Right Material for the Job is a free printable Grade 2 science worksheet on testing materials against the purpose they are for, aligned to NGSS performance expectation 2-PS1-2. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
1.You need a material for a raincoat. Which property matters most?
A.It is a nice color
B.It keeps water out
C.It is see-through
2.You need a material for a chair leg. Which property matters most?
A.It is stretchy
B.It is see-through
C.It is stiff and holds weight
3.You need a material for a window. Which property matters most?
A.It is soft
B.You can see through it
C.It is stretchy
4.Test results: plastic let no water through, cotton let almost all through. Which for a raincoat?
A.Either would do
B.The plastic, because it let no water through
C.The cotton, because it is soft
5.Two materials pass the test equally. What else could decide?
A.Which is cheaper or easier to get
B.Which is nearer the door
C.Which was tested first
6.Why must you say what the material is FOR before choosing it?
A.Best depends on the job it has to do
B.It makes the list longer
C.It sounds scientific
7.You need a material for a saucepan handle. Which property matters most?
A.It is heavy
B.It does not get hot to hold
C.It is shiny
8.You test three materials for a bag handle. What should you measure?
A.How much weight each one holds before breaking
B.How old each one is
C.How pretty each one is
LessonPrint · 2-PS1-2 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Right Material for the Job
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.It keeps water out
2.It is stiff and holds weight
3.You can see through it
4.The plastic, because it let no water through
5.Which is cheaper or easier to get
6.Best depends on the job it has to do
7.It does not get hot to hold
8.How much weight each one holds before breaking
Questions about Right Material for the Job
What does the Right Material for the Job worksheet cover?
It practices testing materials against the purpose they are for — 8 questions for Grade 2, all on NGSS 2-PS1-2: Test materials and decide which one suits a job best. The instruction to students is “Circle the best answer”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which NGSS performance expectation does Right Material for the Job practice?
2-PS1-2, under Physical Science for Grade 2. The published performance expectation reads: “Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.” The worksheet assesses that performance expectation rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
Right Material for the Job is written for Grade 2, typically ages 7-8. It is one of the sheets on 2-PS1-2, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does Right Material for the Job come with an answer key?
Yes. All 8 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of Right Material for the Job can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is Right Material for the Job free to print and photocopy?
Yes. Right Material for the Job, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
Is there a lesson plan to teach 2-PS1-2?
Yes — “Right Material for the Job” is a 50-minute Grade 2 plan for 2-PS1-2, timed section by section, with the misconceptions to expect and an exit ticket. Right Material for the Job is the practice that follows it.
More practice for 2-PS1-2
Test materials and decide which one suits a job best.
Teaching this next? Right Material for the Job is the 50-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.