Texas TEKS5th GradeScience

5.6A— Comparing and Contrasting Matter Properties

Matter and energy · b.6: Matter and energy. The student knows that matter has measurable physical properties that determine how matter is identified, classified, changed, and used. The student is expected to:

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What this standard means: TEKS §112.7.6.A asks fifth graders to compare and contrast matter using properties they can measure, test, or observe, such as mass, volume, density, solubility, and conductivity. This intervention, Matter Properties Practice, practices that skill through cooking and sports-themed scenarios: identifying which property a 500 mL bottle measures, correcting the claim that sand dissolves like sugar, choosing a material that floats because it is less dense than water, and comparing two solids with the same volume but different solubility for a recipe. Each question ties a property name to a concrete test a student could actually run. With repetition, naming the right property for a given comparison becomes automatic instead of a guess.

What the standard says, word for word · §112.7.b.6.A

compare and contrast matter based on measurable, testable, or observable physical properties, including mass, magnetism, relative density (sinking and floating using water as a reference point), physical state (solid, liquid, gas), volume, solubility in water, and the ability to conduct or insulate thermal energy and electric energy

Read it at the source: Texas Education Agency (TEA)

← Builds on · Grade 4§112.6.b.6.A Classifying Matter by Observable Properties

You are here · Grade 55.6A Comparing and Contrasting Matter Properties

What’s inside

What you get, and who it’s for

Everything below is measured from the actual lesson and the actual file. Nothing here is an estimate.

Time to run: About 17 minutes. 7 min lesson, then 10 min of practice.
In the download: 8 printable pages: the full lesson, the worked examples, the visual models, and 10 practice questions with space to work. An educator answer key is included at the end, so the student pages come first and it is still ready to hand out. The lesson’s worked examples do show their solutions, because that is how they teach.
Question set: The download carries all 10 questions. The page shows 10 of them as a sample.
Question format: Every question is multiple choice. Students show their work on the page.
Assumed before this: Students who are shaky on these will struggle with 5.6A. Worth a quick check first.
§112.6.b.6.A(Grade 4) Students should already be able to classify and describe matter using observable physical properties, including temperature, mass, magnetism, relative density such as sinking or floating, and physical state.
Dates: Published August 6, 2026. Last updated August 14, 2026.

The sample intervention

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5.6A

Matter Properties Practice: Cook, Play, and Test

Compare and contrast matter by looking at properties you can measure, test, or observe.

Read the passages and examples below to learn about comparing and contrasting matter by looking at properties you can measure, test, or observe. Use each property clue to tell materials apart.

Matter can be described by its physical properties. A physical property is a feature you can observe, measure, or test without changing what the material is. Some properties are mass, magnetism, volume, physical state, solubility in water, relative density, and whether a material conducts or insulates thermal energy or electric energy.

Measure it, test it, or observe it

Every property below can be compared. The group tells you HOW you find it out.

Mass tells how much matter an object has. Volume tells how much space it takes up. A solid keeps its own shape, a liquid flows and takes the shape of its container, and a gas spreads out to fill the space available.

Solubility in water tells whether a material dissolves in water. Relative density tells whether something sinks or floats in water. Materials can also be tested for conductivity. A metal spoon in soup conducts thermal energy well, while a plastic spatula handle insulates thermal energy better. Some materials also conduct electric energy, while others insulate it.

Five properties and how to test them

	How you test it	Example
volume	measure the space it fills, in mL	a bottle holds 500 mL
solubility in water	stir it in and watch	sugar dissolves; sand does not
thermal conductivity	feel how fast heat moves through	metal spoon gets hot fast
electrical conductivity	see if electricity passes through	copper yes, rubber no
relative density	see if it floats or sinks	foam floats; a rock sinks

Use this table to name the property a question is really asking about.

When you compare two materials, look for both sameness and differences. For example, two playground materials may both be solids, but one may have more volume, one may sink in water, and one may insulate thermal energy better. Comparing properties helps scientists choose the best material for cooking, sports drinks, and playground materials.

Read the table, then decide

	Volume	Mass	Dissolves in water?
Drink C	150 mL	155 g	no
Drink D	300 mL	310 g	no
Drink mix powder	not measured	25 g	yes

Compare one column at a time. A material can be greater in one property and not another.

Worked exampleA metal spoon is a solid and conducts thermal energy well.

