Students choose the best method to separate six mixtures on this 5th grade science sheet, using a bank of five photo cards: pick by hand, sieve, magnet, filter paper and evaporation. A second page asks them to fill in a three-step plan for separating salt, sand and iron filings from a word bank. Page 3 holds the answers. It supports NGSS 5-PS1-3.
5-PS1-3
“Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties.”
Page 1 asks students to pick a method from a property such as magnetic, size of pieces or dissolved. Page 2 chains three of those properties in order.
Five photo cards show each method. Students write one method in each of six boxes, for mixtures such as paper clips and glass marbles, fine sand and large pebbles, and large dry beans and small grains of rice.
A word bank of seven words fills the seven blanks across three steps: remove the iron, remove the sand, recover the salt. A small diagram of a magnet, a filter funnel and a heated dish runs above the steps.
The method for each of the six mixtures and the completed plan, with the words that fill each blank in bold.
Demo first
Bring a magnet and a sieve to the lesson. Letting students try iron filings and sand from item 3 makes the choice stick.
Why that order
On page 2, ask why the magnet comes before the water. Students who see that the iron filings would end up in the filter with the sand have understood the sequence.
Kitchen follow-up
Send page 1 home with one extra task. Students name a mixture in their kitchen and the method they would use to separate it.
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