Planning Simple InvestigationsActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning helps Year 2 pupils grasp fair testing by doing, not just listening. When children plan and carry out their own simple investigations, they see firsthand why controlling variables matters, turning abstract rules into clear, memorable learning.
Learning Objectives
- 1Design a fair test to compare the absorbency of different paper towels.
- 2Explain why controlling variables is essential for a fair test.
- 3Identify the independent, dependent, and controlled variables in a simple investigation plan.
- 4Critique a given investigation plan for fairness, suggesting specific improvements.
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Pairs: Paper Towel Test Planner
Pupils in pairs brainstorm a fair test for paper towel absorbency: list brands to compare, measure water drops absorbed, control towel size and water volume. They draw labelled steps and predict results. Pairs present to class for quick feedback.
Prepare & details
Design a fair test to see which paper towel is most absorbent.
Facilitation Tip: During the Paper Towel Test Planner, circulate and ask each pair, ‘Which variable are you changing? How will you keep everything else the same?’ to reinforce clarity.
Setup: Groups at tables with problem materials
Materials: Problem packet, Role cards (facilitator, recorder, timekeeper, reporter), Problem-solving protocol sheet, Solution evaluation rubric
Small Groups: Ramp Speed Critique
Groups review a flawed plan for testing toy car speeds on ramps, spot uncontrolled variables like car weight or push strength. They rewrite for fairness, test briefly, and note improvements. Share revisions on whiteboard.
Prepare & details
Explain why it's important to change only one thing in an experiment.
Facilitation Tip: For the Ramp Speed Critique, give groups only one minute to list flaws in a flawed plan before they redesign it, creating urgency to spot unfairness.
Setup: Groups at tables with problem materials
Materials: Problem packet, Role cards (facilitator, recorder, timekeeper, reporter), Problem-solving protocol sheet, Solution evaluation rubric
Whole Class: Fair Test Gallery Walk
Display pupil-drawn plans for a plant growth test. Class walks around, uses sticky notes to critique fairness and suggest changes. Vote on best plan, then trial it together to check predictions.
Prepare & details
Critique a simple investigation plan for fairness.
Facilitation Tip: Set a 3-minute timer for the Fair Test Gallery Walk so pupils focus on one variable change at a time while moving between posters.
Setup: Groups at tables with problem materials
Materials: Problem packet, Role cards (facilitator, recorder, timekeeper, reporter), Problem-solving protocol sheet, Solution evaluation rubric
Individual: My Variables Chart
Each pupil completes a chart for a soap bubble test: one change (soap amount), same factors (water volume, bowl size), measure (bubble size). They self-check against success criteria before partnering to refine.
Prepare & details
Design a fair test to see which paper towel is most absorbent.
Setup: Groups at tables with problem materials
Materials: Problem packet, Role cards (facilitator, recorder, timekeeper, reporter), Problem-solving protocol sheet, Solution evaluation rubric
Teaching This Topic
Teach fair testing by letting pupils experience the consequences of poor planning. Avoid long explanations; instead, let them test flawed ideas, see messy results, and then revise. Research shows that trial-and-error followed by reflection builds deeper understanding than direct instruction alone.
What to Expect
Successful learning looks like pupils confidently explaining which variable to change, keep the same, and measure in their tests. They should critique peers’ plans with specific reasons and adjust their own investigations after feedback.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring the Paper Towel Test Planner, watch for pupils who try to control too many variables without realizing they must change only one.
What to Teach Instead
Ask, ‘Which variable must change to answer your question? How will you keep the rest exactly the same?’ and have them cross out extra controls on their plan.
Common MisconceptionDuring the Ramp Speed Critique, watch for pupils who believe multiple changes make a test more interesting or valid.
What to Teach Instead
Remind them to focus on fairness by asking, ‘Does changing more than one thing tell us which factor made the difference?’ and have them highlight the single changed variable in red.
Common MisconceptionDuring the Fair Test Gallery Walk, watch for pupils who skip repeats or measurements in their notes.
What to Teach Instead
Use the poster prompts to guide them: ‘How many times will you test each towel? What will you measure with?’ and ask them to add these to their feedback.
Assessment Ideas
After the Paper Towel Test Planner, present the biscuit dunking scenario and ask pupils to explain what Sarah did wrong and how to fix her test using their planners as a model.
During the Ramp Speed Critique, ask pupils to share one controlled variable and the changed variable, then listen for three distinct ideas to assess their understanding of isolating factors.
After the Fair Test Gallery Walk, give each pupil a card with an investigation plan and ask them to circle the unfair variable and redraft the plan to make it fair, collecting these to check their ability to identify and correct errors.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge: Ask early finishers to plan a second test where they change a different variable (e.g., ramp height) and predict how results might differ.
- Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters on the My Variables Chart for pupils who need support, such as ‘We will change _____ to see if _____.’
- Deeper exploration: Have pupils write a short paragraph explaining why three controlled variables are critical in the Paper Towel Test, using evidence from their trials.
Key Vocabulary
| Fair Test | An experiment where only one factor is changed at a time, so you can be sure that factor is causing the result you see. |
| Variable | Anything that can be changed or kept the same in an experiment. There are things to change, things to measure, and things to keep the same. |
| Independent Variable | The one thing that the scientist deliberately changes in an experiment to see what effect it has. |
| Dependent Variable | The thing that is measured or observed in an experiment; it is expected to change in response to the independent variable. |
| Controlled Variable | All the things that are kept the same in an experiment to ensure that the test is fair. |
Suggested Methodologies
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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Making Predictions
Developing the skill of making informed predictions before conducting an experiment, based on prior knowledge.
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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.
3 methodologies
Recording Findings: Drawings and Tally Charts
Using drawings, tally charts, and simple tables to record observations and data from investigations.
3 methodologies
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