Material World resources

Students state whether each of nine common objects are transparent or opaque.

Students draw a circle around those objects that are hard.

This practical task requires students to first plan how they could find out which liquid flows the best. Then they carry out their plan, record their results, and write a conclusion.

Students outline a test they could do to show if a substance is a metal or not.

Students are given some solids and liquids for this practical task. They plan how they would find out which liquids are solvents for any given solid, carry out the task, and write a conclusion.

Students are given an experimental setup of heating water with a burning peanut and are asked how they could change this in three ways to get a greater temperature increase. Students are also asked to give two important experimental conditions that should remain the same if the experiment was repeated.

For this practical task students are given a variety of objects which they are required to make observations on by using their senses.

This task requires students to determine the best way to dissolve Milo the quickest. Students are given the opportunity to determine this by trial and error, then they are asked to write up their result and a conclusion.

Students are given an outline of an investigation on metal corrosion and a graph of some results. Students' ability to interpret the graph and knowledge of fair testing is assessed via short answer questions.

For this practical task students determine the viscosity of different household susbstances such as golden syrup, cooking oil, fruit juice etc. Students complete the experiment and construct a chart showing their results and observations.

This practical assessment requires students to design and carry out tests on three properties of four different fabrics in order to find the most suitable fabric for the stated purpose.

This practical task has students investigate the surface area of three objects and whether this influences the rate of evaporation. Students fill in a table, and calculate the water loss and answer questions to show their understanding.

The liquid range for four common substances has been provided. Students use this to answer questions about melting point, boiling point, and state.

Students explain the mistake in each of six sentences about elements, compounds or mixtures.

Students answer short questions to demonstrate their understanding that candles need oxygen to burn.

Students evaluate a fair test about whether salt or sugar solution dissolves faster.

Task: Process and interpret data in a table to identify the best paper to use for a game. Evaluate the reliability of the collected data. Assessment focus: using evidence to answer a question.

In this NEMP task students discuss observations of six unknown common household powders. They design a chart for results, find properties for each, and identify what each powder is. Assessment focus: identifying substances; teamwork.

Task: Look at the arrangement of fibres for four different paper towels, arrange an appropriate sequence of instructions, carry out the instructions and then communicate the data in an appropriate graph that will help answer the question. Different elements of the nature of science are embedded throughout the tasks. Assessment focus: planning and carrying out a fair test, using evidence to answer a question.

Task: Answer questions about recycling aluminium by interpreting a fact file. Assessment focus: Recycling.

For this practical task students make a prediction about which lot of ice will melt first. Then students record their observations and explain why one lot of ice melted faster than the other.

Students explain the terms physical and chemical change. Then they read a passage of text and identify the six changes that have occurred and state if each change is a physical or a chemical change.

In this practical students are first required to identify as many uses of paper they can think of. Then, using samples of different paper types, they identify particular uses for that type of paper and reasons why the paper is used for this purpose.

Task: Describe and compare some physical properties of plastic objects and identify the properties scientists might use for classifying materials. Assessment focus: classifying using physical properties.

Students interpret a table of data in order to answer four questions on the properties of five different types of paper.