Investigating in science resources

This practical task requires students to record temperatures of various areas in the school and to suggest reasons why some areas are warmer or cooler than others.

Students view an online animation which illustrates stages of a volcanic eruption, write their observations and answer question about eruptions. Assessment focus: observations based on a model, and knowledge of volcanic eruptions.

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.

Task: Match birds and nests, and explain why the choice was made. Assessment focus: using environmental cues to make inferences.

Task: Make careful observations of a picture to decide what you can see and what you might know but can't see.

Task: Answer questions about a diagram, and explain how we get day and night. Assessment focus: day and night.

This practical requires students to place four photographs of kākāpo at different times in their life cycle in order from youngest to oldest. Students describe how the kākāpo changes from each part of the life cycle to the next. NOTE: This resource is intended to be used in colour.

Students are provided with pictures of birds and fish and then asked to describe how fish and birds look different and how they look similar.

For this practical students make observations about dissolving, and plan and carry out an investigation to find out what makes sugar dissolve more quickly.

Task: Identify the position of the sun and the time of day when the shadows shown is formed. Assessment focus: shadows.

Task: Use a diagram to match shadows to a time of day. Assessment focus: shadows.

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.

Students state whether each of nine common objects are transparent or opaque.

For this practical task students record their observations as an egg is poached in water.

Task: Explain how to use the magnet to remove a drawing pin out of a glass of water without putting the magnet in the glass, touching the glass with hands, or spilling the water. Assessment focus: using knowledge of magnetism to solve a problem.

Task: Match insects to their adaptations for protection against enemies, and infer two ways stick insects are adapted for their protection against predators. Assessment focus: using observations to make suggestions about survival methods.

Task: Answer two multiple choice questions. Assessment focus: managing variables.

In this practical task students predict, and then measure the temperature of water from a range of familiar sources.

Students evaluate a fair test about whether salt or sugar solution dissolves faster.

For this practical task students determine the viscosity of different household susbstances such as golden syrup, cooking oil, fruit juice etc. Students complete the experiment and construct a chart showing their results and observations.

Task: Make a sound gun and use it to investigate what happens to a candle when the end of the sound gun is tapped. Assessment focus: sound waves.

Students are given stimulus material on the stopping distance of a toy car released from different heights. Students write an aim, the best way to present the results, identify the measurement required in order to calculate the average speed, and write a conclusion for the investigation.

This resource assesses students' understanding of erosion. Students order a set of diagrams showing the process of erosion in a river and write an explanation of how cliff erosion occurs by the sea.

For this practical task students complete a table of observations for the following substances: vinegar, baking soda, and vinegar and baking soda mixed together.

Task: Show the relationship of birds' beaks and feet to the food they eat. Assessment focus: adaptations.