Primary 3 Science · Answers and explanations
Living and Non-living Things
Use this page to check the worksheet together. Talk about why each answer is right. Total: 20 marks.
Section A · Multiple choice 8 marks
1. Look at Table 1. Which items are living things?1 mark
Table 1: Mei Ling tests four items| Item | Needs air | Needs water | Needs food | Can grow | Can reproduce | Responds to changes |
|---|
| Goldfish | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Pebble | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Bean seedling | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Toy car | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
(A) Pebble and toy car only(B) Goldfish and bean seedling only(C) Goldfish, bean seedling and toy car(D) Pebble and bean seedling only
Answer: (B) Goldfish and bean seedling onlyOnly the goldfish and the bean seedling have ticks for every characteristic.
2. Which three things do all living things need?1 mark
(A) Air, water and food(B) Air, soil and light(C) Water, soil and heat(D) Food, light and sand
Answer: (A) Air, water and foodLiving things need air, water and food. Soil and light are not needed by every living thing.
3. Look at Figure 3. Which one thing is being changed in this investigation?1 mark
(A) The size of the pot(B) The kind of seedling(C) The amount of soil(D) The amount of water
Answer: (D) The amount of waterThe pots differ only in the amount of water, so water is what the pupil changes. Everything else is kept the same.
4. Look at Table 2. How many centimetres did the seedling grow from Week 1 to Week 3?1 mark
Table 2: Height of a bean seedling placed by a sunny window| Week | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|
| Height of bean seedling (cm) | 2 | 4 | 7 | 11 |
(A) 11 cm(B) 9 cm(C) 7 cm(D) 5 cm
Answer: (C) 7 cmHeight at Week 3 is 11 cm and at Week 1 is 4 cm. 11 - 4 = 7 cm.
5. A hen sits on her eggs and some weeks later chicks hatch. Which characteristic of living things does this show?1 mark
(A) They respond to changes(B) They reproduce(C) They need air(D) They grow bigger
Answer: (B) They reproduceMaking new living things of the same kind is reproducing.
6. Look at Figure 4. Which conclusion is best supported by the results?1 mark
(A) Most of the woodlice stayed on the damp side(B) All of the woodlice stayed on the damp side(C) Woodlice do not need water(D) Woodlice moved more on the dry side
Answer: (A) Most of the woodlice stayed on the damp side8 out of 10 woodlice were on the damp side. Not all of them, so "all" is wrong.
7. Which group has living things only?1 mark
(A) Rock, fern, ant(B) Mushroom, chair, cat(C) Toy car, bird, tree(D) Mushroom, ant, fern
Answer: (D) Mushroom, ant, fernA mushroom, an ant and a fern are all living. Each of the other groups has a rock, a chair or a toy car, which are non-living.
8. Look at Figure 3. Which seedling will most likely wither first?1 mark
(A) The seedling in Pot A(B) The seedling in Pot B(C) The seedling in Pot C(D) All will wither at the same time
Answer: (C) The seedling in Pot CPot C gets no water at all, and living things need water.
Section B · Show what you know 12 marks
9. Look at Table 1. Aisha says, "Plants do not need food because they never eat." Is she correct? Use the table to explain.2 marks
Table 1: Mei Ling tests four items| Item | Needs air | Needs water | Needs food | Can grow | Can reproduce | Responds to changes |
|---|
| Goldfish | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Pebble | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Bean seedling | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Toy car | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Answer: No. The table shows the bean seedling needs food (tick). Plants do not eat but make their own food using light.1 mark: No / uses the tick for food in the table. 1 mark: plants make their own food.
10. Look at Table 2. State the characteristic of living things shown in the results. Describe the change in the height.2 marks
Table 2: Height of a bean seedling placed by a sunny window| Week | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|
| Height of bean seedling (cm) | 2 | 4 | 7 | 11 |
Answer: They grow. The height increased from 2 cm to 11 cm in 3 weeks.1 mark: grow. 1 mark: height increased 2 cm to 11 cm (or taller every week).
11. Look at Figure 3. The pupil wants a fair test. State two things that must be kept the same.2 marks
Answer: Any two: size of pot, kind of soil / amount of soil, amount of light, number or size of seedlings.1 mark for each correct thing, up to 2. The amount of water must NOT be kept the same because it is being tested.
12. Look at Figure 4. Which characteristic of living things do the woodlice show? Explain using the results.2 marks
Answer: They respond to changes. Most woodlice moved to the damp side (8 out of 10) because of the difference between the dry and damp sides.1 mark: respond to changes. 1 mark: use the data that more woodlice went to the damp side.
13. Dev is not sure if a dry bean seed is living. Describe how he can find out. State the result that shows it is living.2 marks
Answer: Plant the seed in damp soil and keep watering it. If it grows into a seedling, it is a living thing.1 mark: give it water / put it in damp soil and wait. 1 mark: it grows (germinates), so it is living.
14. Ravi says, "My toy robot dog walks and barks, so it is living." Do you agree? Give two reasons.2 marks
Answer: No. It does not need air, water or food, and it cannot grow or reproduce by itself.1 mark each for two reasons (needs nothing / cannot grow / cannot reproduce).
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