Mix It Up!

A cross-curricular reading and

science activity
This set includes:
• An upper elementary level
passage about mixtures
• 4 STAAR aligned follow up
questions
• 1 writing passage

Hello Literacy
MissPicklesDesignStudio.com
Mix It Up! A nonfiction passage
about mixtures
1. Everything around you is made of matter. Even you! Matter is anything that takes up
space and has mass. Some objects are made of one type of matter, like water, while
others are a mixture of different types of matter, like cookie dough. When one
substance is combined with another substance, it is called a mixture.

2. Mixtures do not create a new substance. In a mixture, the substances that are mixed
together maintain their physical properties. This means that if you mixed gravel and sand
together, the texture, color, and shape of the gravel would not change. Mixtures can also
be separated by physical means. If you created a trail mix of pretzels, M&M’s, and
Goldfish crackers, you could easily use forceps or your fingers to separate the
ingredients from each other.

3. Mixtures can be homogeneous or heterogeneous. A

homogeneous mixture has evenly mixed particles. Soda is an
example of a homogeneous mixture. In soda, a flavored syrup
is combined with water and carbon dioxide. The syrup, water,
and carbon dioxide particles are evenly mixed together. In a
heterogeneous mixture, the particles are not evenly mixed
together. An example of a heterogeneous mixture is chocolate
chip cookie dough. In chocolate chip cookie dough, the
chocolate chips are not evenly dispersed or mixed into the
cookie dough.
4. When certain substances are combined together,
their physical properties do change. These special
types of mixtures are called solutions. In a solution,
one substance, called the solute, dissolves into
another, called the solvent. One example of a
solution is lemonade. To make lemonade, sugar and
lemon juice are dissolved in water. Another example
of a solution is salt water. The salt particles are
evenly dissolved into the water.
Mix It Up! A nonfiction passage
about mixtures
1. In paragraph 3, the word heterogeneous means –
a. Evenly combined
b. Unevenly combined
c. Uncombined
d. New substance

2. Which sentence from the passage supports the idea that a solution is a special
type of mixture?
a. A homogeneous mixture has evenly mixed particles.
b. One example of a solution is lemonade.
c. When certain substances are combined together, their physical properties do
change.
d. In a mixture, the substances that are mixed together maintain their physical
properties.

3. Based on the information in the passage, which of the following would also be an
example of a heterogeneous mixture?
a. Trail mix
b. Milk
c. Water
d. Paper

4. Based on the information in the passage, complete the following Venn Diagram
about mixtures and solutions.
Mix It Up! Write about it!
Most of the foods you eat are examples of mixtures.
Choose one of your favorite foods and describe how it is
a mixture. Make sure you edit and revise your writing
before turning it in.
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