Science

Quarter 1 – Module 4:

“Changes in
Materials that are
Useful and Harmful
to one’s
 What I Need to Know

Different materials in the environment change.

The consequences or effects of such changes may
either be beneficial or harmful to the environment.
This lesson is designed to help you better understand
the changes in different materials and their effects to
the environment. The activities will help you use the
process skills for you to become more aware of the
things that are happening in your surroundings.
This module will focus on:
• Lesson 1 – changes in the materials that are useful or
harmful to the environment; and
• Lesson 2 – the harmful effects of the changes in the
materials to the environment.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. identify changes in the materials that are useful and
harmful to the environment;
2. describe the harmful effects of the changes in the
materials to the environment; and
3. suggest some ways of preventing/minimizing the
harmful effects of the changes in the materials to the
environment.
 What I Know

A. Directions: Draw a happy face ( ) if the following

statements show useful changes in the materials in the
environment, and a sad face ( ) if the changes brought in
the materials are harmful to one’s environment.

______1. burning of tires

______2. growing of new trees
______3. increase in soil fertility
______4. increase in food production
______5. cutting fabric made into clothes
______6. cutting of cloth made into handkerchief
______7. empty plastic bottles dumped into rivers
______8. changing wood into charcoal for cooking
______9. increasing supply of water to towns and cities
______10. cutting and shaping of pieces of wood into chair
B. Directions: Write YES if the statement is correct and NO if it
is not. Write your answer in your notebook.

________1. Avoid buying disposable items.

______ __2. Donate or sell reusable items.
________3. Buy items in refillable containers.
________4. Cutting down of trees brings good effects to
the environment.
________5. Do not throw away newspaper or used
writing pads. Sell them or bring them to paper
mills which can turn them into usable paper again.
 Lesson
“Changes in the
1 Materials that are
Useful or Harmful to
the Environment”
Different materials are found in the environment. They
undergo changes in their properties to suit the needs of the
people. Some of its changes may be harmful or useful.

How do materials undergo changes? How do these

changes affect us? In this module you will learn the possible
changes on different materials, whether they will be useful or
harmful.
 What’s In

A. Directions: Analyze the statement carefully. Write

TRUE if the statement is correct, and FALSE if it is
not. Write your answers on your science notebook.

1. Some solid materials completely dissolve in liquid

materials.
2. Solid materials cannot be mixed/combined with
liquid materials.
3. All solid materials spread out evenly in the liquid
materials, but some do not.
4. Some solid materials settle at the bottom of the
container, while others stay within the liquid.
5. When mixed with liquid, some solid materials
changed their size, shape and color but some do
not.
B. Directions: Describe what will happen if you combine
the following mixtures. In your Science notebook, write
CM for completely mixed and NCM for not completely
mixed.

1. flour and oil - __________

2. water and salt - __________
3. sugar and alcohol - __________
4. vetsin and vinegar - __________
5. detergent powder and water - __________
 What’s New

To proceed to the other activities, you have to

perform the different exercises below. Record your
answers in your Science notebook in table form as
shown in this module.
 Activity 1: “Changes in Materials: Useful or Harmful”

Directions: Identify whether such changes in the materials

listed in column 1 in the given table are useful or harmful to
the environment by putting a check mark (√) on the proper
column.
Effect of the changes of the
Changes in the Materzials materials to the environment
Useful Harmful
cutting of trees
burning of old tires
burning of plastics
shaping of woods into tables
throwing of toxic waste into rivers and
land

cutting of piece of cloth into handkerchief

 Activity 2. “I CAN…”
Set A
What to Do:
1. Examine the pictures below.
2. Copy the table in your notebook as shown in this module.
3. Identify each material whether it is harmful or useful to
the environment.

empty container empty container of broken bulb

of milk shampoo

empty container of used batteries

pesticide/insecticide
Useful Materials Harmful Materials
 Based on the activities,
answer the following
questions briefly. Write your
answers in your Science
notebook.
Guide Questions:

