Texas TEKS 4.6.B

Science4th GradeMatter and energy

The Standard

investigate and compare a variety of mixtures, including solutions that are composed of liquids in liquids and solids in liquids

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students combine common solids and liquids with water and record what happens. They compare whether each sample looks uniform, forms layers, settles, or can be filtered.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students can explain why salt water is different from sand water and why oil behaves differently from food coloring in water. They use observations as evidence.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think every mixture dissolves or that stirring always creates a solution. They may also think clear samples are pure substances and layered samples are not mixtures.
How to Assess It: Give students pictures of salt water, sand water, oil and water, and food coloring in water. Ask them to group the samples and justify each group with one observable property.

Lesson moves

Mix salt, sand, oil, and food coloring separately with water, then record dissolving, settling, layers, and filter results in a table.
Write a claim comparing salt water and sand water, then support it with observations about visibility, settling, and filtration.
Play Mixture Match by pairing sample cards with property cards such as uniform, layered, settles, dissolves, or filters out.
Examine a bottle of salad dressing before and after shaking, then explain why layers return after it sits.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 4.6.B, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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