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.
Task: Use written text and pictures to explain how the special features of Old Man's Beard help it survive. Assessment focus: identifying how the special features help this plant to survive.
This practical task requires students to plan a method to determine which magnet is the strongest. Students carry out their plan, record results and write a conclusion.
Task: Place in order six statements about a series of food chain related events in a beech forest, and justify decisions. Assessment focus: interdependence.
Task: Predict, observe, and explain where a piece of wood floats in a container of water and oil. Assessment focus: flotation related to density; explaining predictions.
Task: Predict which of three balls dropped from different heights will squash most, explain why, and design an investigation to test prediction. Assessment focus: acceleration and fair testing.
Task: Match statements about materials that sound travels through, with corresponding science idea. Assessment focus: choosing evidence to support a science idea.
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.
Task: Students decide whether four dinosaurs are meat-eaters or plant-eaters, and justify their answers. A list of features of each group is provided. It may be completed individually or as a group assessment. Assessment focus: using evidence.
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.
Task: Students use recent information obtained from space exploration to show how and why beliefs have changed over time. Assessment focus: interpreting information about the provisional nature of science.
Students are provided with a narrative of two children who have gone back to the past at a time when dinosaurs existed. Students have a number of questions to answer during the narrative.