Using different questions to help change the focus of enquiries

For each of these topics delegates at the Scientific Enquiry CPD unit suggested questions to help vary the type of enquiry carried out. This is in line with the KS3 programme of study, which states that students should experience a range of diffent styles of enquiry, not just ‘fair tests’.

Topic / Possible Question / Type of Enquiry
The importance of a healthy diet /
  1. What is a healthy diet?
  2. Does a healthy diet make you live longer?
  3. What sort of food does (a) a child (b) a teenager and (c) an athlete need and why?
  4. What would happen to you if you only ever ate burgers?
  5. Are pupils in this school eating a balanced meal at lunch time?
  6. How do people from three different cultures eat a balanced diet?
  7. What deficiency diseases arise if you have an unhealthy diet?
  8. What happens if you overeat?
/
  1. Secondary source
  2. Secondary source
  1. Surveys/correlations and using secondary sources
  1. Secondary sources
  1. Surveys/correlations
  1. Secondary sources
  1. Secondary sources
8. Secondary sources
Looking at cells /
  1. Compare the effectiveness of using an interactive microscope and a traditional one to examine onion cells?
  2. What is the difference between the cells you see in a text book and those you see under a microscope?
  3. Are these cells plant or animal?
  4. Are plant cells the same size as animal cells?
  5. Compare the view of slides through a microscope with 2-d and 3-d diagrams and models
  6. Are all cells the same?
/
  1. Evaluation of a technique
  1. Evaluation of a technique
  1. Identification/Classification
  2. Secondary sources
  1. Evaluating a technique/Models and analogies
  1. Secondary sources/Identification

Reactions of acids with metals and carbonates /
  1. What gases given off when acids react with metals and carbonates?
  2. What pattern can you see in the reaction of Mg, Zn and Cu metals and their carbonates with different acids
  3. Do all acids react the same with all carbonates?
  4. Is there a difference between these two reactions?
  5. Do all metals react in the same way with acids? Do all carbonates react in the same way with acids?
/
  1. Identification/Classification
  1. Pattern seeking
  1. Pattern seeking
  1. Identification/classification
  1. Controlling variables

Properties of elements /
  1. What is the name of element ‘X’ from a list of its properties
  2. What are the differences between elements on the LHS and the RHS of the periodic table?
  3. Are these elements metals or non-metals?
  4. Find out when various metals were discovered and relate to reactivity.
  5. Are there similarities to be found between elements?
  6. Devise a technique to show the differences between metals and non-metals
  7. What are the properties of sodium?
/
  1. Identification/Classification
  1. Pattern seeking and secondary sources
3. Identification/Classification
  1. Secondary sources and pattern seeking
  1. Survey/Correlation [Pattern seeking]
  2. Using and evaluating a technique/Secondary sources
7. Secondary sources
Displacement reactions of metals /
  1. Are some metals more reactive than others?
  2. Which of these metals is the most reactive?
  3. Which is the sexiest metal?
  4. Can you find evidence of any differences in the reactions of different metals with acid?
/
  1. Fair testing/Pattern seeking
2. Using and evaluating a technique/ Pattern seeking
  1. Analogy
  2. Controlling variables

Patterns of brightness of bulbs in a circuit /
  1. What is the relationship between number of batteries and brightness of bulbs in (a) series and (b) parallel circuits
  2. How can you make bulbs brighter?
/
  1. Pattern seeking [Correlation]
2. Pattern seeking
Friction and moving /
  1. How can I make a car move more quickly down a slope
  2. How can we improve the speed of a toy car
  3. What is the best surface on which to roller skate?
  4. How do different surfaces affect friction?
  5. Do lubricants reduce friction?
/
  1. Fair test
  1. Models and analogies
  1. Fair testing
  1. Fair testing/Evaluating a technique/ Secondary sources
5. Using and evaluating a technique
The strength of electromagnets / 1. How do you make a strong electromagnet? / 1. Evaluating a technique
The planets /
  1. What happens to (a) surface temperature (b) number of moons and (c) size of planet as distance from the sun increases?
  2. Could there be life on other planets in our solar system?
  3. Which planet is hottest? Why?
/
  1. Pattern seeking using secondary sources
  1. Secondary sources
3. Secondary sources
Reducing energy wasted through heat loss /
  1. Design and use models to test the relative effectiveness of (a) wet and dry suits or (b) single and double glazing
  2. Find out what are good insulating materials
  3. What makes a good winter sleeping bag?
/
  1. Models and analogies
  1. Surveys and/or secondary sources
  2. Fair testing/Secondary sources