Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Material Code Breaker: Free Printable Game for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Material Code Breaker is a free printable science game for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children read clues about everyday materials, make a guess, then crack a code to check it letter by letter. Five materials are waiting to be named. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children read clues about the properties of everyday materials, such as whether a material is see through, hard, magnetic, bendy or good at letting heat or electricity pass. They decide which material fits, then use a code to test the guess. Each code spells the name of a material, so a wrong guess shows up straight away. There is a shift code, and an easier number code for support.
How the game works
Clues first
Children read the clues about a material and think about its properties. They make a guess before they touch the code. This keeps the science at the centre of the game.
Code second
The code is the check. Children decode the letters one at a time and see if they spell the guess. If they do not, they go back to the clues and think again.
Shift code or number code
In a shift code, each letter moves along the alphabet by a set number of places. In a number code, each letter is swapped for a number. The number code is the gentler place to start.
Make your own
Children can make a code for a material of their own and challenge someone at home. To write a clue, they must know the properties well. That is real learning.
Why properties matter in science
Every object is made from one or more materials, and the maker chooses them for a reason. A window needs a material you can see through. A saucepan handle needs one that does not pass heat on quickly. Comparing materials by their properties is how scientists and engineers decide what to use. It is also a good way for children to practise giving reasons.
In Year 5, the National Curriculum for England asks children to compare and group everyday materials by their properties. This sheet supports that strand through short, focused practice. The code adds a puzzle element. Children check their own thinking, so they can spot a mistake without waiting for an adult to mark it.
Quick material facts
- A material that lets light pass through so you can see clearly is called transparent.
- Materials that block light completely are called opaque.
- Not every metal is magnetic. Magnets pick up only some of them.
- Materials that let heat or electricity pass easily are called conductors. Those that do not are called insulators.
- The same object can be made from different materials, and each choice changes how it feels and behaves.
Skills and curriculum link
- Properties of materials
- Code breaking
- Reading clues
- Using science words
- Checking your own work
Science ideas to talk about
- Light and materialsMaterials can be transparent, translucent or opaque. Hold up different things to the light and sort them into groups.
- MagnetsA magnet attracts some materials but not others. You can test this safely at home with a fridge magnet and a few small objects.
- Conductors and insulatorsSome materials let heat or electricity move through them easily. Others slow it down. This is why objects are made from different materials.
- Flexible and rigidA flexible material bends without breaking. A rigid material keeps its shape. Ask which job needs which.
Key words
- MaterialWhat something is made from.
- PropertyA feature of a material, such as how hard it is or whether you can see through it.
- TransparentLight passes through so you can see clearly.
- MagneticAttracted by a magnet.
- ConductorA material that lets heat or electricity pass through easily.
- FlexibleAble to bend without breaking.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for you.
- Read the instructions aloud together so you both know how the clues and the code fit together.
- Do the clues first. Ask your child to say which properties each clue points to before they guess.
- Use the code to check the guess letter by letter. If the letters do not match, go back to the clues.
- Talk about each choice. Come back another day, because repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Use the number code instead of the shift code. You can also give the first letter of each word. Do one material together, saying each clue aloud. Then let your child try the next one alone.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to write one more property for each material and one thing made from it. Then ask them to explain why that material suits the job. Reasons matter more than the length of the list.
Make it a game
Make a code for your own material and challenge someone at home to crack it. Write two clues about its properties first. Swap papers, then take turns to guess, decode and check.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child decodes a letter and ends up with nonsense.
Try thisCheck the shift or number for that one letter again, then work along the word slowly with a finger under each letter.
Watch forA child guesses from one clue and does not read the others.
Try thisAsk them to find a second clue that fits their guess. If none does, the guess may need to change.
Watch forA shift takes a letter past the end of the alphabet and the child gets stuck.
Try thisRemind them to carry on from the start of the alphabet. Write the alphabet along the top of the page to help.
Talk about it
- Which property helped you most with that clue?
- Can you think of a material that is see through? What is it used for?
- Why would a builder not choose a flexible material for a wall?
- What would happen if a kettle handle was made of a material that lets heat pass easily?
- Which was easier, the clues or the code? Why?
- Can you name something in this room made from more than one material?
Take it off the page
Material hunt
Walk around the house or classroom and collect or list objects. Sort them into groups by a property, such as see through or bendy.
Magnet test
With an adult, test small safe objects with a magnet. Predict first, then check. Record which ones are attracted.
Design a code
Invent a code of your own with a shift or a set of symbols. Write a short message about a material and see if someone can decode it.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first material, then let them lead. Ask them to explain their clue reasoning before they use the code. Keep sessions short and stop while it is still fun.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider science plan. It pairs well with a material hunt, a magnet test and everyday talk about why objects are made the way they are. Reprint it for brothers and sisters or for revision.
Where this fits in learning
In Key Stage 1, children name everyday materials and describe their simple properties. They also begin to say why a material suits a job. This sheet builds on that with more precise words, such as transparent, magnetic and conductor.
Alongside this topic, Year 5 children study changes of materials, such as dissolving and separating mixtures. Knowing how to describe a material carefully helps with those ideas too. Later science asks children to explain properties using more detailed ideas.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Material Code Breaker for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10) in Key Stage 2. Younger children can try it with the number code and help. Older children can use the stretch idea on page 2.
- What will children practise?
They practise comparing everyday materials by properties such as transparency, hardness, magnetism, flexibility and conductivity. They also read clues carefully and use a code to check their thinking letter by letter.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. They do the clues first, then use the code to check each guess. Keep page 2 for yourself, as it has notes, help and a stretch idea.
- What if it feels too hard?
Use the number code instead of the shift code, or give the first letter of each word. Work through one material together first. Then let your child try the next one alone.
- Is it free, and do I need colour printing?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No colour is needed. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
- Is it screen free, and can I use it for home education?
Yes to both. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time and rainy days. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or within a wider science plan.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.