Virginia SOL 1.3.b

Science1st GradeMatter

The Standard

when a material is changed in size most physical properties remain the same

Virginia Standards of Learning for Science

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students compare a material before and after it is cut, torn, or broken into smaller pieces. They identify which observable properties stay the same and which change.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can examine a whole sheet of paper and a torn piece, then name unchanged properties such as color and texture. The student explains that the piece is still paper even though its size and shape changed.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think a smaller piece becomes a new material, or that every property changes when shape changes. They may also confuse size with properties such as color, texture, or hardness.
How to Assess It: Give each student one large and one small square cut from the same paper. Ask, “What changed, and what two properties stayed the same?”

Lesson moves

Have students tear aluminum foil into three sizes, then compare each piece’s color, texture, shininess, and flexibility.
Show a whole sponge and a small sponge piece, then ask students to explain what changed and what stayed the same.
Play Property Detective: teams sort picture cards by properties that changed or stayed the same after an object was cut.
Compare a full paper towel with a torn piece and identify the shared color, texture, and flexibility used during cleanup.

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A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 1.3.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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