Year 3 - Science
Physical properties of rocks: hardness
Rocks and soils
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit covers comparing and grouping rocks based on appearance and physical properties, understanding fossil formation, and recognising that soils are made from rocks and organic matter. It involves setting up practical enquiries, making observations, and using evidence to answer questions.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to compare and group different rocks by investigating their hardness.
Key Notes
- The physical properties of a material are its features that can be observed or measured.
- Hardness is a physical property of rocks.
- Rocks can be compared and grouped on the basis of their hardness.
Vocabulary To Learn
- rock: Rock is a solid material that occurs naturally in Earth.
- physical properties: Physical properties are the features which can be observed from the way an object looks or feels or can be measured.
- hardness: Hardness is the quality of being difficult to bend, cut, or break.
- compare: To compare is to examine or look for the difference between two or more things.
- group: To group things is to put similar things together.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may believe that all rocks are hard. Also that if a rock is heavy it is therefore hard.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
The physical properties of a material are its features that can be observed or measured. Hardness is a physical property of rocks.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'rock'
Rock is a solid material that occurs naturally in Earth. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may believe that all rocks are hard. Also that if a rock is heavy it is therefore hard. Correction: Share a wide range of rocks the children can handle to explore the property of hardness so they realise some rocks are much softer than others.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Different types of soils (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Everyday uses of rocks Study Guide
- Healthy soil (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability) Study Guide
- How fossils are formed Study Guide
- How geologists work Study Guide
- Introduction to rocks Study Guide
- Mary Anning (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Mohs' scale of hardness (non-statutory) Study Guide
- More about fossil formation Study Guide
- Physical properties of rocks: permeability Study Guide
- Soil permeability: do and review (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Soil permeability: plan (non-statutory) Study Guide
- The appearance of rocks Study Guide
- Weathering and erosion of rocks Study Guide
- What soils are made from Study Guide
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