Planning investigations resources

Students plan aspects of a statistical investigation about the most common birth month in Year 8, including designing a table for data collection.

Students plan how to do a statistical investigation about a question that has been posed, and think about how they will collect their data.

Each student designs a question and an associated scale to record other students' attitudes to mathematics.

Describe methods for speeding up and slowing down melting of an ice cube using one of three provided objects, and explain why the methods would work. Assessment focus: planning an investigation.

Plan an investigation to find out which of two students' predictions is correct, and identify how to recognise what a result would look like. Assessment focus: identifying what to measure or compare to answer a science question.

Task: Identify which variables should be kept the same to compare reaction times. Assessment focus: control of variables.

For this practical task students plan and carry out a fair test to determine which of four different cups will keep water the hottest over 10 minutes. Students are also required to graph their results and write a conclusion.

This practical task requires students to plan and carry out a fair test to find out which paper type will soak up water the best.

Students answer five questions about 'fair testing' for an outlined investigation.

Task: Plan a fair test to see if adding salt water to water affects how long it takes to freeze. Assessment focus: managing variables.

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.

Students compare drawings of a healthy and unhealthy plant and decide which quantitative and/or qualitative data distinguishes them. They draw conclusions from the data. This is a mathematics/science resource.

Select the correct pair to set up a fair test. Assessment focus: controlling variables.

Students predict how a cube will travel when flicked in different positions, and conduct an experiment to see what happens in practice.

Students conduct a practical, statistical investigation. They decide on the question to investigate, conduct the survey, complete the tally chart, and construct and label a bar graph.

Students conduct a practical, statistical investigation. They decide on a question, categories, conduct the survey, tally and graph the results on a bar graph.

Students conduct a practical, statistical investigation. They decide on a Topic and question, conduct the survey, complete the tally chart, construct a bar graph of the major ideas and make statements about the results.

Students are required to critique a survey and design another useful question to be included.

Students pose a question for an investigation about favourite sports. They then construct a table that could record the results.