Strategies - Gongshang Primary Schoolgongshangpri.moe.edu.sg/qql/slot/u523/Essential...

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Purpose . Pupils . ExPerience . Professional Development . Partnership.

Strategies

for

Answering Science

Questions

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Area of Concern

Students generally have difficulty answering

Science questions which test them on their

analytical and thinking skills. As a result,

many of them do not score well in these

questions

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Strategies for Answering Multiple Choice

Questions

□ Read and understand the question.

□ Study the diagram (if any)

□ Look out for key words and highlight/

underline/circle them.

□ Identify the topic which is tested.

□ Recall the related concepts and

write them down.

□ Link the concepts to the question.

□ Eliminate the incorrect options

and choose the best answer.

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Strategies for answering

Open-ended Questions

□ Read and understand the question.

□ Interpret diagrams/graphs/charts.

□ Look out for key words and highlight,

underline or circle them.

□ Identify topic tested in the question.

□ Recall and apply the relevant concepts

for the topic.

□ Take note of the marks awarded to

each question.

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Purpose . Pupils . ExPerience . Professional Development . Partnership. 5

Common Weaknesses in answering


□ Not understanding the question (out of

context)

□ Answer is too general and not specific.

(eg. giving only motherhood statements)

□ Answer is incomplete.

□ Too much unnecessary information

(1/2 mark is deducted for each additional

incorrect concept.)

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Common Weaknesses in Answering


□ Stating what is given in the question (observation)without mentioning the scientific

concept. For example: The lid is covered

instead of “air cannot enter the box”, the towel

is open instead of “it has a greater exposed

surface area”, restating data and not

interpreting the data.

□ Not following instructions given in the question (eg. draw an arrow/ label/

shade/using the letters A,B, C or D…)

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Examples of key words and expected answers

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Key words in question Expected answer

What…

Which part…

State...

Name…

Can be a one word answer or a short sentence

(Recalling of facts. Reasons are not needed.)

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Examples of key words and expected

answer

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Key words in question

Expected answer

How…

Describe...

Explain…

Why…

Give a reason…

Answers require application of concepts.

For description of experiments, detailed procedure is expected.

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Examples of key words and expected

answers

Key words in question Expected Answer

What is the aim of the

experiment?

A sentence stating what

you hope to find out from

the experiment.

[Eg. To find out if the intensity of light affects the

rate of photosynthesis.]

What conclusion can you

draw… A sentence stating the

outcome of the experiment.

What can you say about…

What is the relationship

between…

States a related scientific

concept, property,

relationship or pattern

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Samples

of

Past Years’

PSLE Questions

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Sample Question – MCQ

Melissa wanted to find out the effect of temperature on the growth

of plants. Which two dishes should she compare in order to draw a

correct conclusion?

(1) A and B (same temp)

(2) A and D (diff temp, same no. of plants, plants diff. dist. apart)

(3) B and C (diff temp, same no. of plants, plants same dist. apart)

(4) B and D (diff temp, same no. of plants, plants diff. dist. apart)

F Fair Test

variable to be

changed

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Sample Question (Open-ended)

Robin observed two different types of cells, A and B , from the

same plant

(a) What is the function of part X ?

_________________________________________

(b) Which part of the cell makes food for the plant ?

____________________________________________

(c) In which part of the plant are you likely to find cell A ?

Give a reason for your answer.

Topic:

Cells

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Sample Question

Interpreting a Diagram

John carried out an experiment with two beakers X and Y. He

placed three bean seeds in each beaker and left them in the room

with a temperature of 29°C.

cooled

boiled

water

tap water

X Y

oil

Fact/Concept: Seeds need air, warmth and water to germinate

Topic:

Germination

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Sample Question

Interpreting a Diagram

After two days, he noticed that the beans in beaker Y germinated but not those in beaker X.

14

cooled

boiled water tap water

X Y

oil

Explain his observation.

state the scientific concept

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Thought Process

Think

What is the implication when there is boiled

water?

Absence of dissolved air/oxygen in boiled water.

Presence of dissolved oxygen/air in tap water.

Think

What is the purpose of the layer of oil?

The layer of oil prevents atmospheric air/oxygen

from dissolving in the water.

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Scientific fact/concept

Air/Oxygen is needed for germination.

Application:

There is dissolved air/ oxygen in tap water for the

beans in Beaker Y to germinate but the beans in

Beaker X cannot germinate as there is an absence of

dissolved air/oxygen.

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Sample Question

A water tank used for flushing a toilet bowl is shown below.

After flushing, water enters and refills the

tank.The water will stop filling if water reaches

level L.

James wanted to use less water to flush the toilet. Michelle suggested using a plastic bottle filled

with stones.

Topic:Matter

Concept: Matter occupies space.

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Sample Question

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Explain how Michelle’s suggestion would help reduce the amount of water used to flush the toilet.

The bottle filled with stones sank to the bottom of the water

tank and since the bottle with stones occupied space, less water is needed to fill up the water tank to level L.

apply the scientific concept

Concepts on Matter

Matter has mass.

Matter occupies space.

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Applying the strategies is tedious and time-

consuming but with constant practice, it has

proved to be effective in helping pupils

analyze questions and applying the

knowledge and concepts which they have

learnt.

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Strategies - Gongshang Primary Schoolgongshangpri.moe.edu.sg/qql/slot/u523/Essential...

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Transcript of Strategies - Gongshang Primary Schoolgongshangpri.moe.edu.sg/qql/slot/u523/Essential...