutes for 15 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.

Do I need to sign up to download?

No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.

What should we do next?

Explore more Year 5 science resources.

Preview

Success TutoringWorksheetsYear 5 · Science · States of Matter & Materials

Choosing Materials: Properties and Uses

Name

Date

Score /

Use property words such as strong, flexible, waterproof, absorbent, conductor and insulator.

Part A: Properties and uses

Read the passage. Then circle the best answer.

A property describes what a material is like. Materials can be strong or weak, rigid or flexible (bendy), waterproof or absorbent (soaks up water), and transparent (see-through) or opaque.

Some materials are conductors — heat or electricity passes through them easily. Most metals are good conductors. Other materials, such as plastic, wood, rubber and wool, are insulators — heat and electricity do not pass through them easily.

We choose a material for a job because of its properties. Many objects use more than one material, with each part doing a different job. A saucepan has a metal pan to heat the food and an insulating handle to keep your hand safe.

1.Windows are made of glass because glass is…
  1. Aabsorbent
  2. Btransparent
  3. Cflexible
  4. Dmagnetic
2.Why is a saucepan made of metal?
  1. AMetal is soft.
  2. BMetal is see-through.
  3. CMetal is a good conductor of heat.
  4. DMetal soaks up water.
3.Why does a saucepan often have a plastic or wooden handle?
  1. AThey are insulators, so the handle stays cool.
  2. BThey are shiny.
  3. CThey are heavier than metal.
  4. DThey make food cook faster.
4.Which material is best for a bath towel?
  1. Aplastic
  2. Bglass
  3. Cmetal
  4. Dcotton
5.Electrical wires are copper inside with a plastic coating. Why?
  1. ACopper conducts electricity; plastic insulates it to keep us safe.
  2. BPlastic conducts electricity; copper keeps it in.
  3. CBoth are there to make the wire waterproof.
  4. DCopper is used only for its colour.

Part B: Choosing the best material

6.Match each object to the property that makes its material a good choice.
  • rubber rain boots
  • steel bridge
  • woollen scarf
  • strong
  • insulator
  • waterproof
7.A material that soaks up water is called (answer space).
8.A material that bends easily without breaking is (answer space).
9.Why would paper be a poor choice for an umbrella? (answer space)

Part C: True or false?

Write True or False.

10.Metals are good insulators of heat. ☐ True   ☐ False
11.An object can be made of more than one material. ☐ True   ☐ False
12.Glass is transparent but can break easily. ☐ True   ☐ False
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Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

States of Matter & Materials in other year levels

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About this resource

Created by
Success Tutoring Science Team
Last reviewed
1 October 2026
How it was made
Written by our team

Free to print and share for personal, classroom and homeschool use. Please don't resell. Spotted an error? Let us know.