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Primary Science · Year 4Chapter 1 · Working scientifically revisited
Year 4 · Chapter 1

Working scientifically revisited

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Ask a question that can be answered by a test, and make a prediction with a reason
  • Plan a fair test: change one thing, measure the result, and keep everything else the same
  • Read a measuring cylinder in millilitres and a thermometer in degrees Celsius carefully
  • Record results in a table, and present them in a bar chart with a title and a scale
  • Work out an average, and say what a conclusion should be based on
  • Say how a test could be made more reliable

You should already know

  • Fair tests, and changing only one thing at a time (Year 3 Science, Chapter 1)
  • Using a ruler, a thermometer and a bar chart in Year 3 (Year 3 Science, Chapters 1 and 9)

Where this leads

  • Living things, and how they are grouped (Year 4 Science, Chapter 2)
  • Every practical in Year 4 uses these skills: keys, circuits, melting and evaporation

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 2 science, Year 4. Content: WS (shared with Year 3): ask relevant questions and use different types of scientific enquiries to answer them, WS: set up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests, WS: make systematic and careful observations, and take accurate measurements using standard units, WS: gather, record, classify and present data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions, WS: report and present findings, and use results to draw simple conclusions, WS: identify differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes.

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWhich part of a flowering plant takes in water from the soil? Write the word.
2
FA stem holds the plant up. Which part of the plant uses light to make its food? Write the word.
3
FWhich force moves something towards the person pulling it? Write the word.
4
FDo animals, including humans, make their own food? Write yes or no.
5
FWhat is the name for the top layer that an object moves on, such as a floor or a carpet? Write the word.
1.1

Asking questions and predicting

Year 4
WS: ask relevant questions and use different types of scientific enquiry to answer them
Video lesson: Asking questions and predictingComing soon
Story. Ruby and Aisha have a pile of paper towels on the kitchen table. “Which one soaks up the most water?” Ruby asks. Mr Patel smiles and says, “That is a good scientific question. Before we test it, what do you think will happen?”

Scientists begin with a question. A good scientific question can be answered by a test or by careful observation. It is a question that you can measure, such as: “How many millilitres of water does this towel soak up?”

Before the test, scientists make a prediction. A prediction says what you think will happen, and why. It is a guess that is based on an idea, so it can be tested. After the test, you compare the results with your prediction.

Changeone thingMeasurethe resultKeep the sameeverything elsethe brandof towelmillilitresof waterthe water, thetime and the size
Scientists plan a test in three parts: the thing they change, the thing they measure, and what they keep the same.

Key ideas

  • A scientific question is one that can be answered by a test or by careful observation.
  • A prediction says what you think will happen, and why.
  • A prediction is written before the test, so you can compare it with the results.
  • A question that can be measured makes a good scientific question.
Worked example 1.1.1
Ruby asks: “Which towel soaks up the most water?” Can this question be answered by measuring? Write yes or no.

Method. Think about whether you can measure the answer.

  1. Think about the answer. We can measure how many millilitres of water each towel soaks up.
    measure the millilitres
  2. Decide. Because we can measure the answer, the question can be tested.
    can be tested
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. A question that can be tested by measuring is a good scientific question. ✓

Worked example 1.1.2
Aisha writes: “I think Towel B will soak up the most water, because it looks thick.” Is this a prediction or a measurement? Write prediction or measurement.

Method. Read what Aisha wrote.

  1. Find the words “I think”. Aisha says what she thinks will happen, before the test.
    before the test
  2. Decide. Something said before the test, with a reason, is a prediction.
    prediction
  3. Write the answer.
    prediction

Check. A measurement is something you read off a scale during the test. ✓

Worked example 1.1.3
Which of these is a question that can be tested? Write a or b. a) What is the nicest paper towel? b) Which paper towel soaks up the most water?

Method. Check which question you can measure.

  1. Look at a). You cannot measure which towel is the nicest, because that is an opinion.
    opinion
  2. Look at b). You can measure how much water each towel soaks up.
    measure
  3. Write the answer.
    b

Check. Question b) can be answered by a fair test. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a question about what someone likes is an opinion. It cannot be answered by measuring, so it is not a scientific question to test.

Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). Choose two things at home that might soak up water, such as a tea towel and a sponge. Ask a question about them, such as: “Which one soaks up more water?” Write one prediction before you test. You will test it in section 1.2.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What do you think will happen? Why do you think that?” Let your child write a prediction with a reason, and check it after the test.