Worked exampleA plastic spatula handle is a solid and insulates thermal energy.

Worked examplePowdered sports drink mix dissolves and seems to vanish into water, but tiny pebbles from the playground just sit at the bottom of the bottle.

Worked exampleA cork may float in water, while a stone sinks.

Worked exampleA plastic bottle can hold a certain volume of sports drink.

Worked exampleAluminum foil may conduct electric energy better than rubber.

Practice questions

1
A plastic bottle holds 500 mL of sports drink. Which property is being measured?
- volume
- mass
- solubility in water
- magnetism
2
A student writes: 'Sugar dissolves in water, so sand dissolves in water too.' What is wrong with the statement?
- Sand dissolves in water.
- Sugar does not dissolve in water.
- Both sugar and sand dissolve in water.
- Sugar dissolves in water, but sand does not.
3
A coach is comparing materials for a sports drink cooler. Which choice is most likely to float in water because it is less dense than water?
- metal spoon
- glass cup
- foam lid
- sand-filled pouch
4
A student tests two solids for a sports drink recipe. Material A has a volume of 200 mL, dissolves in water, and is brittle. Material B has a volume of 200 mL, does not dissolve in water, and is brittle. Which material would be better to mix evenly into the sports drink, and why?
- Both materials, because they have the same volume and are both brittle.
- Material B, because it does not dissolve and stays unchanged in water.
- Neither material, because solids cannot be tested in water.
- Material A, because it dissolves in water and would mix evenly.
5
Which material would let heat move into a cold sports drink more slowly?
- Metal, because it lets heat move in fast.
- Plastic, because it slows heat moving in.
- Glass, because it always changes into a liquid.
- Paper, because it makes more thermal energy.
6
A playground designer needs a material that does not let electric energy pass through easily. Which choice fits best?
- steel nail
- rubber
- copper wire
- aluminum foil
7
A coach compares two sports drinks for a practice team. Drink A has a volume of 180 mL and a mass of 190 g. Drink B has a volume of 240 mL and a mass of 250 g. Which statement is correct based on the measurable properties?
- Drink A has the greater volume, but Drink B has the greater mass.
- Drink B has the greater volume and the greater mass.
- The drinks cannot be compared because volume and mass are different properties.
- Drink A and Drink B have the same volume and the same mass.
8
A student says, 'The plastic spoon is a good conductor because it is in hot soup.' What is the best correction?
- Plastic is a good conductor because it is in soup.
- Plastic insulates thermal energy better than metal.
- Plastic conducts electric energy better than metal.
- Plastic is a solid and always floats.
9
Which choice best explains why two playground materials can both be solids but still be different?
- They must have the same volume and same solubility.
- They can differ in volume, relative density, or conductivity.
- Solids cannot sink or float in water.
- Only liquids can be compared by properties.
10
A sports drink bottle is made from a material that is a solid, does not dissolve in water, and can insulate electric energy. Which material best matches those clues?
- plastic
- sugar
- water
- salt

Part of the question set is shown. Generate the whole intervention, freshly themed and with an answer key, for your own class in the product.

Watch for this

Common mistakes

Confusing one property with all properties: Students often think one clue tells them everything about a material, like assuming something that is in hot soup must conduct heat, or that if one material dissolves, all similar materials do too. On this skill, students need to compare several measurable or observable properties, such as mass, volume, solubility, density, state, and conductivity, before deciding how two materials are alike or different.

Vocabulary

Key terms

physical property: A physical property is a feature you can observe, measure, or test without changing what the material is.
mass: Mass tells how much matter an object has.
volume: Volume tells how much space something takes up.
solubility in water: Solubility in water tells whether a material dissolves in water.

In the classroom

How to use this intervention

Use the 7-minute lesson as a brief whole-class warm-up to review properties such as mass, volume, solubility, and conductivity, then have students complete the 10-minute worksheet independently or in pairs. Circulate to check for careful use of property clues and pull a small group if several students need help comparing materials.

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Questions educators ask

Educator FAQ

What grade is this worksheet for?

This worksheet is for Grade 5.

Which TEKS standard does it align to?

It aligns to TEKS §112.7.b.6.A, comparing and contrasting matter using measurable, testable, or observable properties.

Is an answer key included?

Yes, the free worksheet PDF includes all questions with a complete answer key.