Investigating in science resources

Task: Answer questions about recycling aluminium by interpreting a fact file. Assessment focus: Recycling.

Students use the Modified Mercalli intensity scale to assign magnitudes to three described earthquakes. Then they interpret data about the distance from an epicentre, and explain why, from given information, one earthquake might be more damaging than another.

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.

Students use a table on solubility/insolubility of 16 compounds to determine the validity of four statements and justify with evidence from the table.

Information on particle size and boiling point is provided for three alcohols. Students use this to place these substances in order of particle size and increasing boiling point.

In this NEMP task students conduct a test to identify whether a number of substances are acid, base or neutral. They also answer a question about neutralising. Assessment focus: testing acid or base.

Students are given a diagram and information on the ratios of black- to grey-coated possums. Students answer questions relating to this information as well as identifying a method that could be used to determine the percentage of each coat colour.

Students compare drawings of a healthy and unhealthy plant, collect data, and decide which data distinguishes them. This is a mathematics/science resource.

Students complete a table by explaining how 3 different seed types are able to be dispersed.

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.

Task: Identify from an experiment the preferred living conditions of slaters, and use a fact file to suggest reasons why. Assessment focus: interpreting results of an investigation.

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.

Students compare drawings of a healthy and unhealthy plant and decide which quantitative and/or qualitative data distinguishes them. They draw conclusions from the data. This is a mathematics/science resource.

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.