Exercise 1A  Asking questions and predicting

1
FIs “How much water does a paper towel soak up?” a question that can be tested with a fair test? Write yes or no.
2
FWhich of these is a question that can be tested by measuring? Write a or b. a) What is your favourite towel? b) How many millilitres of water does a towel soak up?
3
FFill in the gap: a prediction is what you think will ___ before a test. Write the word.
4
FAisha writes: “Towel C will soak up 12 ml, because it looks thin.” Is this a prediction or a measurement? Write prediction or measurement.
5
FWhich of these is the best question for a fair test? Write a, b or c. a) Which towel is the prettiest? b) Which towel soaks up the most water? c) Which towel is the oldest?
6
FMo says: “Towel B is thicker, so it will soak up the most water.” Is Mo’s idea a question or a prediction? Write question or prediction.
7
FFill in the gap: a scientific question is one that can be ___ by testing. Write the word.
8
PSWhich of these is a question that can be tested? Write a or b. a) Is pink the nicest colour for a towel? b) Does a sponge soak up more water than a towel?
9
PSRuby says: “I know Towel B soaks up most water, so I do not need to test it.” Is Ruby right? Write yes or no.
10
PSWorking scientifically. Ruby asks: “Does the colour of a towel change how much water it soaks up?” Write one prediction and one reason.
11
PSWrite one question about paper towels that could be answered by a fair test.
12
RExplain why a prediction should be written before a test. Write one sentence.
1.2

Setting up a fair test

Year 4
WS: set up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests
Video lesson: Setting up a fair testComing soon
Story. Ruby and Aisha plan their paper towel test. Aisha wants to change the amount of water, and Ruby wants to change the towel. Mr Patel says, “If you change two things, you will not know which one made the difference.”

A fair test is a test where only one thing is changed. The thing we change is the variable we choose to change. The thing we measure is the result. Everything else must be kept the same, so that the test is fair.

We also repeat each test. Repeating the test (called a trial) helps us check that a result is not a one-off. We then find an average, which is the total divided by the number of trials.

This table shows how the three towels were tested. Each towel was dipped in the same 50 ml of water for 10 seconds, three times.

TowelTrial 1 (ml)Trial 2 (ml)Trial 3 (ml)Average (ml)
Towel A9111010
Towel B16151716
Towel C12141313

Key ideas

  • A fair test changes only one thing.
  • The thing measured is the result, and everything else is kept the same.
  • Repeat each test three times, and find the average.
  • If two things change, the test is not fair.
Worked example 1.2.1
Ruby changes the brand of towel, and keeps the water and time the same. Which part of the test is the thing she changes? Write the word.

Method. Find the thing that changes.

  1. Read the sentence. Ruby changes the brand of towel.
    brand of towel
  2. Name the part. The thing that is changed is the variable, so the variable is the brand.
    brand
  3. Write the answer.
    brand

Check. The water and the time are kept the same. ✓

Watch out. Measured and changed are different parts of a test.

Worked example 1.2.2
Aisha changes the towel and the amount of water at the same time. Is this a fair test? Write yes or no.

Method. Count the things that change.

  1. Count the changes. Aisha changes two things: the towel and the amount of water.
    two things
  2. Decide. A fair test changes only one thing, so this test is not fair.
    not fair
  3. Write the answer.
    no

Check. A fair test changes only one thing. ✓

Worked example 1.2.3
Ruby does three trials for each towel. How many trials does she do for one towel? Write the number.

Method. Read the sentence about the trials.

  1. Read the sentence. Ruby does three trials for each towel.
    three trials
  2. Write the number. So she does three trials for one towel.
    three
  3. Write the answer.
    3

Check. Three trials for each towel, with the average found from them. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a test is only fair if you keep everything else the same. Changing the water, the time and the towel at once tells you nothing about any one of them.

Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). Choose a plastic lid and a sheet of paper towel. Put 20 ml of water on each one, using a spoon, with a grown-up. Change only the surface, and keep the water and the time the same. Write down what you kept the same.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What did you change? What did you keep the same?” Let your child name the variable, the result and one thing that was kept the same.

Changeone thingMeasurethe resultKeep the sameeverything elsethe brandof towelmillilitresof waterthe water, thetime and the size
In a fair test, change one thing, measure one result, and keep everything else the same.

