GRADE 6
Name:
A mixture is made when two or more different substances are combined or mixed
together.
In some mixtures, the different substances are clearly visible and can be separated
from each other. These are known as mixtures. In other mixtures, one substance
seems to disappear into the other one. These are known as solutions.
There are four methods of separating substances in mixtures:
Hand-sorting
Sifting
(eg: Dried beans and peas)
Filtering
(eg: Sugar and rice)
Settling then decanting
(eg: Sand and water)
(eg: Oil and water )
Activity 1: Mixing Solids
AIM: To observe what happens when you mix solid substances.
APPARATUS: 1 cup of rice, 1 cup of sugar, a bowl, a spoon
METHOD: Pour the sugar into the bowl. Add in the rice. Use the spoon to mix them
together.
RESULTS: What do you notice?
Can the rice and the sugar be separated? Which method is best to separate the rice and sugar? Have the rice or the sugar changed from what it was before mixing?
Activity 2: Mixing Liquids and Solids
AIM: To observe what happens when you mix solid and liquid substances.
APPARATUS: Half a cup of sand, 1 cup of water, a sieve, paper towel, spoon, 2 bowls.
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Grade 6 Term 2 - Natural Science & Technology: Matter & Materials; Mixtures (Mixtures of Materials)
Mixtures and materials
RESULTS: What do you notice?
Do you think it is possible to separate the sand and water? METHOD continued: Line the sieve with the paper towel. Pour the mixture slowly
into the other bowl.
What happened?
Discuss: Do you think you could mix sugar and water in the same way and
then separate it using a paper-towel and sieve filter? Explain your answer.
Activity 3: Mixing Liquids
AIM: To observe what happens when you mix liquid substances.
APPARATUS: 1 cup water, 3 teaspoons of oil, spoon,
transparent glass.
METHOD: Pour the water into the glass. Add the oil
and mix well.
RESULTS: What do you notice?
Is it possible to separate the oil from the water? Explain how to separate the oil from the water:
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GRADE 6
Grade 6 Term 2 - Natural Science & Technology: Matter & Materials; Mixtures (Mixtures of Materials)
METHOD: Pour the water into the bowl. Pour in the sand and mix it together using
the spoon.
Examples of mixtures:
Smarties/ Jelly beans, Chakalaka, Soup mix (lentils, split peas, etc), peanuts and
raisins, fruit salad, etc.
There are 4 methods of separating substances in mixtures:
Hand-sorting
Sifting
(eg: Dried beans and peas)
Filtering
(eg: Sugar and rice )
Settling then decanting
(eg: Sand and water )
(eg: Oil and water )
Activity 1: Mixing Solids
RESULTS: What do you notice?
The rice and sugar are mixed. I can still see the rice and the sugar. They have not
changed since they were mixed.
Can you separate the rice and the sugar? Yes
How would you separate them? Hand sorting or sifting
Is the rice or the sugar changed from what it was before mixing? No
Activity 2: Mixing Liquids and Solids
RESULTS: What do you notice?
The water and sand are mixed and the water has turned brown. Some sand has
settled to the bottom of the bowl.
Do you think it is possible to separate the sand and water? Yes
What happened?
The water filtered through the paper towel, but the sand stayed behind in the sieve.
The water was still a little brown.
Discuss: Do you think you could mix sugar and water in the same way and
then separate it using a paper-towel and sieve filter? Explain your answer.
© e-classroom 2014 www.e-classroom.co.za
Grade 6 Term 2 - Natural Science & Technology: Matter & Materials; Mixtures (Mixtures of Materials)
GRADE 6
Answer sheet
Activity 3: Mixing Liquids
RESULTS: What do you notice?
The oil forms “bubbles” in the water. Those bubbles all float to the top of the water.
The water and oil are still separate and haven’t changed.
Is it possible to separate the oil from the water?Yes
Explain how: You must leave the oil to all settle on the top. Then you can scoop it off
separating it from the water. Another way is to use a special pouring jug that allows
the oil to settle on top and the spout comes up from the bottom of the jug allowing
you to pour out only the water underneath the oil. (See picture)
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GRADE 6
Grade 6 Term 2 - Natural Science & Technology: Matter & Materials; Mixtures (Mixtures of Materials)
No, you could not separate them in the same way because the sugar seems to
“disappear” into the water. You can’t see the sugar, like you can see the sand, after
mixing it in the water. The sugar and water form a solution which means they have to
be separated in another way.