Science at key stage 3 (Year 9)

Unit 9M: Investigating scientific questions

Prior learning

It is helpful if pupils:

have used different strategies to investigate scientific questions in their previous investigative work
know that evaluation of the strength of evidence or the quality of the product is an important part of scientific enquiry

Sections in this unit

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