FilBrit International Academy UK
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Subject: SCIENCE 4
Topic: Properties of
Matter
LESSON 1
Title: Materials that Absorb Water, Materials
That Float and Sink, Materials That Undergo
Decay and Effects of Decaying Materials to
One’s Health
Properties of Matter
Everything around us is matter. Matter is anything that has space and
mass. Matter can be classified as solids, liquids and gases. It is anything
that we use in our house, in our school and even our personal things.
When we eat, we use a solid spoon and fork. When we get thirsty, we
drink plenty of solid water. This only shows how important matter is to us
human beings.
The different properties of matter make them distinct from one another.
We can easily distinguish the state of matter based on its distinct
properties. Matter may also be grouped based on its ability to absorb
water, its ability to float or sink and the capacity to decay.
● Matter can be classified according to different states.
● Solids have definite shape and volume.
The particles in solids are close to each other. Particles move only on its
location.
● Liquids have no definite shape but have definite volume.
FilBrit International Academy UK
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8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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The particles of liquids have small spaces between particles. Particles
slide past one another.
● Gases have no definite shape and volume.
The particles of gases are far apart from each other.
● Solids can be classified based on colour, shape, size, and texture.
● Liquids can be classified based on colour, taste, and smell .
● Gases can also be classified based on taste and smell . Air, a gas, is
odourless and tasteless.
Lesson 1 - Materials That Absorb Water
Absorption - is the process of taking in liquids in a gradual manner. A
material that can take in liquids like water is known to be absorbent.
These tiny holes are
pores. Pores allow
water to get into
sponge easily and
inside the sponge are
loose fibers which
create empty spaces.
A material is absorbent if it is porous. Porous materials are those with
tiny holes that allow liquids to pass through.
FilBrit International Academy UK
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A material that cannot take in liquids is known to be nonabsorbent.
Let’s watch the videos:
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[Link]
[Link]
FilBrit International Academy UK
High Quality Learning
8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Learning Activity 1:
FLOOR MOP CLOTH DIAPER
PLASTIC BAG COIN
GLASS
PILLOW NOTEBOOK
TISSUE PAPER HANDKERCHIEF WATER PAIL
Group the following materials as absorbent or non-absorbent. Write the
name of the object inside the box where it belongs.
Non-Absorbent
Absorbent Material
Material
Learning Activity 2:
FilBrit International Academy UK
High Quality Learning
8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Draw a if the statement is true and if it is false. Put your
answer on the blanks.
______1. Non-absorbent materials cannot take in liquids.
______2. The materials with tiny holes which allow liquids to pass
through are considered as porous materials.
______3. Non-porous materials absorb liquid while porous materials
repel.
______4. A sponge is a non-absorbent material.
______5. Cloth is an example of a porous material.
______6. Absorption is a process of taking liquids in a gradual manner.
______7. Porous materials absorb liquid.
______8. A rubber ball is a non absorbent material while cotton is an
absorbent material.
______9. Non-porous materials repel liquid because they have smooth
surfaces.
______10. The empty spaces allow sponge to swell a little and hold the
water inside it.
Learning Activity 3:
FilBrit International Academy UK
High Quality Learning
8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Answer the following questions.
1. Imagine you are a scientist exploring your home! Find an absorbent
material and describe its appearance and texture.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2. Identify a non-absorbent material that is typically found in households.
Provide a detailed description of its characteristics.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Lesson 2 - Materials That Float and Sink
FilBrit International Academy UK
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8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Have you ever wondered what happens to a coin when you throw it in a
wishing well? Or why a paper boat floats and moves along running
water? Some materials, no matter how light they seem, still sink in water.
While some objects that appear to be heavy float on water. What makes
an object float and sink in water?
Density of Floating and Sinking Materials
A material floats if it stays on the surface of water. A material sinks
when it goes at the bottom after putting it in liquid. Some materials do
not fully float or sink in water. Instead, they are suspended in the
middle?
Density - is the amount of matter per occupied space.
NOTE: If the material has a higher density that water, then it will sink. If
the material has a lower density than water, then it will float.
FilBrit International Academy UK
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Water Absorption of Floating and Sinking Materials
The tendency to absorb water affects the ability of objects to float and
sink in water. A porous object like a small, dry sponge placed in a bowl
of water initially floats. But when water gets into the pores of the sponge,
the water occupies the spaces inside it. The sponge becomes denser
and sinks in the water.
A sealed, empty plastic bottle placed in a bowl of water floats and stays
floating even after leaving it for a while. It is because the surface of the
plastic is non-porous therefore no water gets inside the bottle. The only
time that the plastic bottle would sink is when holes are added to its
surface, allowing water to get inside it and make it denser and heavier.
FilBrit International Academy UK
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There are also instances when the shape of an object affects its ability to
float and sink in water. For example, a ball of clay when dropped in a
glass of water sinks. But when you change it into an elongated shape
with space at the centre, it will float on water. Upon reshaping the clay,
the space occupied by the clay becomes larger than its mass. Hence, it
is less dense than water compared with the ball of clay.