Exercise 1B  Setting up a fair test

1
FIn a fair test, how many things should you change? Write the number.
2
FRuby changes the towel and the amount of water. Is this a fair test? Write yes or no.
3
FFill in the gap: in a fair test, we keep everything else the ___. Write the word.
4
FIn a paper towel test, which part is the result? Write the word: changed, measured or kept.
5
FIn the paper towel test, name one thing that must be kept the same. Write one thing.
6
PSMo tests how fast ice melts. He uses a different size of ice cube each time. Is his test fair? Write yes or no.
7
FHow many trials should a fair test have, as in the table in section 1.2? Write the number.
8
PSAli says: “I changed the towel and the water, but the result was the same, so the towel does not matter.” Is his conclusion sound? Write yes or no.
9
PSA class uses a different timer for each towel. Write one thing that is not kept the same.
10
PSWorking scientifically. Write one thing you could change to test how fast a puddle dries. Write one thing only.
11
RExplain why we repeat trials in a test. Write one sentence.
1.3

Measuring carefully

Year 4
WS: make systematic and careful observations, and take accurate measurements using standard units
Video lesson: Measuring carefullyComing soon
Story. Yusuf pours water into a measuring cylinder. He bends down so that his eyes are level with the water. “Why do I have to get my eyes level?” he asks. Mr Patel says, “If you look from above or below, the reading will be wrong.”

Careful measuring gives us accurate results. Use the right unit: millilitres (ml) for water in a measuring cylinder, and degrees Celsius (°C) for temperature on a thermometer.

To read a measuring cylinder, put it on a flat table, and read the bottom of the curved surface of the water at eye level. To read a thermometer, keep the bulb in the liquid, and do not let it touch the bottom or the sides of the container.

0102030405060708090100measuring cylinder (ml)
A measuring cylinder. Read the level of the water at eye level, in millilitres.
010203040degrees Celsius
A thermometer. The red liquid shows the temperature, in degrees Celsius.

Key ideas

  • Read a measuring cylinder in millilitres (ml), at eye level.
  • Read a thermometer in degrees Celsius (°C), with the bulb in the liquid.
  • Use a ruler in centimetres (cm) to measure length.
  • A measurement needs a number and a unit.
Worked example 1.3.1
Look at the measuring cylinder in section 1.3. What is the level of the water? Write the number of millilitres.

Method. Read the scale at eye level.

  1. Find the level. The top of the water is at the line that is 40 ml on the scale.
    40 ml
  2. Check the unit. The reading is in millilitres, so the number is 40.
    millilitres
  3. Write the answer.
    40

Check. The line between 30 and 50 is 40 ml. ✓

Worked example 1.3.2
Look at the thermometer in section 1.3. What is the temperature? Write the number of degrees Celsius.

Method. Find the red liquid on the scale.

  1. Find the top of the liquid. The red liquid goes up to a point between 20 and 30.
    between 20 and 30
  2. Read the scale. The top of the liquid is two small marks above 20. Each small mark is 2 degrees, so the reading is 24 degrees Celsius.
    24
  3. Write the answer.
    24

Check. Two small marks above 20, at 2 degrees each, make 24 degrees. ✓

Watch out. Read the top of the red liquid, not the bottom of the bulb.

Worked example 1.3.3
A ruler shows a pencil is 9 cm long. A paper towel is 4 cm longer than the pencil. How long is the paper towel? Write the number of centimetres.

Method. Add the extra length to the pencil.

  1. Read the lengths. The pencil is 9 cm, and the towel is 4 cm longer.
    9 cm and 4 cm
  2. Add them. 9 cm plus 4 cm makes 13 cm.
    9 + 4 = 13
  3. Write the answer.
    13

Check. Check: 13 cm minus 4 cm is 9 cm. ✓

Watch out. Include the unit, centimetres, when you write the answer.

Watch out

Watch out: read the scale at eye level. Looking from above or below makes the level look higher or lower than it really is.

Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). Put 100 ml of water into a jug, using a measuring jug with a grown-up. Pour 40 ml into a cup and read the level with your eyes at the same height. Check your reading with a grown-up. Do not use hot water.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What is the unit? Is your eye level with the water?” Let your child read the scale at eye level, and say the number and the unit together.

