Year 8 Science · Unit 1 · Lesson 16
Foundation Worksheet
Learning Goals
Fill the gap
Choose the correct word from the word bank. Two words will not be used.
A says what may happen and gives a reason. The lists the safe, fair steps to follow. The measurements and observations you collect are called . Data you collect yourself is data, and data from a published source is data. A trend in the results is a . Finally, a answers the question using from the data.
Put the investigation steps in order
Number the steps 1 (first) to 6 (last).
| Step (1–6) | What the investigator does |
|---|---|
| Look for patterns or trends in the results. | |
| Plan a safe and fair method. | |
| Write a conclusion based on the evidence. | |
| Ask a testable question about a living system. | |
| Collect data by observing or measuring. | |
| Make a prediction, with a reason. |
Sort it: primary or secondary data?
You are investigating a living system. Write each source of data in the correct box.
Primary (you collected it)
Secondary (someone else collected it)
1. Ella wonders: “Do plants in the sun use more water?” Rewrite her idea as a testable question that names what she will change and what she will measure. Then write a prediction with a reason.
Read the data
Scenario: Mia’s pulse
Mia’s question was: “How does exercise affect my pulse rate?” She sat still, then did star jumps for 2 minutes, then sat and rested. Each time, she counted her pulse at her wrist for 15 seconds and multiplied by 4 to get beats per minute.
| When measured | Beats counted in 15 seconds | Pulse rate (beats per minute) |
|---|---|---|
| Before exercise, sitting | 19 | 76 |
| Straight after star jumps | 33 | 132 |
| After 1 minute of rest | 28 | 112 |
| After 3 minutes of rest | 22 | |
| After 5 minutes of rest | 20 | 80 |
Source: sample class results.
2. What was Mia’s highest pulse rate, and when was it measured?
3. Work out Mia’s pulse rate after 3 minutes of rest, and write it in the empty box in Table 1.
Answer beats per minute
4. Describe the pattern in Mia’s results, using at least two numbers from the table. Then write a conclusion that answers her question.
5. Jake predicted that his pulse would go down after exercise. His results showed it went up. He says: “My experiment failed, so I will throw my results away and write that my prediction was right.” Explain why Jake is wrong, and what he should do instead.
Fill the gap
prediction; method; data; primary; secondary; pattern; conclusion; evidence. Not used: opinion, title.
Put the investigation steps in order
Reading down the table as printed: 5, 3, 6, 1, 4, 2. (Question, prediction, method, collect data, find patterns, conclusion.)
Sort it: primary or secondary data?
Primary: your own pulse, counted after skipping; breathing rates your group counted in class; the mass of your class’s pot plant, weighed each day. Secondary: a table of plant water use on a science website; a graph of heart rates in a published book; results from a government science report.
1. Model: “Does the amount of sunlight a pot plant gets affect how much water it uses in a day?” Prediction: “A plant in full sun will use more water than one in shade, because more water evaporates from its leaves when it is warm and bright.” [2 marks: 1 testable question naming change and measurement, 1 prediction with a reason]
Read the data
2. 132 beats per minute, straight after the star jumps. [1 mark]
3. 22 × 4 = 88 beats per minute. [1 mark]
4. Pattern: her pulse rose from 76 to 132 beats per minute after exercise, then fell during rest (112, 88, 80) back towards her resting rate. Conclusion: exercise made Mia’s pulse rate go up, and it returned close to its resting value within about 5 minutes of rest. [3 marks: 1 rise, 1 fall back towards resting, with numbers; 1 conclusion that answers the question]
Show What You Know
5. Marking guide (points expected): 1 a prediction is only an expectation made before testing; 1 a conclusion must come from the data, even if it disagrees with the prediction; 1 the experiment did not fail, it produced real evidence; 1 unexpected results are useful and can lead to new questions; 1 better conclusion, e.g. “My pulse went up after exercise, so my prediction was not supported.” [5 marks]
Common error to watch for: in Q4, a conclusion that just lists the numbers, or one that goes beyond the data (“exercise is good for you”).