Starter quiz
- What does it mean to compare things?
- To see how they are similar and different. ✓
- To see how they change over time.
- To find out what their names are.
- To find out how many there are.
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- Plants require light, ______, air, warmth, room to grow, and nutrients from soil to grow and stay healthy.
- 'water' ✓
- What equipment could we use to measure the height of a plant?
thermometer
weighing scales
stopwatch
ruler ✓
- Scientists can find out how things change by making ______ of them over time.
- experiments
- estimations
- observations ✓
- plans
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Which of these statements about plants is not correct?- Plants are living things that need certain conditions to stay healthy.
- Plants need plenty of exercise to stay healthy. ✓
- Plants can take in nutrients from soil that help them to stay healthy.
- Light is a requirement for plants to stay healthy.
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- What are variables in a comparative test investigation?
- Results that can be used to make conclusions.
- Equipment used to take measurements such as rulers or thermometers.
- Things that can be changed, measured or kept the same. ✓
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Exit quiz
Scientists create schedules for their observations. A good schedule for observing how plants grow over time would be to make observations…- every three minutes.
- every three hours.
- every three days. ✓
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- A comparative test is a type of investigation where...
- scientists use secondary sources to learn more about something.
- one thing is changed, another is measured and everything else is kept the same. ✓
- jobs are shared out equally between scientists.
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- In comparative test investigations, the scientific word for the things that are kept the same, measured an changed is ______.
- 'variables' ✓
Jacob is carrying out a comparative test to investigate the question: How does having no light affect how a plant grows? Which variable will he change in his investigation?- the type of soil he uses
- the amount of water his plant gets
- the amount of light his plant gets ✓
- the size of the pot he uses
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Aisha is investigating the effect of having no light on plant growth. Which of these could she use to record her results?- Using her memory to keep track of changes.
- Taking photographs of how the plants are changing. ✓
- Writing notes about what the plants look like over time. ✓
- Drawing a graph to show how much water the plants get.
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Sam is carrying out a comparative test to find out how a plant grows differently without any water. What could she measure over time for this investigation?- the height of the plants ✓
- the amount of soil in the pot
- the volume of water given to the plants
- the number of leaves the plants have ✓
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Worksheet
Presentation
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Scientists can investigate what plants need by observing plant growth when requirements are removed.
- In a comparative test investigation, variables must be kept the same so only one thing is changed and one is measured.
- Scientists create a schedule for observations and choose a method to record change, such as a diary or photograph log.
Common misconception
Pupils may not see the need to use a second plant in their investigation that has all of its needs met, as they will be able to observe changes in the plant from which they are removing a requirement.
Explain that we need an additional plant with all of its needs met so that we can make direct comparisons between this plant and the one we are depriving of something.
Keywords
Plant - A plant is a living thing that often has roots, a stem and leaves.
Comparative test - In a comparative test, the thing that is being changed has labels, such as the types of materials.
Variables - Variables are the things that can be changed, measured or kept the same in a comparative or fair test.
Record - To record information is to keep it so that it can be passed on to others. This can be done in many ways including notes, photos and drawings.