FilBrit International Academy UK
High Quality Learning
8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Let’s watch a videos:
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Learning Activity 1:
FilBrit International Academy UK
High Quality Learning
8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Predict whether the following materials will sink or float in water.
Check on the correct answer.
SINK FLOAT
FilBrit International Academy UK
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8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Learning Activity 2:
FilBrit International Academy UK
High Quality Learning
8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Determine if the following materials given below will float or sink in
water based on their densities. Write float if the material will float
and sink if it will sink.
Material Density Float or Sink
1. plastic 0.2 g/mL
2. marble 5 g/mL
3. feather 0.1 g/mL
4. gold ring 100 g/mL
5. glass 75 g/mL
6. stone 15 g/mL
7. a strand of 0.03 g/mL
hair
8. orange 50 g/mL
9. watermelon 0.25 g/mL
seed
10. needle 0.7 g/mL
Lesson 3 - Materials That Undergo Decay
FilBrit International Academy UK
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8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Have you seen a fruit that starts to rot? How about a loaf of bread that
has green or black spots on its surface? When you see changes in the
colour of fruits or bread, it shows sign that it is starting to decay. Why do
materials undergo decay?
Samples of decomposing food.
Decomposition - is a process in which materials decay. These
materials slowly break down into simpler substances. Decay happens in
the presence of water, air, and soil.
A decaying log in a forest.
Materials that come from a living thing undergo decay. Fruits which
came from plants decay when oxygen, a gas present in the air, acts on
it. Logs that came from a tree also rots with help of water, air, and soil.
Natural wastes of humans and animals also decay. Dead plants and
animals are returned to the soil with the help of microorganisms.
⮚ Microorganisms are very small living things that cannot be seen by
the naked eye.
FilBrit International Academy UK
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⮚ Fossil Fuels are natural combustible material like coal, oil, and
natural gas. These fuels provide a natural source of energy.
⮚ Decay rate is how fast materials decay. Decay slows down because
of the preservatives in food.
Factors Affecting the Decaying Rate of Materials
⮚ Temperature
⮚ Kind of Materials
⮚ Presence of Organisms
The decaying rate of materials is affected when these factors are
changed. Depending on the kind of materials and the temperature
of the surroundings, the rate of decay may speed up or slow down.
Foods are placed inside a refrigerator to prevent or delay spoilage
of food.
Do your parents tell you to put leftover food in refrigerator? This practice
is usually done to delay spoilage of food. Putting leftover foods inside
the refrigerator, a place with low temperature, prevents microorganisms
to grow in it. The presence of microorganisms makes the decaying rate
faster.
FilBrit International Academy UK
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8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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A material made from living things such as wood decays. Wood furniture
is painted with chemical preservatives so that it will not rot even if it is
exposed to air or water.
Wooden furniture is painted to prevent decay.
Food products with preservatives such as canned goods do not easily
decay. Preservatives prevent the food inside it from spoiling.
Canned food products contain preservatives to prevent spoilage.
Examples of Decaying and Non-decaying Materials
Materials that decay with the help of microorganisms are known as
biodegradable materials. These materials naturally decay over a certain
period of time. Fruits and vegetables are biodegradable materials.
FilBrit International Academy UK
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8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Fruits and vegetables are biodegradable materials.
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Plastic materials like straws, drinking bottles, and food sachets take
hundreds of years before they decompose and return to the soil.
Plastics are called non-biodegradable materials. These materials do
not easily decay with the help of microorganisms. These materials
do not decay within a human lifespan so they are also considered as
nondecaying by human standards. Other examples of non-
biodegradable materials are synthetic rubber and metal.
Examples of non-biodegradable materials are rubber and metal.
FilBrit International Academy UK
High Quality Learning
8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Learning Activity 1:
FilBrit International Academy UK
High Quality Learning
8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Determine if the following materials are biodegradable or not. Put a
check on the column of the table for your answer.
Material Biodegradable Non-biodegradable
1. Cardboard
2. freshly cut
wood
3. Styrofoam
4. Fruit and
vegetable peels
5. Food scraps
6. leaves
7. paper
8. rocks
9. Rubber tires
10. Glass jars
Learning Activity 2:
Write YES if the given statement is true and NO if it is false.
________1. Non-biodegradable materials do not undergo decay fast.
________2. Paint and preservatives does not protect biodegradable
materials from decaying.
________3. Most of the non-biodegradable packages are made up of
plastic.
________4. Foods and vegetables do not undergo decomposition.
________5. Placing food in the refrigerator is a way to prevent it from
spoilage.
________6. Biodegradable materials naturally decay overtime.
FilBrit International Academy UK
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________7. It is good to buy furniture made of wood because they are
non-biodegradable.
________8. Preservatives inside canned goods prevent the food from
spoiling.
________9. Plastic materials take at least 100 years before they start to
decay.