Exercise 1C  Measuring carefully

1
FLook at the measuring cylinder in section 1.3. What is the water level? Write the number of millilitres.
2
FLook at the thermometer in section 1.3. What is the temperature? Write the number of degrees Celsius.
3
FWhich unit is used to measure the water in a measuring cylinder? Write the unit: ml or cm.
4
FWhich unit is used for a thermometer reading? Write the words: degrees Celsius or litres.
5
FFill in the gap: read the measuring cylinder with your eyes at the same height as the water. Write the two words for this height.
6
FThe scale on a measuring cylinder is marked in steps of 10 ml. What is the next mark above 40 ml? Write the number.
7
PSRuby has 35 ml of water in a measuring cylinder. She pours 10 ml away. How much water is left? Write the number of millilitres.
8
PSAli measures 40 ml, 42 ml and 41 ml in three trials. What is the average? Write the number of millilitres.
9
PSAisha measures a paper towel with a ruler. It is 16 cm long, and she measures it again and gets 16 cm. Write the number of times she measured the same length.
10
PSA thermometer bulb touches the bottom of a cup. Is the reading likely to be correct? Write yes or no.
11
RExplain why a measurement needs a unit. Write one sentence.
1.4

Recording and presenting results

Year 4
WS: gather, record, classify and present data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions
Video lesson: Recording and presenting resultsComing soon
Story. Leo and his class collect leaves in the playground, and sort them by type. “How do we show all these leaves so that everyone can understand them?” asks Ms Chen. Leo says, “A table, and then a bar chart.”

A table records results in rows and columns. Every table needs a title and clear headings for each column. Use a table to write down the counts before you draw a chart.

A bar chart shows the counts as bars. It needs a title, a label under each bar, and a scale along one side that shows the numbers. The taller the bar, the bigger the count.

The class counted the leaves they found. Here is the table.

Type of leafNumber counted
Sycamore7
Oak5
Birch3
Horse chestnut6
Total21
02468number of leaves counted7Sycamore5Oak3Birch6Horse chestnut
A bar chart of the leaves counted. The scale on the left shows the number of leaves.

Key ideas

  • A table has a title and clear headings for each column.
  • A bar chart has a title, labels under each bar and a scale.
  • To classify means to sort things into groups.
  • Add the counts in a table to find the total.
Worked example 1.4.1
Look at the table in section 1.4. How many sycamore leaves were counted? Write the number.

Method. Find the row for sycamore.

  1. Find the row. The row for sycamore says 7.
    sycamore: 7
  2. Read the number. So the class counted seven sycamore leaves.
    7
  3. Write the answer.
    7

Check. Sycamore has the largest count, 7, and the tallest bar on the chart. ✓

Watch out. Read the number in the column, not the name of the leaf.

Worked example 1.4.2
Look at the table in section 1.4. Add the counts for all four types of leaf. What is the total? Write the number.

Method. Add the four counts.

  1. Add them in pairs. Seven plus five is 12, and three plus six is 9.
    7 + 5 = 12, 3 + 6 = 9
  2. Add the two totals. Twelve plus nine is 21.
    12 + 9 = 21
  3. Write the answer.
    21

Check. The total in the table is 21. ✓

Worked example 1.4.3
Look at the bar chart in section 1.4. Which leaf has the shortest bar? Write the name.

Method. Find the shortest bar.

  1. Look at the bars. The shortest bar is the one with the smallest count, which is 3.
    smallest count
  2. Read the label. The label under the shortest bar is Birch.
    Birch
  3. Write the answer.
    Birch

Check. The count for birch is 3, the smallest in the table. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a bar chart without a scale does not tell you the numbers. Always check the numbers on the scale before you read a bar.

Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). Collect five different leaves from a garden or park, with a grown-up. Sort them into groups by type, or by size. Count each group, and write the counts in a table with a title. Wash your hands after you touch the leaves.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What is the title of your table? What does each column show?” Let your child find the total by adding the counts, and check it.

