Investigating in science resources

Task: Answer questions about relationships between mass and stretch. Assessment focus: identifying patterns in data.

Task: investigate reflection of light using a torch and mirror. Assessment focus: angle of reflection.

For this practical task students investigate some features of craters, complete a table, and explain what they found out. Students then use a diagram showing some craters on the Moon to write as much information as they can about these craters.

This practical task assesses students' ability to design and carry out a fair test on the relationship between slope and rates of erosion.

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 task students explain the causes to the difference in height of water levels in a lake during spring, summer, and winter.

This task requires students to determine the best way to dissolve Milo the quickest. Students are given the opportunity to determine this by trial and error, then they are asked to write up their result and a conclusion.

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.

This practical task has students investigate the surface area of three objects and whether this influences the rate of evaporation. Students fill in a table, and calculate the water loss and answer questions to show their understanding.

Students answer short questions to demonstrate their understanding that candles need oxygen to burn.

Students read a passage about a genetic characteristic found in a family. They use this information to complete a representation of an inheritance diagram by shading in and naming the persons of this family. Lastly a question about dominance and recessiveness is asked.

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

For this practical task the entire class is involved in an outside activity that looks at camouflage and warning colouration. Students then share their results and answer a number of questions.

Students draw a line from each of six invertebrate animals to its correct description. They are also required to name each animal.

Decide if a described investigation is a fair test, and explain the decision. Assessment focus: identifying fair testing.

Task: Process and interpret data in a table to identify the best paper to use for a game. Evaluate the reliability of the collected data. Assessment focus: using evidence to answer a question.

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.

Task: students investigate the rolling distance of marbles on different surfaces. Assessment focus: processing information to answer a question.

Task: Identify colours and surfaces that keep things cool. Assessment focus: heat absorption.

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.

For this practical task students make observations about the effect of coloured lights on different coloured objects. Students then draw some conclusions about their findings.

Task: Answer a multiple choice question about the material attracted to magnets, select which magnet of four is strongest, and give a reason for choice. Assessment focus: magnetism.

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: 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.