Gather and interpret data resources

Drawings of four different seeds are provided. Students explain how each seed is dispersed.

Task: choose 3 features of a mosquito and say how they help it survive. Assessment focus: adaptations for survival.

Task: name the parts of a flower and describe methods of pollination and seed dispersal. Assessment focus: structure and function of flowers.

Students are provided with six drawings of different types of insects. They use the drawings to explain two features of insects and to explain differences between the insects illustrated.

For this practical task students are provided with four types of plant storage organs. They classify examples as one of these types of food storage organ. Students also look at the tap root and a tuber and describe the main differences between them.

Task: Students play a tag game that simulates the relationships between elements within a waterway, and discuss how different scenarios impact on the populations living there. Assessment focus: changes within a habitat affect everything living there.

For this task students are provided with photographs of four different types of weta. Students are asked to give two features that weta have in common with each other and to give two features that show weta belong to the group insects.

In this task, students look for patterns in electron arrangement in the periodic table. They use their ideas to place missing elements in the table, answer some questions about the patterns, and use the patterns to predict the properties of some elements.

This practical task requires students to use methods of separation to separate a mixture of salt, sand, and iron filings. Students explain how they did this and the property of the substance that they used.

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.

Students compare drawings of a healthy and unhealthy plant, collect data, and decide which data distinguishes them. This is a mathematics/science resource.

Students are provided with drawings of the main types of fingerprints. Students then make their own fingerprint and those of three other students. They then classify and describe the differences between these prints.

Students are given an outline of a fair test. They are asked to identify the aim, variables to be controlled, how to judge the results, and an aspect of replication.

Students are given diagrams of an experiment on photosynthesis using pond weed. Students are asked to put the diagrams of the experiment into the correct order, to give an aim, identify the gas produced, name the process in plants that produces this gas, and to write a conclusion for the experiment.

Task: Students describe two features of a skull that suggest it comes from a herbivore. Assessment focus: features of a herbivore's skull.

Task: Use pictures to identify special features of various fish and make predictions as to likely habitats based on these features. Assessment focus: purpose of adaptation in fish.

For this practical task, students join 'dominos'. They match an animal feature on the initial 'domino' with the appropriate animal picture on the next 'domino'.

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: Watch a video of two sofas burning, record the results, and use the evidence to make inferences about fire retardants. Assessment focus: using observations to provide evidence.

Students complete a plant record for a tree by making observations.