Exercise 1D  Recording and presenting results

1
FLook at the table in section 1.4. How many oak leaves were counted? Write the number.
2
FLook at the table in section 1.4. Which type of leaf was counted the fewest times? Write the name.
3
FLook at the table in section 1.4. Add all the counts. What is the total? Write the number.
4
FLook at the table in section 1.4. Which type of leaf has a count of 5? Write the name.
5
FHow many types of leaf are in the table? Write the number.
6
FA bar chart shows the numbers on one side, to help you read each bar. What is this called? Write the word.
7
FLook at the bar chart in section 1.4. Which leaf has the tallest bar? Write the name.
8
FIs the count for horse chestnut more or fewer than the count for birch? Write more or fewer.
9
PSHow many more sycamore leaves than birch leaves were counted? Write the number.
10
PSAli says: “The table shows more oak leaves than sycamore leaves.” Is Ali right? Write yes or no.
11
FWrite the word for the top row of a table that tells the reader what each column shows.
12
RExplain why it is useful to write results in a table before drawing a bar chart. Write one sentence.
1.5

Conclusions and evaluation

Year 4
WS: report and present findings, and use results to draw simple conclusions; identify differences, similarities or changes
Video lesson: Conclusions and evaluationComing soon
Story. Ruby and Aisha finish their paper towel test. Their results are in a bar chart. “Which towel is the winner?” Aisha asks. Mr Patel says, “First tell me what the results show. Then tell me how sure you are.”

A conclusion answers the question that the test asked. It must be based on the results, not on a guess. A good report says what was done, what was found, and what the conclusion is.

To evaluate a test, ask: was it fair? Did the results match the prediction? Could a result be wrong? How could the test be made better? This is how scientists check their work.

05101520average water soaked up (ml)10 mlTowel A16 mlTowel B13 mlTowel C
The average water soaked up by each towel. Towel B has the tallest bar.

Key ideas

  • A conclusion answers the question the test asked, and is based on the results.
  • Find differences by comparing two results.
  • Three trials are more reliable than one trial.
  • To evaluate, ask whether the test was fair and how it could be improved.
Worked example 1.5.1
Towel A averages 10 ml, and Towel B averages 16 ml. How much more water does Towel B soak up than Towel A, on average? Write the number of millilitres.

Method. Subtract the smaller average from the larger one.

  1. Read the averages. Towel B averages 16 ml, and Towel A averages 10 ml.
    16 and 10
  2. Subtract. 16 minus 10 is 6, so Towel B soaks up 6 ml more.
    16 - 10 = 6
  3. Write the answer.
    6

Check. Check: 10 plus 6 makes 16. ✓

Watch out. Subtract the smaller number from the larger number.

Worked example 1.5.2
What is the conclusion of the paper towel test, in the words of the question: which towel soaks up the most water? Write the name of the towel.

Method. Look at the averages.

  1. Find the largest average. The largest average is 16 ml, which is Towel B.
    16 ml
  2. Write the conclusion. So the conclusion is that Towel B soaks up the most water.
    Towel B
  3. Write the answer.
    Towel B

Check. The bar for Towel B is the tallest on the chart. ✓

Worked example 1.5.3
Ruby says: “Towel B gave 16, 15 and 17 ml, so three trials show what happens most of the time.” Write one reason why three trials are better than one.

Method. Think about what one trial can show.

  1. Think about one trial. One trial can give a result that is unusual, by chance.
    unusual
  2. Think about three trials. Three trials show whether a result is typical, and their average is more reliable.
    typical
  3. Write the answer.
    Accept any reason that says three trials show whether a result is typical, and that the average is more reliable.

Check. Three trials make a better test than one trial. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a conclusion must match the results. Do not write that a towel is the best if the test did not measure what makes a towel good.

Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). Repeat the paper towel test from section 1.2 with two towels of your own, with a grown-up. Keep the same water and the same time, and do three trials. Find the average for each towel, and write one conclusion from your results. Say one thing that could make your test better.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “What did your results show? How sure are you? What would you change next time?” Let your child write the conclusion in one sentence, using the words from the results.

