SILO 2.3 (DRAFT)Year 2, Term 3: Fair testsFocus: Variables Scope and sequence: Variables, Fair tests |
|
Learning
intention: Students
identify questions of interest and define variables to guide
their investigations and presentations of relevant data.
|
|
NSW Syllabus
|
Australian Curriculum (version
9.0)
|
"A
student gathers and organises data, displays data in lists,
tables and picture graphs." (MA1-DATA-01)
|
"Students
learn
to acquire data for categorical variables through surveys,
observation, experiment and using digital tools; sort data
into relevant categories and display data using lists and
tables." (AC9M2ST01)
|
This video (3:41) is a good introduction to the three main types of variables, namely:
Independent variable: The thing you change
Dependent variable: The thing you measure
Control variables: The things that stay the same.
Cows Moo Softly
http://downunderteacher.blogspot.com/2012/01/freebie-science-variables-and-job-roles.html
Independent variables
In science experiments, the independent variable
is the thing that you change.
Dependent variables
In science experiments, the dependent variable is
the thing that you measure.
Control variables
In science experiments, the control variables are
the things that remain the same.
This video (3:45) has a good example of a fair test using some common kitchen ingredients such as baking soda and three different types of vinegar.
The following activity involves air rockets but it would be more precise to call these 'rockets' projectiles. This is because there is no fuel to keep the rocket moving after the initial launch force provided by your foot pushing down on the air as shown in the short video (0:08) below.
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
This activity can be done in pairs using a ruler, paper and a pencil.
Sometimes there might seem to be correlations across data
sets which are best described as coincidences such as in the following
example: