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.
Pictures are given of the life cycles of three different animals (hawk, turtle and deer). Students identify which stage the animal's survival is most in danger and give explanation of why it is not safe. Students also give one special feature that helps this animal survive at this time.
Students are given an experimental setup of heating water with a burning peanut and are asked how they could change this in three ways to get a greater temperature increase. Students are also asked to give two important experimental conditions that should remain the same if the experiment was repeated.
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.
For this practical task students investigate water (and dye) movement in a plant when the stem of a daisy is cut lengthwise into three sections. Students record their observations and then explain their results in a scientific way. Key words have been provided.
Students identify the variables to be kept constant, and the variable to be different, when they plan a fair test to show if green plants need light to grow.
Task: View photograph to explain how a chiton protects itself in its environment. Assessment focus: identifying features that help to protect an animal in its particular environment.
Task: Students use an image of an Australian lizard to explain what purpose is served by the lizard's tail looking like its head. Assessment focus: features for survival.
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.
Task: from a set of animals students identify which have observable features common to fish. They then use this information to identify which of the animals are fish. Assessment focus: classification of fish.
Task: Order fruit according to size and number of seeds, make a generalisation about the pattern and use this to predict whether a fig has small or large seeds. Assessment focus: pattern seeking.