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Science at key stage 3    (Year 9)

Unit 9M: Investigating scientific questions
Section 7: Concluding the unit on investigating scientific questions

QCA

Objectives
Children should learn:
  • to compare investigative methods used by others
  • to look critically at results to decide how strongly they show a trend/relationship
  • to consider the limitations of the evidence
  • to evaluate the methods used in terms of the quality of the data or product

Activities

Outcomes
Children:
  • Ask pupils to describe the different types of investigation used by themselves and others.
  • Ask pupils to state and justify their conclusions and describe the limitations of their evidence. Encourage pupils to challenge each other's descriptions of the strength of relationships shown, and the quality of the data or the products.
  • describe the different methods used to answer questions and recognise some similarities and differences in the methods used
  • justify or challenge conclusions, taking into account the limitations of the evidence produced and the quality of the data or product

Sections in this unit

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This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.
1. What sort of questions can be investigated scientifically?
2. Using and evaluating a way of finding out how much of an apple is water
3. Using a model and data from a fair test to find out why elephants throw water over themselves
4. Carrying out a survey, using a suitable sample size, to find out how the moisture level in the soil affects the variety and abundance of plants on the school field
5. Developing a classification system for a variety of plants that grow in and around water
6. Using secondary sources to develop and test hypotheses about factors that might affect the pH of rainwater
7. Concluding the unit on investigating scientific questions