Exercise 1E  Conclusions and evaluation

1
FTowel A averages 10 ml, and Towel B averages 16 ml. What is the difference between the averages? Write the number of millilitres.
2
FWhich towel soaks up the least water, on average? Write the name.
3
FTowel C averages 13 ml, and Towel B averages 16 ml. Does Towel C soak up more or less than Towel B? Write more or less.
4
FWrite the conclusion: which towel soaks up the most water? Write the name of the towel.
5
FThe three trials for Towel A are 9, 11 and 10 ml. What is their average? Write the number of millilitres.
6
PSWhich of these is a conclusion? Write a or b. a) Towel B soaked up the most water in these trials. b) I will test Towel C next week.
7
FWhich trial for Towel B gave the biggest result? Write the number of millilitres.
8
FFill in the gap: a conclusion should answer the ___ that the test asked. Write the word.
9
PSMo does one trial with Towel B, and gets 16 ml. Should he trust this result alone? Write yes or no.
10
PSAisha says: “The results show that Towel B always soaks up more water.” Write one reason she could be wrong.
11
PSWorking scientifically. Write one way to make the paper towel test more reliable.
12
RExplain why a conclusion must match the results in the table. Write one sentence.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
Asking questionsA scientific question can be answered by a test. Write a prediction, with a reason, before the test.
Fair testsChange one thing, measure one result, and keep everything else the same. Repeat each test three times.
MeasuringRead a measuring cylinder in ml at eye level. Read a thermometer in degrees Celsius with the bulb in the liquid.
RecordingRecord results in a table with a title and headings. Show them in a bar chart with a scale.
ConclusionsA conclusion answers the question the test asked, and is based on the results. Evaluate the test to improve it.

Can you…?

  • I can ask a question that can be answered by a fair test
  • I can write a prediction with a reason, before a test
  • I can say which thing to change, which result to measure, and what to keep the same
  • I can read a measuring cylinder in millilitres and a thermometer in degrees Celsius
  • I can add up the counts in a table and find an average
  • I can write a conclusion from my results, and say how the test could be improved

Key terms

prediction
what you think will happen in a test, and why, written before the test
fair test
a test where only one thing is changed, and everything else is kept the same
variable
a thing that can change in a test
result
the thing that is measured or found out in a test
trial
one run of a test, which is repeated to check the result
average
the total of several results, divided by the number of results
conclusion
a statement that answers the question the test asked, based on the results
evaluate
to think about how good a test was, and how it could be improved
table
a way of recording results in rows and columns, with a title and headings
scale
the numbers along the side of a chart or a measuring tool

Exercise 1Z  Check-up

1
Write the word for what you think will happen in a test, written before the test.
2
Look at the measuring cylinder. What is the water level? Write the number of millilitres.
0102030405060708090100measuring cylinder (ml)
3
Look at the thermometer. What is the temperature? Write the number of degrees Celsius.
010203040degrees Celsius
4
Towel B averages 16 ml, and Towel C averages 13 ml. Which towel soaks up more water? Write the name.
5
Write one thing that must stay the same in a fair test of paper towels.
6
Here are the leaf counts: sycamore 7, oak 5, birch 3 and horse chestnut 6. Write the total number of leaves.
7
Which of these is a fair test? Write a or b. a) Test two towels with different amounts of water. b) Test two towels with the same amount of water, and change only the towel.
8
Write the word for the result that we measure in a test, such as the millilitres of water a towel soaks up.
9
Ruby’s trials for Towel C are 12, 14 and 13 ml. Work out the average. Write the number of millilitres.
10
A friend says: “I changed the towel and the water, so the test is fair.” Is the friend right? Write no, and say why in one sentence.

Total 18 marks. Allow about 18 minutes.

Exercise 1X  Practice test questions

1
FWrite the word for the thing you measure in a test, which is the answer the test finds: changed or result.[1 mark]
2
FA measuring cylinder measures water. Write the unit: ml or cm.[1 mark]
3
FIn a fair test, you change one thing and keep everything else the same. Write the name for this kind of test.[1 mark]
4
FLook at the thermometer. What is the temperature? Write the number of degrees Celsius.
010203040degrees Celsius
[1 mark]
5
PSA measuring cylinder has 35 ml of water. Ruby pours out 10 ml. How much water is left? Write the number of millilitres.[2 marks]
6
PSTowel B gave three results: 16 ml, 15 ml and 17 ml. Work out the average. Write the number of millilitres.[2 marks]
7
PSWrite one prediction, with a reason, for which paper towel will soak up the least water.[2 marks]
8
RWrite one reason why three trials give a better result than one trial.[2 marks]
9
RRuby tested Towel A and Towel B. She changed only the towel, and did three trials for each. Towel A averaged 10 ml and Towel B averaged 16 ml. Write one conclusion from these results.[3 marks]
10
FThe class counted leaves: sycamore 7, oak 5, birch 3 and horse chestnut 6. Write one sentence that names the most common leaf, and gives the total number of leaves counted.[3 marks]
Chapter 2: Grouping living things →

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