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Reversible Changes True or False: Free Printable Quiz for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Reversible Changes True or False is a free printable quiz for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children read each statement, decide whether it is true or false, and give a reason. The big question is: can it be changed back? The sheet looks at dissolving, mixing and changes that form new materials. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help 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 a series of statements about changes to materials. For each one they decide whether it is true or false and tick their choice. The statements cover dissolving, mixing and changes that form new materials. The aim is not only to pick a side but to explain why. Each time, children ask the same question: can this change be undone? Reading carefully matters, because one small word can decide whether a statement is true.
What is a reversible change?
A reversible change is one where the material can be changed back to how it started. An irreversible change cannot be undone, usually because a new material has been made. Sorting everyday changes into these two groups is a key idea in Year 5 science. In the National Curriculum for England it sits within the strand on properties and changes of materials.
Looking different does not always mean a new material has been made. Many changes alter how something looks, feels or behaves while the material stays the same underneath. Others make something truly new. A good habit is to ask what has happened to the material itself, not just what the change looks like. That habit helps children reason instead of guessing.
Some changes in this topic involve heat, such as cooking, melting or burning. Adults do all the cooking, heating and burning. Children watch from a safe distance and must not handle hot items, hobs, kettles, ovens or flames. For hands on exploring, choose cold changes, such as freezing and melting ice.
Quick facts about changing materials
- A reversible change is one that can be undone, so the material can be got back.
- A change that makes a new material is usually very hard or impossible to undo.
- Heating and cooling can change materials, and what happens depends on the material.
- A change can look dramatic without making a new material.
- Scientists look closely and compare before and after to decide what kind of change has happened.
Skills and curriculum link
- Reversible changes
- Giving reasons
- Reading carefully
- Comparing before and after
- Scientific vocabulary
Ideas that help with this sheet
- Look for a new materialAsk whether the material at the end is the same as the one at the start. A new material is a strong clue that a change cannot be undone.
- Think about getting it backAsk whether there is any way to return to the starting material. If you can describe how, the change may be reversible.
- Do not trust looks aloneColour, shape and size can change while the material stays the same. Look past the surface and think about what the material is.
- Read the whole statementA single word such as always or never can change whether a statement is true. Read slowly and say it aloud.
Key words
- Reversible changeA change that can be undone, so the material can be changed back.
- Irreversible changeA change that cannot be undone, usually because a new material has formed.
- MaterialWhat something is made from, such as wood, metal or water.
- DissolveWhen a solid mixes into a liquid and spreads out through it.
- MixtureTwo or more materials put together.
- ReasonThe explanation for your answer. It often starts with the word because.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for the grown up.
- Read each statement aloud. Ask your child to explain why before they tick true or false.
- Work through the first few together. Talk about each choice and let your child do the thinking.
- Check against the notes on page 2. Talk about any wrong answers, because that is where most learning happens.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Ask: has a new material been made? If yes, the change is irreversible. Read one statement at a time and say it in your own words. Ask what the material was at the start and what it is now. Do the first statement together.
To stretch confident children
Write three more reversible and three more irreversible changes from the kitchen. Add a reason for each one. Adults do any real cooking, so children only think and write. Swap lists with a friend and see if they agree.
Make it a game
Try melting and refreezing an ice lolly, then compare it with cooking an egg. An adult does all the cooking and handles anything hot. Children watch from a safe distance, then talk about which change could be undone and why.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child decides a change is irreversible just because the material looks very different.
Try thisAsk what the material is now compared with the start. Looking different is not the same as being a new material.
Watch forA child ticks quickly without giving a reason.
Try thisAsk for a because sentence before the tick. A reason shows whether they understand or are guessing.
Watch forA child says a change is irreversible because they can no longer see the material.
Try thisAsk: is it still there, just hidden? How could we find out? Let them suggest ideas before you give any.
Talk about it
- What does reversible mean? Can you explain it to someone younger?
- How can you tell if a new material has been made?
- Can you think of a change from home that you could undo?
- Can you think of a change from home that you could never undo?
- Which statement made you change your mind, and why?
- If a friend disagreed with you, what reason would you give?
Take it off the page
Freeze and melt
Freeze water in an ice tray, then leave the ice somewhere warm to melt. Draw each stage and talk about whether the change can be repeated.
Sorting cards
Write everyday changes on small pieces of paper. Sort them into two piles, reversible and irreversible, and give a reason for each card.
Change detective journal
Spot changes to materials at home or outdoors. Draw a before picture and an after picture, then write whether it could be undone. Adults handle anything hot.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first few statements, then let them lead. Short bursts work better than long sessions. If they get stuck, ask whether a new material has been made. Always ask for a reason, even when the tick is right.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a unit on properties and changes of materials. It also works as an early finisher task, homework or supply cover. Ask pairs to defend their choices, then compare reasons as a class. Page 2 has support and stretch for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider science plan and pair it with kitchen talk, books and outdoor play. Use it again for brothers and sisters, or for revision a few weeks later. Ask children to explain their thinking aloud, then write one reason in their own words.
Where this fits in science
Before this sheet, children usually meet solids, liquids and gases, and how materials change state when heated or cooled. They also learn to describe materials by their properties. These ideas help them think about what stays the same and what changes.
After this sheet, children go on to separating mixtures and thinking about how to get a dissolved material back. Later science builds on this with chemical reactions, where new materials are made. Giving reasons about reversible and irreversible changes is the first step.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Reversible Changes True or False for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10) in Key Stage 2. Younger confident children and older children who need practice can use it too. Page 2 has help and a stretch idea so you can adjust the challenge.
- What will children practise?
Children practise explaining that some changes of materials are reversible and some are not. The sheet includes dissolving, mixing and changes that form new materials. They also practise giving reasons and reading statements carefully.
- How do I use it?
Read each statement aloud and ask your child to explain why before they tick true or false. Work through the first few together. Then check against the notes on page 2 and talk about any wrong answers.
- What if it feels too hard?
Ask: has a new material been made? If yes, the change is irreversible. Read one statement at a time, say it in your own words, and compare the material at the start with the material at the end.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision. Black and white printing on plain A4 paper works well, so there is no need for colour.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can 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, which helps with mixed ability groups.
- Is this a screen free activity, 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 on its own or as part of 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.