1. From the activity 1 and 2, what are the materials

that are useful and harmful?
2. What are the changes in the materials that are
useful to the environment? What made them useful
to the environment?
3. What are the changes in the materials that are
harmful to the environment? What made them
harmful to the environment?
 What is It

Points to Remember:

Some changes in the materials are useful or

harmful to the environment. Changes are harmful
if they cause pollution to the water, land, and air.
Large forest areas have been carelessly destroyed
through deforestation. Deforestation causes the
downgrading of our natural environment. This
downgrading of our environment leads to the
destruction of wildlife, occurrence of destructive
floods, massive soil erosion, incidence of
devastating drought, and global warming.
 Some of the useful changes in materials are as
follows: cutting of piece of cloth to be made into
handkerchief, cutting of fabric to be made into clothes,
cutting and shaping pieces of wood/lumber into chair,
changing wood into charcoal for cooking. On the other
hand, some of the harmful changes include burning of
old tires and other plastic materials/ trash, throwing of
kerosene and detergents into the sewage, etc.

When the material (soil/land) is dumped with

garbage of any kind such as empty bottles, plastics, toxic
wastes, chemicals from factories, and others, the
soil/land becomes polluted. Polluted land serves as
breeding places for flies, cockroaches and rats. These
pests carry germs that cause diseases, hence hazardous
to one's health. Growing plants is not also possible in
polluted land.
 When the material (i.e. water in the river) is
dumped with garbage of any kind such as empty bottles,
plastics, waste materials from houses, and other
industrial and chemical wastes from factories, the river
becomes polluted. If we drink water contaminated with
germs, we are likely to get sick/diseases. Polluted water
also kills living organisms, i.e. fish, water plants, etc.

When the surrounding air is blanketed with

smoke from factories and motorized vehicles, ashes and
other dust particles, the air becomes polluted. Polluted
air causes skin itchiness, lung infections, cancer and other
respiratory diseases.
Some changes in the materials are harmful to the
environment. It may pollute land, water and air. To keep
our surroundings clean and to prevent or minimize
pollution in our environment, people are encouraged to
do the 5R’s (Reduce, Re-use, and Recycle, Repair and Rot)
 Burning of garbage such as plastic materials,
rubber, and other waste are harmful also to the
environment. Many items in household garbage when
burned release dangerous toxic chemicals. To
prevent/minimize the effect of burning of
garbage/wastes, waste segregation should be done, and
the 5R’s should be practiced.

Cutting down trees is also harmful to the

environment. It affects the quality of air that we breathe.
It causes a rapid change in temperature (the temperature
rises to a sometimes uncomfortable level). In addition,
when trees are cut down, rain level is severely affected
(since moisture in the air could not be retained by the
trees). This, in turn, changes weather patterns, which
leads to other environmental concerns. Cutting down of
trees also causes soil erosion. To solve the problem on
deforestation, planting of trees (reforestation) should be
done.
 What’s More

Activity 1: “I Can Tell”

Directions. Identify the following pictures

whether they are useful or harmful to the
environment. Write your answer in your Science
notebook.
1. 2.

______________________ ____________________

3. 4.

______________________ ____________________
 Activity 2. “I Can Do Something”

What to Do:
1. Given are the pictures of different materials present in
the community.
2. Make a table in your notebook similar to the table
shown in this module. Based on the pictures in column
1, think of the change you can make out of the given
materials.
3. Describe whether such changes in the materials are
useful or harmful to the environment by putting a
checkmark (√) on the proper column.
 Harmful to the
Pictures of the Can be changed environment
Materials into…
Y N

empty bottles of
insecticides

Box

empty bottles
 Harmful to the
Pictures of the Can be changed environment
Materials into…
Y N

tin cans

rubber tires
 What I Have Learned

Directions: Choose the right word that would fit to

the given statement. Answers can be repeated.
Write your answers on your Science notebook.
 reduce re-use recycle repair
useful harmful pollution rot

I learned that:
• Changes in the materials can be ________ or
_____.
• Changes will be harmful if they cause ________ to
water, air and land.
• To keep our environment clean, people are
encouraged to apply the 5R’s of Waste
Management: _________, _________,
___________, ___________ and __________.
 What I Can Do

