Which is hardest?

Which is hardest?

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about the hardness of some objects.
How to do this task
 
Your teacher will give you some objects. 
 
a)
Put these items you have been given in an order to show them from hardest to softest.
 
 
 
_________________ (hardest)
 
_________________
 
_________________
 
_________________
 
_________________
 
_________________
 
_________________ (softest)
 
b)
Explain what you did to help decide if one object was harder than another object.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper and other equipment.
 
Equipment 
A set of objects which would be suitable for placing in order hardest to softest. (In trialling a button; piece of flannel; teaspoon; plastic bag; banana; ice cream stick were used).
  • Number of spaces in part a) should match the number of objects you give students.
  • Part b) could be done verbally.
Level:
2
Curriculum info: 
Science, Investigating in science, Material World
Keywords: 
physical properties, hardness, classification, sequencing
Description of task: 
This practical task requires students to sort some common items from hardest to softest. Students then explain a test that they used to help determine this.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Gather and interpret data
This resource provides opportunities to discuss and critique different ways that students measured hardness.
Science capabilities: 
Gather and interpret data
Answers/responses: 
a) For a correct order reflecting object hardness.
b) For any sensible method of testing hardness, e.g., how easily the object could be bent.
 
For a test which is described which may not lead to an accurate order of hardest to softest e.g., we felt them or, we picked them up and the heaviest was the hardest.