NCERT Book Class 6 Science Materials Around Us PDF Download

Chapter 6: Materials Around Us

6.1 Observing Objects Around Us

Ghulan and Sheeta are thrilled to go to their new class after the summer break. They enter their classroom and start talking. "What have you brought to school today?" asks Sheeta.

After some time, Madam Vidya, their science teacher, enters the class and starts interacting with the students to draw their attention to many things they use in their daily life. She asks, "How are they similar to or different from each other? What are their shapes and colours? How does it feel when you touch them? Are some of them heavier than others?" All things are made up of some materials like paper, wood, cloth, glass, metal, plastic, clay, and so on.

Any substance that is used to create an object is referred to as material.

Activity 6.1: Let us identify

Make a list of objects you see around and also write the names of the materials they are made up of in Table 6.1.

Based on everyday observations, one can conclude that objects are made up of various materials.

Do you know?

The earliest pottery found in the Indian subcontinent dates back to 7,000 to 8,000 years in the Ganga plains (Lahuradewa) and in Baluchistan (Mehrgarh). About 4000 BCE onwards, Sindhu-Sarasvati developed techniques of wheel-turned pottery production, pigmentation, application of protective or decorative coats (called 'slips') of multiple colours, decorative painting, etc. These techniques became further sophisticated during the Sindhu-Sarasvati (also known as 'Harappan') Civilisation (2600-1900 BCE), with a bright red surface painted with black-coloured designs displaying geometric patterns, and aquatic and terrestrial animals. The clay used for making pots, dishes, bowls and other items was carefully selected and cleaned, sieved, kneaded, turned over a wheel and finally baked in kilns (baked clay is called 'terracotta'). Pots were used for various purposes, from cooking to storage of food grains, oil, ghee, and so on. Some very large storage jars and other pottery items are exhibited at the National Museum, New Delhi.

Teacher's Note

When you learn that all objects are made of materials, remember that a single material can be used to make many different things. For example, clay makes pots, bricks, and decorative items. On the other hand, one object like a pen might be made from several materials: plastic for the body, metal for the tip, and ink inside. Keep this flexibility in mind when doing Activity 6.1.

Let us explore materials further.

6.2 How to Group Materials?

Activity 6.2: Let us group

• Group the objects shown in Fig. 6.1 based on any common property, such as shape, colour, hardness, softness, shine, dullness or materials they are made up of.
• Which property did you use to group the objects in Activity 6.2?
• Did your friends group objects based on similar properties?
• What did you learn from this activity?

[Figure 6.1: Objects around us, See in your textbook]

You must have noticed that an object can be made from different materials and some materials can be used to make more than one object.

The method of arranging the objects into groups is called classification. Objects can be classified on the basis of a common property that they have.

Similarly, we can classify materials based on certain properties.

Teacher's Note

In Activity 6.2, there is no single "right" way to group the objects - you could group by colour, hardness, material, or shape. The important point is that you pick one property and stick with it consistently. If you choose "hardness", then separate hard from soft objects; do not mix in colour halfway through. This is how scientists organize information in real research.

Key Points

• A material is any substance used to make an object. Common materials include paper, wood, cloth, glass, metal, plastic, and clay.
• Classification means arranging objects or materials into groups based on a common property they share, such as colour, shape, hardness, or the material they are made from.
• One object can be made from different materials, and a single material can be used to make many different objects.
• When you group objects, choose one property and apply it consistently to all objects in your classification.

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