science homework topics

  • Year 7 :

Rich questions don't have definitive right answers, but can be answered on different levels. One very helpful way to use them is to compare the sort of answer you can give to them at the start of the topic, and then compare the sort of answer you can give at the end of the topic. This is a really good way to demonstrate that you have learned something new!

Topic
What are we learning?
Rich questions to practice with

 

(Topic 1)
Cells and
Reproduction

Describe the
role of organ
systems in
plants and
animals that
can contribute
to the seven
life processes.

Movement

- Do plants move?
- Can fish fly?
- What would happen if nothing moved?
- What if pigs could fly?

Reproduction

- Are plants male and female?
- Can animals reproduce without sex?
- Why have males and females?
Sensitivity

- Are light detectors the same in plants and animals?
- Do flowers smell the same to everyone?
- Do roots always grow downwards?
- Can cats see in the dark?
Growth

- When does growing stop?
- Do all living things grow?
- Why do people shrink?
Respiration

- Do plants breathe?
- Is gaseous exchange a good example of 'give and take'?
- Do hearts pump?
Excretion

- Why do dogs pant?
- Is skin an organ?
Nutrition

- Do plants feed?
- Is fat bad for you?
- What makes you eat?
- What is food?
(Topic 2)
 Particles +
Rocks		 Recognise the
processes involved in
the formation of rocks.

- Were rocks made yesterday?
- Can rocks be recycled?
(Topic 3)
 Forces

Recognise the forces
acting on an object in
different situations.

Recognise that forces
can combine or wholly
or partly cancel each
other out and their
size and direction can
be represented using
arrows.

- Are forces really balanced?
- Are dieters really losing weight?
- If the upthrust from the water keeps an ocean liner
afloat, why doesn't it push people right out of the water?
(Topic 4)
Elements,
mixtures and
compounds		 What makes an
element different form
a compound?

- Is the iron in a car the same as the iron in blood?
- Is a compound a mixture with glue?
(Topic 5)
Egyptian
Mystery		 Separating techniques
as tools to investigate
a mystery.

- Why can’t we walk on water?
- What is the most common state of matter?
- Are any chemical reactions reversible?
- Is dissolving underwater melting?
(Topic 6)
Space		 Describe the apparent
movement of the Sun
across the sky and
the pattern in the
changing appearance
of the Moon.

- How do we know the Earth isn't flat?
- Does the Moon have seasons?
- Do the Sun, Earth and Moon move in the same way?
(Topic 7)
Science of
the Small		 Describe how to
investigate really
small things.

- How thick is a sheet of tracing paper?
- Do I need sophisticated equipment to be a scientist?
(Topic 8)
Electricity		 Describe how energy
is transferred in
simple contexts such
as heating and
cooling, food chains
and simple circuits.

- If electricity can kill you, how can it save lives?
- Do bigger batteries make bulbs brighter?
- Are battery-powered appliances safe in the bathroom?
- Does electricity leak away?
- Does the colour of the wire make a difference?