Making Predictions
Developing the skill of making informed predictions before conducting an experiment, based on prior knowledge.
Key Questions
- Predict the outcome of dropping different objects into water.
- Justify your prediction using what you already know.
- Compare your prediction with the actual result of an experiment.
National Curriculum Attainment Targets
About This Topic
Fair Testing introduces the concept of variables and reliability. In the Year 2 National Curriculum, pupils are taught to perform simple tests and use their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions. The core of this topic is understanding that to see the effect of one change, everything else must stay the same.
This is a vital skill for logical thinking. Students learn to identify what they are changing, what they are measuring, and what they are keeping the same. This topic comes alive when students can physically model the patterns of a 'fair' versus 'unfair' race or experiment, allowing them to see how 'cheating' (changing more than one thing) ruins the results.
Active Learning Ideas
Simulation Game: The Unfair Race
Two students race, but one has to hop and the other can run. The class discusses why this isn't a 'fair test' of who is faster. They then redesign the race to make it fair, identifying what must stay the same (the start line, the way they move).
Inquiry Circle: The Best Bouncer
Groups test which ball bounces highest. They must agree on what to keep the same (the height they drop it from, the floor surface) and what to change (the type of ball). They take turns dropping and measuring.
Think-Pair-Share: The Variable Spotter
Show a video of a 'bad' experiment (e.g., testing plant growth but putting one in the sun and one in the dark, AND giving them different amounts of water). Pairs must spot the two things that changed and explain why that makes the result confusing.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionA fair test means everyone gets a turn.
What to Teach Instead
In a classroom, 'fair' often means sharing. In science, 'fair' means keeping variables the same. A role-play where students 'cheat' in an experiment helps them see that scientific fairness is about the *rules* of the test, not just being kind.
Common MisconceptionYou should change everything to see what happens.
What to Teach Instead
Students often want to change the water, the light, and the soil all at once. Through structured discussion, we can show that if we change three things, we won't know which one actually helped the plant grow.
Suggested Methodologies
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 'variable' in Year 2 science?
Why is fair testing important?
What are the best hands-on strategies for teaching fair testing?
How many things should we change in a fair test?
Planning templates for Science
5E Model
The 5E Model structures lessons through five phases (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), guiding students from curiosity to deep understanding through inquiry-based learning.
unit plannerThematic Unit
Organize a multi-week unit around a central theme or essential question that cuts across topics, texts, and disciplines, helping students see connections and build deeper understanding.
rubricSingle-Point Rubric
Build a single-point rubric that defines only the "meets standard" level, leaving space for teachers to document what exceeded and what fell short. Simple to create, easy for students to understand.
More in Working Scientifically
Asking Scientific Questions
Learning how to turn curiosity into a scientific question that can be tested through observation or experiment.
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Planning Simple Investigations
Learning to plan simple comparative and fair tests to answer scientific questions.
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Conducting Fair Tests
Understanding that to get a reliable result, we must keep some things the same and change only one variable.
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Observing and Measuring
Developing skills in making careful observations and using simple equipment to take measurements.
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Recording Findings: Drawings and Tally Charts
Using drawings, tally charts, and simple tables to record observations and data from investigations.
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