Materials Around Us

6.1 Observing Objects Around Us

This section introduces the concept of materials through the observation of everyday objects. Two students, Ghulan and Sheeta, enter their classroom after the summer break and begin discussing the items they have brought to school. Their science teacher, Madam Vidya, engages the class by asking questions about the similarities and differences among various objects around them. She encourages students to observe the shapes, colours, textures, and weights of these objects. Through this interaction, students learn that all objects are made up of some materials such as paper, wood, cloth, glass, metal, plastic, and clay. The term 'material' is defined as any substance used to create an object. An activity (Activity 6.1) invites students to list objects around them and identify the materials they are made of, reinforcing the idea that objects are composed of various materials. The section also provides a historical perspective on the use of materials, highlighting the ancient pottery traditions in the Indian subcontinent dating back 7,000 to 8,000 years. It describes the sophisticated techniques developed during the Sindhu-Sarasvati (Harappan) Civilization, such as wheel-turned pottery, pigmentation, and decorative painting. The clay used was carefully processed and baked in kilns to create terracotta items used for cooking and storage. This historical context connects students to the long-standing human relationship with materials and their uses. **Table on page 2 (3×2)** | I observe | Materials they are made up of | | --- | --- | | | | | | |

• Materials are substances used to make objects.
• Objects around us are made from various materials like paper, wood, cloth, glass, metal, plastic, and clay.
• Observation of objects includes noting shape, colour, texture, and weight.
• Activity 6.1 helps identify materials of everyday objects.
• Ancient Indian civilizations developed advanced pottery techniques using clay.
• Terracotta is baked clay used for making pots and storage items.
• 📌 Material: Any substance used to create an object.
• 📌 Terracotta: Baked clay used for making pottery.

6.2 How to Group Materials?

This section introduces the concept of classification or grouping of materials based on their properties. Students are encouraged to observe a variety of objects (Fig. 6.1) and group them according to common properties such as shape, colour, hardness, softness, shine, dullness, or the materials they are made of. This activity helps students realize that objects can be classified based on shared characteristics, and the method of arranging objects into groups is called classification. The section explains that an object can be made from different materials and a single material can be used to make multiple objects. It also discusses how the choice of material depends on the properties required for the object's purpose. For example, materials used to make a tumbler must be capable of holding water, so paper or cloth would not be suitable. Different parts of an object, like a pen, may be made from different materials such as plastic, metal, and ink. Further, the section explores why different materials are used to make balls for various sports, emphasizing that properties like bounce, size, colour, and texture influence material choice. Activity 6.4 involves dropping balls made of different materials from a fixed height and observing their bounce to understand how material properties affect performance. The section concludes by noting that classification helps in organizing objects and materials based on their properties, similar to how utensils or spices are arranged in kitchens or shops. **Table on page 5 (5×2)** | Ball | Bounce (high, medium or low) | | --- | --- | | Tennis ball | | | Cricket ball | | | Hand exercise ball | | | Any other | |

• Classification is grouping objects based on common properties.
• Objects can be made from different materials; materials can make multiple objects.
• Material choice depends on the object's intended use and required properties.
• Materials for tumblers must hold water; paper or cloth are unsuitable.
• Different sports balls are made from materials suited to their specific properties.
• Activity 6.4 demonstrates how material affects the bounce of balls.
• 📌 Classification: The process of arranging objects into groups based on common properties.
• 📌 Property: A characteristic or quality of a material that helps in its identification or use.