Year 1 Science: Looking closely with tools
Part of the Year 1 Science being a scientist chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Looking closely with tools
Scientists use tools to look closely and find out more. A magnifying glass makes small things look bigger. A ruler measures how long something is, in centimetres (cm). A timer measures how long something takes, in seconds or minutes.
Choose the tool that fits the job.
Key ideas
- A magnifying glass makes small things look bigger.
- A ruler measures length in centimetres (cm).
- A timer measures time. There are 60 seconds in 1 minute.
- Start measuring at the 0 mark.
Method. Think about which tool makes small things easier to see.
- Read the question. We want to see tiny lines, which are very small.tiny lines
- Think about each tool. A magnifying glass makes small things look bigger. A ruler and a timer do not.magnifying glass: bigger
- Write the answer. magnifying glass
Check. Look at the coin through the magnifying glass. The lines look bigger. ✓
Watch out. Hold the magnifying glass close to the coin, and move it slowly.
Key words. A centimetre (cm) is a unit of length. Use a ruler to measure how long something is.
Method. Line up the 0 mark with one end of the object, then read the mark at the other end.
- Put the 0 mark at the end of the pencil. Lining up at 0 makes the count start in the right place.pencil: starts at 0
- Read the mark at the other end. The number at the end is how long the object is.It ends at 9
- Write the length, with the unit. We measure length in centimetres, which we write as cm.9 cm
Check. Count along the ruler from 0 to 9, one centimetre at a time. ✓
Watch out. Start at 0, not at the end of the ruler. Otherwise the answer will be wrong.
Method. Think about counting the seconds on a timer.
- Count the seconds in tens. Counting in tens helps us count to 60 quickly.10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60
- Check the last number. The last number we count to is the number of seconds in a minute.the last number is 60
- Write the answer. 60 seconds
Check. Half a minute is 30 seconds, and two halves make 60. ✓
Watch out. One minute is 60 seconds, not 100.
Watch out
Watch out: start measuring at the 0 mark, not at the end of the ruler. If you start at a different number, your answer will be wrong.
Try it at home (with a grown-up). Look closely at a coin or a piece of cloth with a magnifying glass, and say what you can see. Never use a magnifying glass to look at the Sun. Then measure a spoon with a ruler. Wash your hands after touching plants or soil.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Let your child use a real ruler and a real timer. Ask them to count out loud for 10 seconds, then check with the timer. Ask: “What do you notice when you look closely?”
Exercise 1B Using a magnifying glass, a ruler and a timer
Method. Think about which tool measures length.
- Read the question. We want to measure a length: how long the shoe is.how long
- Choose the tool. A ruler measures length in centimetres.ruler: length
- Write the answer. ruler
Check. Line the shoe up with the ruler and read the length. ✓
Watch out. A timer measures time, not length.
Method. Think about which tool makes small things look bigger.
- Read the question. The marks are very small, so we need to see them bigger.tiny marks
- Choose the tool. A magnifying glass makes small things look bigger.magnifying glass: bigger
- Write the answer. magnifying glass
Check. Look at the stamp through the magnifying glass. The marks look bigger. ✓
Watch out. Keep your hands clean when you touch a stamp.
Method. Count the seconds in tens until you reach one minute.
- Count on in tens. Each ten is ten seconds.10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60
- Find where one minute ends. One minute is the number we reach at the end of the count.one minute = 60 seconds
- Write the answer. 60
Check. Half a minute is 30 seconds. Two halves make 60. ✓
Watch out. There are 60 seconds in a minute.
Method. Half a minute is half of 60 seconds.
- Start with a full minute. A full minute has 60 seconds.1 minute = 60 seconds
- Find half of 60. Half means share into two equal parts.60 ÷ 2 = 30
- Write the answer. 30 seconds
Check. Count on in tens from 0 to 30: 10, 20, 30. ✓
Watch out. Half of a minute is 30 seconds, not 60.
Key words. A centimetre (cm) is a unit of length. Use a ruler to measure how long something is.
Method. Line up the 0 mark with one end of the object, then read the mark at the other end.
- Put the 0 mark at the end of the crayon. Lining up at 0 makes the count start in the right place.crayon: starts at 0
- Read the mark at the other end. The number at the end is how long the object is.It ends at 6
- Write the length, with the unit. We measure length in centimetres, which we write as cm.6 cm
Check. Count along the ruler from 0 to 6, one centimetre at a time. ✓
Watch out. Start at 0, not at the end of the ruler. Otherwise the answer will be wrong.
Key words. A centimetre (cm) is a unit of length. Use a ruler to measure how long something is.
Method. Line up the 0 mark with one end of the object, then read the mark at the other end.
- Put the 0 mark at the end of the stick. Lining up at 0 makes the count start in the right place.stick: starts at 0
- Read the mark at the other end. The number at the end is how long the object is.It ends at 4
- Write the length, with the unit. We measure length in centimetres, which we write as cm.4 cm
Check. Count along the ruler from 0 to 4, one centimetre at a time. ✓
Watch out. Start at 0, not at the end of the ruler. Otherwise the answer will be wrong.
Method. Measure each bar from 0, then compare the two numbers.
- Measure A. Start at 0 and read the end.A = 4 cm
- Measure B. Start at 0 and read the end.B = 9 cm
- Compare the two lengths. The bigger number is the longer bar.9 is bigger than 4
- Write the answer. B is longer by 5 cm.B
Check. Count the difference on the ruler: 9 − 4 = 5 cm. ✓
Watch out. Compare the two numbers, not how big the bars look.
Method. Take the smaller count away from the bigger count to find how many more.
- Read the two counts. Find the number for each one.Sam: 35, Mia: 20
- Take away the smaller count. The difference is how many more.35 − 20 = 15
- Write the answer. 15 more seconds for Sam than Mia.
Check. Count on from 20 to 35: the steps are 15. ✓
Watch out. Take the smaller number from the bigger one, not the other way round.
Method. Think about what a magnifying glass does.
- Think about the tool. A magnifying glass has a round lens that makes things look bigger.bigger, not smaller
- Compare with what Aisha said. She said smaller, so she is not right.smaller: not right
- Write the answer. No. It makes things look bigger.
Check. Look at a small object through the lens and see it get bigger. ✓
Watch out. Use the magnifying glass to see more detail, not to make things smaller.
Method. Look at the coin through the magnifying glass, slowly.
- Look at the coin. Hold the magnifying glass close and look slowly.the coin, close up
- Notice what looks different. Things look bigger, so you can see more detail.tiny marks or lines
- Write what you noticed. A good observation says what you saw, in your own words.Tiny marks or lines on the coin.
Check. Look again and check that you can see the same thing. ✓
Watch out. Describe what you see. Do not guess what is not there.