Directions: Choose any one in the given questions or

statements. Answer the questions briefly in one or two
sentences. Write your answers in your Science notebook.

a. As a child, how can you help prevent pollution of

water and air in your community?
b. lf you are you going to dispose harmful waste
materials found at home, what safety measures
are you going to do to spare you from harm?
c. You have some pigs. Mother asks you to clean the
pig pen. How will you clean it to avoid pollution?
 Assessment

Directions: Carefully examine the statement of the

changes in the materials. Identify whether such changes in
the materials are useful or harmful to the environment by
putting a checkmark (√) on the proper column. Do this in
your Science notebook.
 Harmful to
Changes in the materials Useful to the the
environment environment
1. Cutting a piece of cloth to be made into
handkerchief
2. Burning of old tires and other plastic
materials.

3. Growing plants in the backyard

4. Dumping of wastes at the vacant lot

5. Cutting of lumber into chairs and tables

6. Selling of bottles, paper and cardboard

materials
7. Using eco bag or native baskets instead
of plastic bags at grocery store
8. Making a compost pit/bin in the yard
for your biodegradable materials
 Harmful to
Changes in the materials Useful to the the
environment environment
9. Recycling of old notebooks

[Link] of furniture

[Link] old tires as flower Pots

[Link] down trees

[Link] of detergents into the river

[Link] of spray net/ aerosol

[Link] waste plastic into different

cases
 Additional Activities

Directions: Choose only one activity. Do this in your

Science notebook.

1. Make a poster on how you will be able to help

inform people in your community about the
preservation of the environment.
2. Collect any materials found in your community
and try to make new product out of it, applying
the knowledge of recycling.
 Lesson
“Harmful Effects of
2 the Changes in the
Materials to the
There are soEnvironment”
many changes in the materials that we use
every day but we don’t know the result of such changes to our
environment. Have you ever tried buying grocery items in the
market? What did you do to the plastic bags after you unpacked
all items you bought?
In the previous lesson, you have learned that there are
some changes in the materials that are useful and harmful to
the environment. In this lesson you will be focusing more on
the harmful effects of the changes of the materials to the
environment. Get ready to activate your science process skills
and have fun.
 What’s In

Directions: Identify if the following changes in the materials

are useful or harmful. Do this in your notebook.

__________1. burning of old tires

__________2. shaping pieces of wood into chair
__________3. throwing of kerosene and detergents into
the sewage
__________4. turning empty plastic bottles into
beautiful flower vase
__________5. cutting piece of cloth to be made into
handkerchief
 What’s New

Directions: Perform the different activities indicated in this

module. Write your answers on your Science notebook.

Activity 1: “What are the Harmful Effects of the Changes in the

Materials to the Environment?”

What you Need:

1 piece long size bond paper
What to Do:
1. Study the pictures on the table shown below.
2. Describe what is shown in each of the given pictures.
Write your answers on column 2.
3. Describe also its harmful effect to the environment by
filling up column 3.
4. Enumerate some ways of preventing/minimizing its
effect to the environment by filling up column 4.
 What can people do
What is its to prevent/
Picture showing changes in the What does the
effect to the minimize its harmful
material picture show
environment? effect to the
environment?
1.

2.

3.
 What can people do
What is its effect
Picture showing changes in What does the to prevent/ minimize
to the
the material picture show its harmful effect to
environment?
the environment?
4.

5.

6.
Guide Questions:
1. What does each picture show?
2. What is its effect to the environment?
3. What can people do to prevent/minimize its effect to
the environment?
 Activity 2: “Describe the Harm it Brings”

Directions: Describe the harmful effects of change in the

materials to the environment. Write your answers in your
science notebook.