________10. Decomposition is the process by which simpler molecules
are broken down into complex ones.
Learning Activity 3:
Answer the question.
1. After enjoying your mother's special dish, you have leftover food.
What steps can you take to prevent it from spoiling?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Lesson 4 - Effects of Decaying Materials to One’s
Health
Decaying materials may seen anywhere. You may see a rotten portion of
a log, a crumbling remains of an insect in a garden, a spoiled fruit left
open on your dining table, or soured milk left on the bedside table when
you forgot to drink it the other night. Have you ever asked what will
happen if you are exposed to decaying materials? What will happen if
FilBrit International Academy UK
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someone accidentally ate spoiled food? Decaying materials may bring
harm to one’s health and safety in various ways.
Analyse the pictures.
What have you noticed in each of the pictures shown?
Harmful Effects of Decaying Materials
Dumpsite is a place where garbage is disposed. In this place, a pile of
garbage consisting of decaying materials and non-biodegradable
materials is covered by soil. Since there are non-biodegradable
materials, the decaying process takes a longer time. Different insects
and pets will live and breed there. The insects in decaying materials
bring harm to people.
FilBrit International Academy UK
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People sorting
trash at
Payatas
Dumpsite in
Quezon City,
Philippines.
Flies and mosquitoes can be seen flying around the dump-site. Some
pests like cockroaches and rats stay there too as they find food from the
garbage. These small animals play important roles in maintaining
balance in the environment. However, when they begin to interact with
humans, they also bring different diseases.
Fly Mosquito
Diseases Caused by Decaying Materials
When flies and mosquitoes fly from one garbage to another, they catch
germs. Germs are microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses from
decaying matter that cause diseases. As insects continue to fly and land
in different places, they also carry and transfer germs on materials they
come in contact with. The germs carried by the insects may transfer to
your food causing contamination of food. Contamination of food and
water means that there are germs that got mixed with food and water.
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This contamination could lead to different diseases such as dysentery
and typhoid.
⮚ Dysentery is a kind of disease that causes severe diarrhea. A
person who suffers from this sickness has watery tool and this could
lead to dehydration.
⮚ Dehydration occurs when body does not have enough water in it.
Both diseases could lead to death if not treated properly.
⮚ Typhoid is caused by taking in contaminated food and water caused
by taking food and water caused by salmonella typhi - it is a harmful
bacteria.
⮚ Mosquitoes are known to bring disease such as dengue, malaria,
and chikungunya and they are acquired through mosquito bite.
⮚ Epidemic it is affecting numerous people.
⮚ Leptospirosis is a disease and it is from rat urine that can cause
infection; it is common during rainy season since rat’s urine mixed
with flood waters could infect a person with open wounds.
⮚ Asthma is a condition suffered by some people due to an allergic
reaction.
⮚ Skin Asthma leads to excessive skin rashes and itchiness.
⮚ Respiratory Asthma makes breathing difficult.
At home, decaying bread, fruits, clothing materials, or even wooden
furniture have microorganisms; some of these microorganisms like
bacteria and moulds can trigger allergic or sensitive reactions that may
result in skin and respiratory asthma.
FilBrit International Academy UK
High Quality Learning
8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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Decayed foods and fruits
Let’s watch the videos:
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Learning Activity 1:
Write T if the statement is true and if it is false, change the
underlined word or phrase to make the statement true.
_______ 1. Decaying materials can harm a person's health and
safety in different ways.
_______ 2. A dump site is a place where garbage is collected and
disposed of.
_______ 3. Germs are microorganisms that are helpful for the body.
_______ 4. Exposure to decaying matter may lead to various
diseases.
_______ 5. Dysentery is a severe form of diarrhea usually caused
by a mosquito bite.
Learning Activity 2:
Determine if the following situations are harmful to humans or not.
Write GP if it shows Good Practice for health and environment, or BP if it
is a Bad Practice.
FilBrit International Academy UK
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_______ 1. There is an increasing number of mosquitoes in your
backyard.
_______ 2. A garbage truck collects your trash every morning.
_______ 3. You ate leftover food that smelled and tasted bad.
_______ 4. There are rats inside your room.
_______ 5. You drank contaminated water from your kitchen faucet.
_______ 6. There is a bad smell coming from rotting food and
vegetables in your kitchen.
_______ 7. You throw leftover food carelessly around your surroundings.
_______ 8. You separate your garbage into biodegradable and non-
biodegradable materials.
_______ 9. You reheated spoiled food and ate it immediately afterward.
_______ 10. You stored your leftover food in the refrigerator to prevent
spoilage.
Learning Activity 3:
Answer the questions.
1. People who live near dump sites can get sick from diseases like
malaria and typhoid. What can they do to stay healthy?
FilBrit International Academy UK
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8 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RY, United Kingdom
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_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2. How does proper hand washing contribute to the prevention of
diseases?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Links/References to help your students:
● LMS
● Google Drive
References:
● Google