You will learn
- Say what a science question is.
- Start questions with words such as what, why, how and where.
- Tell a question we can find out from an opinion.
- Ask a question about something they observe.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A question is what we ask when we wonder.
- Science questions often start with what, why, how or where.
- Some questions we can find out by looking or trying.
- Asking good questions starts science.
Words to know
something we ask because we want to know
to want to know about something
what we find out when we ask a question
to find out by looking and trying
1. Discover: The ant trail
Kwesi sees a line of ants walking across the path. “Why are they in a line?” he wonders. “Where are they going? What are they carrying?” His teacher says, “Those are good science questions. How could we find out?” Kwesi watches for a few minutes from a safe distance.
Think: Which of Kwesi’s questions could he find out by looking?
2. Understand: Asking good questions
Idea 1: What is a science question?
A science question asks about something we can observe in the world, such as “What do ants eat?” We wonder, we ask and then we look for answers.
Idea 2: Question starters
We can start with what, why, how, where, when or which. These words help us ask about things we notice.
Idea 3: Can we find out?
Some questions can be answered by looking or trying, such as “How many legs does an ant have?” Others are opinions, such as “Which song is nicest?” Science works best with questions we can find evidence for.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Make a question
You see a bird eating a seed.
- What do I notice? A bird is eating a seed.
- What do I wonder? What seeds does it like?
- Write the question.
Answer: One example: “Which seeds does the bird eat?”
Example 2 (We do it together): Can we find out?
“How many legs does a beetle have?”
- Can we look? Yes.
- Can we count? Yes.
- Is it a science question? Yes.
Answer: Yes. We can find out by looking and counting.
Example 3 (You try): Which is a science question?
Question A: “Which colour is best?” Question B: “Does the plant grow taller in the sun?”
Show the steps and answer
- Can we find evidence for A? Not really. It is an opinion.
- Can we find evidence for B? Yes, by watching the plant.
- Choose B.
Answer: Question B is a science question.
Did you know?
Scientists spend a lot of their time asking questions. Even grown-up scientists often say, “I wonder why …”
Why this matters
Good questions tell us what to look at, what to try and what to measure.
4. Explore: Question walk
Take a short walk in a safe area with an adult, or look out of a window. Find something that makes you wonder.
- Choose one thing to look at, such as a leaf, an insect or a cloud.
- Say what you notice.
- Ask two questions about it.
- Decide which question you could find out by looking.
Think about it: what did you notice?
Which question can you find out about? Some questions can be answered by looking closely.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- I wonder ___?
- What ___?
- Why ___?
- We can find out by ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Which word can start a question: what or table?
What.
Question 2. Is “How do plants grow?” a question?
Yes.
Question 3. Write one question starter.
What, why, how, where, when or which.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Which word can start a question: what or table?
- Is “How do plants grow?” a question?
- Write one question starter.
- Can we find out how many legs an ant has by looking?
- What do we call wanting to know about something?
Level 2: Grow
- Write a question about a cloud.
- Is “Which colour is best?” a science question? Say why.
- How could you find out what ants eat?
Level 3: Stretch
- Look at a stone. Write two questions you could find out about.
- Change “Is the flower pretty?” into a science question.
- Why does science start with questions?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
What question could you ask about the weather today?
Show a sample answer
Is it hot or cool? Will it rain? What are the clouds like?
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: A science question is one we can find out by looking, listening, measuring or trying.
Fix: Scientists ask questions because there is always more to find out.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what a science question is.
- I can start questions with words such as what, why, how and where.
- I can tell a question we can find out from an opinion.
- I can ask a question about something they observe.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- A question is what we ask when we wonder.
- Science questions often start with what, why, how or where.
- Some questions we can find out by looking or trying.
- Asking good questions starts science.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Recording observations using pictures. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is a science question? [2 marks]
- Write two question starter words. [2 marks]
- Write a science question about an ant. [2 marks]
- Is “Which colour is best?” a science question? Explain. [2 marks]
- Give one way to find the answer to your ant question. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- A question about something we can observe [1]; we can find out by looking, listening, measuring or trying [1]
- Any two: what, why, how, where, when, which [1 each]
- A question about an ant [1]; can be found out by looking [1]
- No [1]; it is an opinion and we cannot find evidence [1]
- Look at ants from a safe distance [1]; record what you see [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Which word can start a question: what or table?
- Is “How do plants grow?” a question?
- Write one question starter.
- Can we find out how many legs an ant has by looking?
- What do we call wanting to know about something?
- Write a question about a cloud.
- Is “Which colour is best?” a science question? Say why.
- How could you find out what ants eat?
- Look at a stone. Write two questions you could find out about.
- Change “Is the flower pretty?” into a science question.
Homework
Look at something outside for two minutes. Write or draw three questions. Circle the one you could find out by looking.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Which word can start a question: what or table? | What. | 1 |
| 2. Is “How do plants grow?” a question? | Yes. | 1 |
| 3. Write one question starter. | What, why, how, where, when or which. | 1 |
| 4. Can we find out how many legs an ant has by looking? | Yes. | 1 |
| 5. What do we call wanting to know about something? | Wondering. | 1 |
| 6. Write a question about a cloud. | Any sensible question about a cloud. | 1 |
| 7. Is “Which colour is best?” a science question? Say why. | No. It is an opinion. We cannot find evidence for it. | 1 |
| 8. How could you find out what ants eat? | Watch ants from a safe distance and see what they carry. | 1 |
| 9. Look at a stone. Write two questions you could find out about. | Two questions that can be answered by looking, feeling or testing. | 1 |
| 10. Change “Is the flower pretty?” into a science question. | For example, “How many petals does the flower have?” | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 What.; 2 Yes.; 3 What, why, how, where, when or which.; 4 Yes.; 5 Wondering.. Level 2: 1 Any sensible question about a cloud.; 2 No. It is an opinion. We cannot find evidence for it.; 3 Watch ants from a safe distance and see what they carry.. Level 3: 1 Two questions that can be answered by looking, feeling or testing.; 2 For example, “How many petals does the flower have?”; 3 Questions tell us what to look for and how to find evidence..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what a science question is | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Start questions with words such as what, why, how and where | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Tell a question we can find out from an opinion | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Ask a question about something they observe | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Every question is a science question.” A science question is one we can find out by looking, listening, measuring or trying.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Start with a picture of an animal and practise “what”, “where” and “how” questions about it.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns to ask science questions about things they notice. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Ask, “What do you wonder?” on a walk.
- Let your child ask a question before you give an answer.
- Find the answer together by looking or trying safely.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what a science question is; start questions with words such as what, why, how and where; tell a question we can find out from an opinion; ask a question about something they observe.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, crayons, and a safe place outside or a window to look from. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Plan a short, safe walk with another adult. Write the question starters (what, why, how, where, when, which) on the board.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the ant trail story and ask, “What questions can we ask?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach question starters and the difference between a science question and an opinion.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners go on a question walk or look out of the window in pairs and ask two questions.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners circle the question they could find out and say how.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What do you notice? What do you wonder? How could we find out?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Every question is a science question.” A science question is one we can find out by looking, listening, measuring or trying.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Start with a picture of an animal and practise “what”, “where” and “how” questions about it. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 1, topic 8; Next Generation Science Standards, practice of asking questions; Cambridge Primary Science Stage 1, scientific enquiry; IB Primary Years Programme, inquiry-based learning. These sources informed the lesson.