Science Grade 7 Lesson 1 Worksheet

Scientific investigations – The Importance of Fair Testing

Component 1: Short Review

Q1. Name one of the important parts of a scientific investigation.

Q2. What are some of the things you can do to make sure your experiment is a fair test and
reliable?

Q3. Why is it important that experiments we do in science are fair and reliable?

Component 2: Lesson purpose /Intention

This lesson is about describing and writing the components of a scientific investigation and how
important this is for learning and when answering questions in science. We want to be sure we
understand about fair testing and to use the language of science.

Component 3: Lesson Language Practice

Key words/terms:
Results, Aim, Conclusion

Complete the task below by using arrows to match the Heading with their Role/Purpose:
 Heading Role/Purpose

Results What you are trying to prove

Conclusion What you measured

Aim What you learned from your results

Component 4: Lesson Activity.

Component 4A

Fair testing
Gabriel blew up some balloons with air and tied them along a fence in his backyard to see what happened
to them in sunlight. Some balloons were in the shade of the tree.
Gabriel wondered why some balloons
started to get bigger – some even got so big
that they popped when they got very hot. “I
think the balloons are getting bigger when
the temperature is getting higher.”

He said to himself. “I wonder what

experiment I could do to find out the answer
and make sure it’s a fair test?”

Component 4B

Q1. What should Gabriel use to measure the air temperatures?

Q2. How should he work out to measure the size of the balloons accurately?

Q3. What are some of the things that Gabriel needs to make sure that they stay the same during
his experiment so that it’s a fair test?
Component 4C

Q1. How should Gabriel write down all his measurements?

Q2. What do you think was Gabriel’s aim for the experiment?

Q3. If Gabriel’s experiment works out how he thought it would, what should he write in his
conclusion?

Component 5: Lesson Conclusion

Q1. Has this lesson helped you to better understand what fair testing means in science? If so, how?

Q2. Has this lesson helped you to remember the components of a scientific investigation? If so,
how?