Physical World resources

This practical task requires students to test a number of circuits and to give reasons why some of the circuits do not work while others do. Students also look at other circuits and explain what happens to the brightness of the bulb.

Task: Identify colours and surfaces that keep things cool. Assessment focus: heat absorption.

Task: investigate reflection of light using a torch and mirror. Assessment focus: angle of reflection.

For this practical task students make observations about the effect of coloured lights on different coloured objects. Students then draw some conclusions about their findings.

Task: Predict whether given objects will float, investigate, then record and explain results. Assessment focus: flotation.

This practical task requires students to follow instructions for making a 'green fridge' to determine its efficiency. Students collect and record data from their investigation and answer questions.

Task: Answer questions about relationships between mass and stretch. Assessment focus: identifying patterns in data.

Task: students investigate the rolling distance of marbles on different surfaces. Assessment focus: processing information to answer a question.

Explain what affects the distance travelled by toy cars, and why they eventually stop. Assessment focus: science explanations using ideas about forces and energy.

Students first do the science activity Throwing Balloons 2 (PW2548) where they predict, observe, and explain what will happen when a balloon containing another balloon filled with water is thrown. Then the students do this writing task where they describe the balloon and what happened when it was thrown, and explain why they think it moved the way it did. Six annotated exemplars of student scripts (writing) are included under the "Working with Students" tab.

Task: Look for the similarities and differences in how students draw graphs to display information.

Students construct three different sized parachutes from plastic bags. They then carry out a fair test to see which sized parachute is the most effective. Students answer questions about fair tests, collect and record their results, and make a conclusion.

Task: Identify patterns in a table and suggest ways to make a toy travel further. Assessment focus: interpreting data; energy; forces.

Task: Answer a multiple choice question about the material attracted to magnets, select which magnet of four is strongest, and give a reason for choice. Assessment focus: magnetism.