Physical World resources

Task: Identify which actions would make it easier to attract a paper clip. Assessment focus: magnetism.

Task: Answer questions about making a bike go faster. Assessment focus: friction; gearing.

From a collection of familiar objects, students identify all those that can act as sources of light.

Students answer three questions about air pressure in balloons, why helium balloons float, and why a popped balloon makes a noise.

Task: Describe what happens to water on black plastic and explain why. Assessment focus: effect of colour on heat retention.

Task: Complete a table to show how energy is transformed in eight objects and describe the energy transformations in two others. Assessment focus: energy transformation.

From a key of terms (heat, kinetic, light, potential and sound), students select the word which describes some common examples of energy change.

Students are asked to match six everyday objects to the main energy transformation that occurs in each of these objects.

For this task students look at a diagram showing household electrical wires and then answer some questions about these.

Students select from four pictures of laden trucks which is least likely to roll over when cornering, and explain their predictions. This resource assesses students' understanding of centre of gravity.

Students explain how the parts of a torch help it work.

Students are given some information about simple machines, and are asked to label the effort, load, and pivot on three examples of simple machines.

Students answer a multiple choice question about what happens when a magnetised object is cut in half, and then draw the lines of the magnetic field around two magnets.

Students list four things that wouldn't work and the problems this would cause if there was a power cut to their home.

Students draw two wires to complete a simple circuit diagram from a battery to a bulb so that it shines.

Students compare cars from different eras. They describe how different features of modern cars make them safer. The task assesses students' understanding of how technology can make cars faster and safer.

Students select which of five compass orientations best show the direction of a magnetic field at four different locations.

Task: Identify examples of experiencing sound. Assessment focus: sound.

Task: Describe how the light rays move through a glass prism.

Students indicate how brightly a bulb would glow in three different circuits. Students then use pictures of four appliances, showing the arrangement of their cells, to draw circuit symbol diagrams illustrating this cell arrangement.

Students are given six different circuit diagrams. They state how brightly these bulbs will glow when compared to another circuit.

Task: Answer questions about energy transformations of a yoyo. Assessment focus: energy transformations.

Students answer questions about energy transformation.

Task: Describe how energy is transformed in three situations. Assessment focus: energy transformation.

Students classify the type of energy used in seven given examples as being either potential energy, kinetic energy, or radiant energy.