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2nd grade · Science · Unit 4 of 9

Mixtures & Materials

Dissolve, sink, float, absorb

What your child practices

Mixing liquids and solids (dissolving, separating), what sinks or floats, and which materials soak up or push away water.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 2-PS1-1; 2-PS1-2 · testing materials' properties and choosing the best one for a job

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Stirring things together makes a mixture.
  2. Some solids dissolve in water and seem to disappear, like sugar.
  3. Light things like a rubber duck float. Sponges soak up water.

Example: You stir sugar into water. What happens to the sugar? You can't see the sugar any more. It dissolves in the water. Answer: it dissolves

Mixtures & Materials in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 4 of 9 in 2nd grade Science, after Changing Materials and before Plants, Seeds & Pollinators.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    A liquid is poured from a tall glass into a short bowl. What changes?

    • its color
    • its shape
    • the kind of liquid

  2. Question 2

    Sugar is stirred into warm water. What happens?

    🍬
    • It turns into ice
    • It dissolves into the water
    • It floats on top forever

  3. Question 3

    Which keeps your feet dry in a puddle?

    🥾
    • rubber boots
    • paper shoes
    • cotton socks

  4. Question 4

    Which will float in water?

    • 🦆a rubber duck
    • 🪙a coin
    • 🪨a rock

  5. Question 5

    Lemonade is made from water, lemon juice and sugar. It is a…

    🍋
    • rock
    • solid
    • mixture

  6. Question 6

    When oil and water are mixed, what happens?

    • They become one smooth liquid
    • They turn solid
    • They stay separate

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