1. burning of old tires-

________________________________________
2. cutting of trees-
___________________________________________
3. throwing of garbage into the river-
_____________________________
4. throwing of factory wastes into bodies of water-
__________________
5. burning of plastic wastes-
___________________________________
 Activity 3: “Good suggestions”
Directions: What changes in the following materials can you make to
prevent their harmful effects to the environment? Write your
answers in your Science notebook.
 What is It

Points to Remember:
5R’s of Responsible Waste Management
1. Reduce
• Buy items in refillable containers
• Use cloth bag/eco bag/paper bag/native
baskets instead of plastic bag, when you buy
groceries.
• Avoid buying disposable items or single use
products such as batteries, razors, utensils,
plates, cups, etc.
2. Reuse
• Donate or sell re-usable items.
• Use both sides of paper when printing and re-
use as scratch paper, gift wrapper, etc.
• Consider the potential life span or durability
when buying new products.
• Buy durable food/storage containers and reuse
them instead of using foil and plastic bags/wrap.

3. Recycle
• Do not throw away used newspaper or used
writing pads. Sell them or bring them to paper
mills which can turn them into usable paper
again.
• Used bottles, tin cans, and rubber tiles can be
recycled into useful materials.
4. Repair
• Have appliances, office equipment, lighting
fixtures, and automotive parts repaired instead
of buying new ones.
• Have an old furniture reupholstered or
refurbished instead of buying new ones.

5. Rot
• Set up a compost pile to compost your yard
trimmings.
• Make a compost pit/bin in the yard for your
biodegradable materials such as fruits,
vegetables, coffee grinds etc.
 What’s More

Directions: Match the following pictures to their

corresponding effects. Write the letter of the
correct answers in your notebook.
___1. ___2. ___3.

___4. ___5.

a. It affects the quality of the air that we breathe. It causes rapid change in
temperature.
b. Polluted land serves as breeding places for flies, cockroaches, rats which
carry germs that cause diseases.
c. The smoke and toxins from the household garbage that enter the air also
contribute to the greenhouse effect and global warming.
d. When the surrounding air is blanketed with smoke from factories and
motorized vehicles, the air becomes polluted and can cause skin
itchiness, lung infections, cancer, and other respiratory diseases.
e. The river becomes polluted and can cause diseases to fish, water plants
and even humans.
 Activity 2: “What can be done?”

Directions: Choose from the box some ways to be done to

prevent/minimize the harmful effects to the environment.
a. waste segregation
b. buy items in refillable containers
c. recycle items that can be used again
d. plant trees
e. make a compost pit

_____1. burning plastics

_____2. cutting down of trees
_____3. buying disposable items
_____4. dumping of garbage on a vacant lot
_____5. throwing of fruit and vegetable peelings
 What I Have Learned

Directions: Choose the right word that would fit to

the given statement. Write your answers on your
Science notebook.
 harmful throwing cutting down
burning 5R’s pollution

I learned that:

Changes in the materials can bring 1. _________

effects to the environment. Some of these changes are
2. ________________ of trees, 3. _________of plastics, 4.
___________ of garbage and factory wastes into the river,
etc. To minimize/prevent the harmful effects of these changes
5. The ____________ of Responsible Waste Management is
highly encouraged to apply.
 What I Can Do

Directions: Answer the question briefly. Write your

answer in your Science notebook.

You and your friend are drinking bottled

water while walking home one day. You noticed that
after your friend drank the water, he threw the
bottle to the sidewalk. What will you say to your
friend and what will you suggest to avoid harmful
effects of throwing garbage like that in the sidewalk?
 Assessment

A. Directions: Identify two harmful effects that the

following pictures might have to the
environment. Write your answers in your
notebook.
a.
1.____________________
____________________
2.____________________
____________________
b.
3.____________________
____________________
4. ____________________
____________________
c.
5.____________________
____________________
6. ____________________
____________________
d.
7.____________ ________
____________________
8. ____________________
____________________
e.
9.____________________
____________________
10. ____________________
____________________
B. Directions: Choose the correct answer from the box and
write it in your notebook.
reduce reuse recycle
repair rot

________1. Buy items in refillable items.

________2. Donate or sell re-usable items.
________3. Used bottles, tin cans, rubber tires can be
recycled into useful materials.
________4. Have an appliance, office equipment, lighting
fixtures, and automotive parts repaired
instead of buying new ones.
________5. Make a compost pit/bin in the yard for your
biodegradable materials such as fruits,
vegetables, coffee grinds, etc.