Students will learn how to sort objects by their properties and discover how properties like size can be useful for separating mixtures.

GUIDING QUESTION
• How can separating mixtures help create clean water?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
• use tools to sort objects based on properties.
• work in teams to develop a solution to a technology problem.

OVERVIEW
Young children spend a lot of time sorting objects by hand. However, tools can also be used
to separate mixtures. In this lesson, students explore how knowledge of the properties of
objects (mainly size) can be useful for separating mixtures. In this lesson, students cooperate
as engineers to solve a real-world problem. Given a container filled with water mixed with
soil, Styrofoam, pebbles, and leaves, students use a variety of filtering tools to create a cleaner water sample.

Includes follow-up family activity.

Grades K – 2