Investigating in science resources

Students explain adaptations of kangaroos and horses to protect their young.

Task: Students use a labelled diagram of a pitcher plant to answer questions about survival. Assessment focus: features for survival.

Task: Use understandings about heat energy and insulation to describe how adaptations help Emperor penguins survive in Antarctica. Assessment focus: adaptations for keeping warm in cold conditions.

Task: Identify how features/adaptations of a starfish help it survive, and decide whether the amount of evidence from scientists' observations supports or does not support their theory/inference. Assessment focus: using observations as evidence to inform theories.

Task: Use information about differences between moths and butterflies to decide which category examples belong to, and identify what evidence was used. Assessment focus: observation, using evidence.

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

In this task students compare two photographs of a river with normal flow and a river in flood. They make inferences based on their observations.

Task: Make careful observations of objects in a picture to assess the size of one of the objects.

Students look closely at a photograph taken on the beach and record their observations. They think and write about the consequences of the things they see.

Students combine their observations with some information provided to complete a story about what might have happened in the photograph.

Task: Look for the similarities and differences in leaf patterns to answer questions about observations and evidence.

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.

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 give oral explanations about how the features of a wētā or a mallard duck help it survive in its environment. Peer assessment sheets are included. Assessment focus: structure and function.

Students explain the mistake in each of six sentences about elements, compounds or mixtures.

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.

A description of two 'reactions' with household chemicals is outlined. For each students identify if the reaction is chemical or physical and provide an explanation for their answer.

Task: use features to group small animals, identify differences between 3 animals, and identify the insects. Assessment focus: using features to group small animals.

Task: Students decide what sort of animals two skulls belong to. A self-assessment checklist is included. Assessment focus: using evidence to identify carnivores and herbivores.

Task: match seed description to a dispersal method. Assessment focus: seed dispersal.

This practical task requires students to make observations and draw diagrams about diffusion that occurs when food colouring is added to water.

Task: select a card to show how to control the variables of an investigation into the rolling distance of marbles on different surfaces. Assessment focus: controlling variables.

Task: Use a diagram to answer questions about seasons and day and night. Assessment focus: relationship of Sun and Earth.

Using provided information students answer three multiple-choice questions about numbers of atoms, elements, molecules and compounds.

Students select the correct written definition of the words element, compound, and mixture.