Science · Year 6 · Working Scientifically: The Grand Investigation · Summer Term

Formulating Testable Questions

Learning to refine broad questions into specific, testable hypotheses for investigation.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Science - Working scientifically

About This Topic

Formulating testable questions teaches Year 6 students to transform broad curiosities into precise, investigable hypotheses. A good scientific question is specific, allows for a fair test, and produces measurable data. Students learn to critique examples, such as changing 'Do plants grow better in sunlight?' to 'Do bean seeds grow taller in sunlight than in shade over two weeks?'. This skill aligns with KS2 Working Scientifically standards, preparing pupils for planning and conducting investigations.

In the Grand Investigation unit, this topic fosters critical thinking and enquiry skills essential across science topics. Students practise identifying variables, predicting outcomes, and ensuring questions avoid bias. These abilities support fair testing in units on electricity, evolution, or classification, while encouraging a scientific mindset that questions assumptions.

Active learning shines here because students actively generate, share, and refine questions in groups. Collaborative critique sessions reveal flaws in real time, while hands-on sorting tasks make criteria concrete. This approach builds confidence in enquiry, making abstract planning skills memorable and applicable to future projects.

Key Questions

1. Explain the characteristics of a good scientific question.
2. Critique examples of questions to determine if they are testable.
3. Construct a testable question from a general area of interest.

Learning Objectives

• Critique given questions to identify at least two characteristics of a testable scientific question.
• Formulate a specific, testable question from a broad scientific topic, identifying the independent and dependent variables.
• Analyze a given investigation plan to determine if the formulated question is appropriate for a fair test.
• Create a testable question that minimizes bias and allows for measurable data collection.

Before You Start

Observation and Recording Data

Why: Students need to be able to make careful observations and record them accurately to understand what makes a question answerable.

Identifying Variables

Why: Understanding the difference between what is changed and what is measured is fundamental to formulating testable questions.

Key Vocabulary

Testable Question	A question that can be answered through an experiment or investigation, involving measurable variables.
Hypothesis	A proposed explanation or prediction for a phenomenon, often stated as an 'if, then' statement, that can be tested.
Independent Variable	The factor that a scientist intentionally changes or manipulates in an experiment.
Dependent Variable	The factor that is measured or observed in an experiment; it may change in response to the independent variable.
Fair Test	An investigation where only one variable (the independent variable) is changed at a time, ensuring that any observed effect is due to that change.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Any question starting with 'why' is testable.

What to Teach Instead

Many 'why' questions seek explanations, not data from tests; they need rephrasing to 'how' or 'does'. Pair discussions help students reword them, like turning 'Why do plants need light?' into 'Do plants grow without light?'. Active sorting activities clarify this distinction quickly.

Common Misconception

Testable questions require fancy equipment.

What to Teach Instead

Good questions use everyday materials and simple variables. Group brainstorming reveals that testability depends on fair control, not complexity. Hands-on planning sheets guide students to feasible tests, building realistic enquiry skills.

Common Misconception

All interesting questions are scientific.

What to Teach Instead

Scientific questions must be testable through evidence; opinions or moral queries are not. Collaborative critique walks expose this, as peers challenge vague ideas and refine them collectively.

Active Learning Ideas

Sorting Sort: Testable or Not?

Provide cards with 20 sample questions, half testable and half not. In pairs, students sort them into categories, then justify choices using criteria posters. Pairs share one example with the class for group vote.

30 min·Pairs

Question Relay Race: Refinement Chain

Teams line up; first pupil writes a broad question on a card, passes to next who refines it into testable form. Continue until testable, then teams present final versions and explain changes.

25 min·Small Groups

Gallery Critique Walk: Peer Review Stations

Students write one broad and one testable question on posters, place around room. Groups rotate, adding sticky notes with feedback on testability. Debrief as whole class on common improvements.

45 min·Small Groups

Personal Enquiry Builder: From Wonder to Test

Individually, pupils list three interests, then convert one to a testable question using a worksheet template. Share in pairs for quick peer check before class discussion.

20 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Agricultural scientists formulate testable questions to determine the optimal conditions for crop growth, such as 'Does the amount of nitrogen fertilizer affect the yield of wheat?' to improve food production.
• Medical researchers design experiments based on testable questions to evaluate the effectiveness of new medicines, for example, 'Does drug X reduce blood pressure more than a placebo in adults with hypertension?' to develop treatments.
• Product developers at companies like Dyson ask testable questions to improve their inventions, such as 'Does a vacuum cleaner with a cyclonic separation system collect more dust than one with a bag?' to enhance performance.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with three broad questions (e.g., 'Do animals sleep?', 'Is the sky blue?', 'Does exercise help?'). Ask them to choose one and rewrite it as a specific, testable question, identifying the independent and dependent variables.

Peer Assessment

In pairs, students write a testable question about a given topic (e.g., 'dissolving substances'). They then swap questions and use a checklist to evaluate: Is it a question? Can it be investigated with a fair test? Are variables clear? They provide one suggestion for improvement.

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a scenario describing a simple investigation (e.g., testing which paper airplane flies furthest). Ask them to write down the testable question the investigation is trying to answer and explain why it is a good scientific question.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a good testable question in Year 6 science?

A strong question is clear, specific, and allows a fair test with measurable outcomes. It identifies variables, like independent (changed) and dependent (measured). For example, refine 'Do worms like soil?' to 'Do more earthworms choose moist soil over dry in 10 minutes?'. Teach via checklists and examples tied to curriculum investigations.

Examples of non-testable questions for KS2?

Non-testable questions include 'What is the best colour?' (subjective) or 'Why did dinosaurs go extinct?' (historical, not repeatable). Contrast with 'Does red light make plants grow faster than blue?'. Use card sorts to practise distinguishing, linking to fair testing skills in Working Scientifically.

How does active learning benefit formulating testable questions?

Active methods like peer critiques and relay races engage students in refining questions collaboratively, making criteria stick through trial and error. Sorting tasks and gallery walks provide immediate feedback, boosting confidence. This hands-on approach turns passive rule-learning into dynamic skill-building, essential for independent investigations.

How to link testable questions to fair testing?

Testable questions naturally lead to fair tests by specifying variables: change one, measure one, control others. Model with class examples, then let groups plan tests from their questions. This connects to KS2 standards, reinforcing prediction and data collection in units like forces or living things.