5-PS1-3: Identifying Materials by Their Properties
Also called NGSS 5-PS1-3 · Topic: Structure and Properties of Matter · Physical Science
The Official Wording
Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties.
Clarification statement: Examples of materials to be identified could include baking soda and other powders, metals, minerals, and liquids. Examples of properties could include color, hardness, reflectivity, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, response to magnetic forces, and solubility; density is not intended as an identifiable property.
Assessment boundary: Assessment does not include density or distinguishing mass and weight.
NGSS Lead States, 2013 · Read it on nextgenscience.org · checked October 15, 2026
What 5-PS1-3 Means in Plain English
Fifth graders test unknown materials and use the results to name them. They check properties such as color, hardness, shine, whether a magnet pulls on it, whether it carries electricity or heat, and whether it dissolves, then match the pattern to a known material.
Density is left out, and so is telling mass from weight. The standard builds on sorting materials by property in 2-PS1-1 and leads to MS-PS1-2, where students use properties to decide whether a chemical reaction happened.
5-PS1-3 I Can Statements
- I can test a material for hardness, magnetism, and how it dissolves.
- I can record test results in a table.
- I can use a pattern of properties to identify a material.
5-PS1-3 Worked Example
An identification lab with four unlabeled mineral samples and simple tools from the science closet.
Which unlabeled sample is quartz, calcite, magnetite, or halite?
Set It Up: Four numbered samples, an unglazed porcelain tile, a steel nail, a magnet, a cup of water, and a dropper of vinegar.
- Rub each sample across the porcelain tile and note the color of the powder line.Sample 3 leaves a black streak
- Try to scratch each sample with the steel nail.Sample 1 will not scratch
- Hold the magnet next to each sample.Only sample 3 is pulled
- Put a drop of vinegar on each one and watch closely.Sample 2 fizzes
- Drop a small chip of the last sample in water and stir.Sample 4 dissolves
Sample 1 is quartz, sample 2 is calcite, sample 3 is magnetite, and sample 4 is halite.
Why it works: Each mineral has its own set of properties, so a pattern of test results points to just one name.
Common Mistakes with 5-PS1-3
Naming a material by color alone
“It's white, so it must be salt.”
Try this: Many materials share a color. Run several tests, like hardness, magnetism, and dissolving, and name it only when the whole pattern matches.
Thinking every metal sticks to a magnet
“The soda can isn't metal because the magnet won't stick.”
Try this: Magnets pull on iron, nickel, and steel, but not on aluminum or copper. Use shine and electrical tests to spot other metals.
Changing the test between samples
A hard scrape on one sample, a light one on the next
Try this: Use the same tool and the same push on every sample, so the only thing that differs is the material itself.
Where 5-PS1-3 Fits
Practice 5-PS1-3
Quick Check
- A shiny gray object is not pulled by a magnet. Could it still be a metal?
- Two white powders look the same. Name one test that could tell them apart.
- Why test several properties instead of just one?