KS1 Investigating | Asking Simple Questions

Science Quiz - Investigating - Asking Questions (Questions)

This quiz addresses the requirements of the National Curriculum KS1 Science for children aged 5 and 6 in years 1 and 2. Specifically this quiz is aimed at the section dealing with simple examples of questions that can be investigated.

Scientists ask lots of questions, some simple - some hard. What is this thing? What is it made from? How does it work? What does it do? Where did it come from? Why is it that shape? What is it like? Then scientists investigate questions. This quiz looks at questions you might investigate in science at school. Some questions are just too hard to investigate at school or at home but some are simpler. Some questions are better than others. This quiz gets you thinking about what makes a good question in science.

Which one of these questions could you investigate at school?

[ ]	Which is the stretchiest modelling clay?
[ ]	Which is the nicest modelling clay?
[ ]	Who makes modelling clay?
[ ]	How much modelling clay have we got?

Scientists investigate all these questions. But which one of these questions could you investigate in a school?

[ ]	What are the rocks on the planet Mars made from?
[ ]	Why are there no green plants at the bottom of the oceans?
[ ]	Why are there fewer parrots in the Amazon rain-forest?
[ ]	What sort of places do woodlice like to live in?

Which one of these questions would you have to investigate outdoors?

[ ]	How quickly does grass grow again after it has been mown?
[ ]	What is the best way to grow cress?
[ ]	How much water do plants need?
[ ]	How deep should I plant bean seeds?

Toni wants to do an investigation in her class. She is going to ask people a question. Which one of these questions would be the best one to investigate?

[ ]	Do you know what a rainbow is?
[ ]	Do you like the colour blue?
[ ]	Do you like rainbows?
[ ]	Which colour in the rainbow do you like best?

All of these are questions. Some have simple answers. But which one could you investigate?

[ ]	How many months are there in a year?
[ ]	Which month in the year is the warmest?
[ ]	Which is the shortest month in the year?
[ ]	Which is the first month of the year?

Which one of these questions would be good to ask in science?

[ ]	Which word is longest - reptile, bird or mammal?
[ ]	What are the differences between reptiles, birds and mammals?
[ ]	Can you draw a reptile?
[ ]	What is a good story about a bird?

Sasha has decided to investigate this question: ‘What is the best material to make an umbrella?’

Sasha decides to put the question another way. Which is the best question for him to ask?

[ ]	Which material is heaviest and lets the water through?
[ ]	Which material is lightest and waterproof?
[ ]	Which material is most colourful?
[ ]	Which material is lightest and most colourful?

Which one of these is a question you could investigate in science?

[ ]	Can a pencil be used to write with?
[ ]	Are pencils alive?
[ ]	How are pencils made?
[ ]	What can you draw with a pencil?

Anna knows that plants grow quicker in the summer than the winter. Which one of these questions would be fun for Anna to investigate?

[ ]	Do children grow quicker in the summer than the winter?
[ ]	Do children grow?
[ ]	Do children grow older each year?
[ ]	Do children have birthdays?

10.

Tanya has had a cold. She has an idea for an investigation. What do you think it is?

[ ]	Which type of tissue is smallest?
[ ]	Which type of tissue is the most colourful?
[ ]	Which type of tissue is stretchiest?
[ ]	Which type of tissue is the most absorbent?

Science Quiz - Investigating - Asking Questions (Answers)

Which one of these questions could you investigate at school?

[x]	Which is the stretchiest modelling clay?
[ ]	Which is the nicest modelling clay?
[ ]	Who makes modelling clay?
[ ]	How much modelling clay have we got?

Answers 3 and 4 are questions, but they are easily answered. They don’t need an investigation. Answer 2 is too vague - what do you mean by ‘nice’?

Scientists investigate all these questions. But which one of these questions could you investigate in a school?

[ ]	What are the rocks on the planet Mars made from?
[ ]	Why are there no green plants at the bottom of the oceans?
[ ]	Why are there fewer parrots in the Amazon rain-forest?
[x]	What sort of places do woodlice like to live in?

How many of these questions would you like to investigate?

Which one of these questions would you have to investigate outdoors?

[x]	How quickly does grass grow again after it has been mown?
[ ]	What is the best way to grow cress?
[ ]	How much water do plants need?
[ ]	How deep should I plant bean seeds?

Which one of these do you think would be the most interesting investigation?

Toni wants to do an investigation in her class. She is going to ask people a question. Which one of these questions would be the best one to investigate?

[ ]	Do you know what a rainbow is?
[ ]	Do you like the colour blue?
[ ]	Do you like rainbows?
[x]	Which colour in the rainbow do you like best?

The fourth question has more possible answers. The other questions only have yes and no answers

All of these are questions. Some have simple answers. But which one could you investigate?

[ ]	How many months are there in a year?
[x]	Which month in the year is the warmest?
[ ]	Which is the shortest month in the year?
[ ]	Which is the first month of the year?

How would you investigate which month is the warmest?

Which one of these questions would be good to ask in science?

[ ]	Which word is longest - reptile, bird or mammal?
[x]	What are the differences between reptiles, birds and mammals?
[ ]	Can you draw a reptile?
[ ]	What is a good story about a bird?

Where might you look to find out about the differences between reptiles, birds and mammals?

Sasha has decided to investigate this question: ‘What is the best material to make an umbrella?’

Sasha decides to put the question another way. Which is the best question for him to ask?

[ ]	Which material is heaviest and lets the water through?
[x]	Which material is lightest and waterproof?
[ ]	Which material is most colourful?
[ ]	Which material is lightest and most colourful?

Umbrellas have to stop the rain. They need to be waterproof

Which one of these is a question you could investigate in science?

[ ]	Can a pencil be used to write with?
[x]	Are pencils alive?
[ ]	How are pencils made?
[ ]	What can you draw with a pencil?

How could you investigate this?

Anna knows that plants grow quicker in the summer than the winter. Which one of these questions would be fun for Anna to investigate?

[x]	Do children grow quicker in the summer than the winter?
[ ]	Do children grow?
[ ]	Do children grow older each year?
[ ]	Do children have birthdays?

How would you find out if children grow quicker in the summer or not?

10.

Tanya has had a cold. She has an idea for an investigation. What do you think it is?

[ ]	Which type of tissue is smallest?
[ ]	Which type of tissue is the most colourful?
[ ]	Which type of tissue is stretchiest?
[x]	Which type of tissue is the most absorbent?

How could you investigate this?