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Science at key stage 3 (Year 9)
Unit 9M: Investigating scientific questions
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Objectives |
Section 1: What sort of questions can be investigated scientifically?
Children should learn:
- to suggest questions about a topic
- how to identify ideas that can be investigated
- how to choose an appropriate strategy
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Section 2: Using and evaluating a way of finding out how much of an apple is water
Children should learn:
- how to search for information
- how to use preliminary work to find out whether a possible approach is practicable
- what apparatus is available for particular techniques
- how to recognise common hazards in working techniques
- how to relate results to scientific knowledge and understanding
- how to control risks from identified hazards
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Section 3: Using a model and data from a fair test to find out why elephants throw water over themselves
Children should learn:
- how to use preliminary work with a model to decide what to measure and to determine the number of measurements to be taken
- to record measurements
- how to record data on a graph and draw an appropriate curve/line to fit data
- to identify and describe patterns in graphs
- to evaluate the conclusion by considering how good the data is
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Section 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
Children should learn:
- how to use preliminary work to decide what to measure and observe and whether the approach is practicable
- to consider what other factors, including those that cannot be controlled, might affect the results and how to deal with them
- to collect and record data appropriately
- to identify and describe trends in data
- to evaluate the limitations of the evidence by considering sample size and the possible effect of other factors
- to use scientific knowledge and understanding to interpret results
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Section 5: Developing a classification system for a variety of plants that grow in and around water
Children should learn:
- how to search for information and decide which sources of information are appropriate
- to select appropriate information from secondary sources
- to use preliminary work to find out whether an approach is practicable
- to implement an approach, refining where necessary
- to use knowledge to explain results
- to evaluate the methods used in terms of the quality of the product
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Section 6: Using secondary sources to develop and test hypotheses about factors that might affect the pH of rainwater
Children should learn:
- to decide which factors may be relevant to an enquiry
- when it is appropriate to use data from secondary sources
- how to search for information
- how to decide which sources of information are appropriate
- to select appropriate data from secondary sources
- to identify and describe patterns in data
- to present information appropriately
- to look critically at sources of secondary data
- to look critically at results to decide how strongly they show a trend
- to interpret results using scientific knowledge and understanding
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Section 7: Concluding the unit on investigating scientific questions
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
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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.
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