New Substance, or Not? is a free printable Grade 5 science worksheet on investigating whether mixing substances makes new ones, aligned to Common Core standard 5-PS1-4. It prints 3 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils 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.Sort each one: A new substance formed or No new substance?
Sort: Steam condensing back into water, Copper turning green in the rain, Ice melting into water, A candle wick burning
A new substance formedNo new substance
2.Sort each one: A new substance formed or No new substance?
Sort: Vinegar and baking soda fizzing, Iron filings pulled out of sand with a magnet, Sand stirred into water and settling, Iron left damp until it rusts
A new substance formedNo new substance
3.Sort each one: A new substance formed or No new substance?
Sort: Salt dissolved and then recovered by drying, Bread dough baking into a loaf, Milk thickening into lumps with lemon juice, Sugar dissolving in tea
A new substance formedNo new substance
LessonPrint · 5-PS1-4 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — New Substance, or Not?
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. A candle wick burning — A new substance formed 2. Copper turning green in the rain — A new substance formed 3. Ice melting into water — No new substance 4. Steam condensing back into water — No new substance
2.1. Iron filings pulled out of sand with a magnet — No new substance 2. Iron left damp until it rusts — A new substance formed 3. Sand stirred into water and settling — No new substance 4. Vinegar and baking soda fizzing — A new substance formed
3.1. Bread dough baking into a loaf — A new substance formed 2. Milk thickening into lumps with lemon juice — A new substance formed 3. Salt dissolved and then recovered by drying — No new substance 4. Sugar dissolving in tea — No new substance
Questions about New Substance, or Not?
What does the New Substance, or Not? worksheet cover?
It practises investigating whether mixing substances makes new ones — 3 questions for Grade 5, all on Common Core 5-PS1-4: Test whether mixing substances makes a new one. The instruction to pupils is “Sort each change into the right group”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which Common Core standard does New Substance, or Not? practise?
5-PS1-4 — 5-PS1-4, in the Physical Science domain for Grade 5. The published standard reads: “Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances.” The worksheet assesses that standard rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
New Substance, or Not? is written for Grade 5, typically ages 10-11. It is one of the sheets on 5-PS1-4, so it suits any pupil working at that standard — including older pupils revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does New Substance, or Not? come with an answer key?
Yes. All 3 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 New Substance, or Not? can I print?
25 — one per pupil, 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 New Substance, or Not? free to print and photocopy?
Yes. New Substance, or Not?, 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 5-PS1-4?
Yes — “New Substance, or Not?” is a 60-minute Grade 5 plan for 5-PS1-4, timed section by section, with the misconceptions to expect and an exit ticket. New Substance, or Not? is the practice that follows it.
More practice for 5-PS1-4
Test whether mixing substances makes a new one.
Teaching this next? New Substance, or Not? is the 60-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.