Science resources

Students are provided with a diagram of a bag used in solar showers. They answer questions about this bag relating to heat absorption, heat transfer, and radiation.

Task: Order wheels according to technological development, then answer questions about advantages and disadvantages of different wheels. Assessment focus: how wheels work.

Task: Match simple machines to items, select length of bar to lift a rock, and draw how to set up bar and a block of wood to lift the rock. Assessment focus: levers.

Task: Predict which objects will float. Assessment focus: flotation.

Task: Answer two questions about pruning loppers. Assessment focus: levers.

From a collection of 9 common objects, students identify those objects that are attracted to magnets.

Students match pictures of six objects to their appropriate energy source from the list provided.

Students answer short questions to show their knowledge of heat transfer through metal and plastic spoons.

Task: Identify which car will be coolest and explain why. Assessment focus: air currents.

Task: Plan a fair test to see which of two solar showers of different colours heats up more. Assessment focus: controlling variables.

Task: Select what would happen when like poles of a magnet come together, and explain why a plastic rather than a metal car was used in the investigation. Assessment focus: magnetism.

Task: Identify the colours on a taxi sitting under a red streetlight. Assessment focus: Coloured light can be produced by blocking some parts of the spectrum.

Task: explain the effect of temperature on metal and wood. Assessment focus: the effect of heat on different materials.

Task: Include three given words in an explanation about how ramps work. Assessment focus: work, distance and force.

Task: Explain what is meant by 'efficient', calculate the amount of energy produced per second and name three forms of 'waste energy' of steam engines. Assessment focus: energy transformations.

Task: Answer two multiple choice questions. Assessment focus: forces.

This assessment task provides students with four statements on recycling. Students circle whether each statement is true or false to determine their understanding of recycling.

Task: Answer questions about a planned wildlife reserve. Assessment focus: interdependence of animals with their habitat.

Students suggest ways to prevent a steep bank slipping. The assessment focus is application of their knowledge about erosion.

Task: Label a picture with ways to protect ourselves from the Sun, and describe why we need to do so. Assessment focus: protection from the Sun's rays.

Task: Describe what sort of day it is easiest to see shadows, and answer 2 multiple choice questions about length of shadows and time of day. Assessment focus: shadows.

Students match each planet to its correct description.

Students answer two multiple-choice questions about star movement during an evening and star colour and temperature.

For this task students are asked two questions about early Polynesian navigation. Students need to identify features of the environment that explorers would have used to navigate home and to find new land.

Students are given a key list of words associated with earthquakes. Student use these and their own knowledge to write a paragraph explaining five key points about earthquakes.