Virginia SOL 5.7.b

Science5th GradeMatter

The Standard

substances can be mixed together without changes in their physical properties

Virginia Standards of Learning for Science

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students identify each material in a mixture and compare its properties before and after mixing. They explain that each part keeps properties such as color, size, texture, or magnetism.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students can describe the parts of a mixture and name properties that remain unchanged. They can choose a way to separate the parts based on those properties.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think mixing materials always creates a new substance. They may also describe the whole mixture as having one set of properties instead of tracking each part.
How to Assess It: Give students this prompt: Sand, paper clips, and beads are mixed in a cup. Name one property each material keeps and explain how to separate them.

Lesson moves

Mix gravel, sand, and iron filings, then use a sieve and magnet to separate them and record each material’s unchanged properties.
Ask students to explain whether making trail mix creates a new substance, using two observations as evidence.
Play a mixture match game where students pair each mixture card with a separation tool and the physical property it uses.
Examine a recycling bin and decide how magnets, screens, or hand sorting separate materials by their physical properties.

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A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 5.7.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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