Science is part of everyday life; understanding and using scientific principles are important skills - both in the home and within our environment. It is important to encourage your child to adopt a scientific approach to problem solving.

A great deal of scientific learning takes places during Years 7 to 9. The SATs tests are only a 'snapshot' of what pupils learn during this time in school. Many of the tasks that are set in the SATs, test your child's ability to analyse and work out how to solve a problem as well as their ability to remember scientific information.

Key Points

1. Science at this age, is often done as part of time-tabled homework. Make sure your son or daughter has somewhere to work that is reasonably quiet, where they are comfortable and where there aren't too many distractions!
2. Check homework diaries, if the school provides them, so that you know how much has to be done and when it has to be done.
3. Encourage young people to ask questions about everyday science in the home or in the environment e.g. What causes pollution and how can we deal with it? Where do we get our energy from? Why do plants need light? How do our bodies work?
4. Encourage your child to think through a problem, double checking any answers if necessary.
5. Encourage your son/ daughter to use reference books, CD-ROMS or the Internet for up-to-date information
6. Resist solving the problem for them. Encourage your son/ daughter to think through the problem themselves so that they begin to understand why things happen. Prompt them with questions if they ask for your help. This will help them solve similar problems themselves in the future.
7. Visit Science Museums or exhibitions to encourage your child's interests. Look out for local events during National Science Week (usually held in March each year).
8. Try to avoid taking your child out of school during term time. The steps in Science are like building blocks. You need good foundations to build on. If your son/ daughter misses one or two lessons at the start of a new topic, it can cause problems later. Absence because of illness is unavoidable but you should encourage your son/ daughter to ask the class teacher what they have missed and use friends' books to catch up.

The Exercises

Remember this Key Stage covers three school years so you should not expect your child to be able to tackle all the questions if they are in years 7 or 8.

Print out the questions to use away from the computer.

Go to the Exercises

The Answers

Go to the Exercises

Resources

Longmans Test Practice Kits
For KS3 Science - Pub. Longmans
ISBN 0-582-31571-9

Longmans Homework Handbook
For KS3 Science - Pub. Longmans
ISBN 0-582-29327-8

CD-ROMs

SATs Tests: Science - Europress

Test for Success: Science - Dorling Kindersley

Encyclopedia of Science - Dorling Kindersley

Encyclopedia of Nature - Dorling Kindersley

Encyclopedia of Space & the Universe - Dorling Kindersley

The Way Things Work - Dorling Kindersley

The Ultimate Human Body - Dorling Kindersley

Earth Quest - Dorling Kindersley

Pinball Science - Dorling Kindersley

Encarta: Family Encyclopaedia - Pub Microsoft

Suppliers and Publishers

LONGMANS
http://www.awl-he.com/studyguides/
Check out the Parents Page for advice and info about Test Kits

DORLING KINDERSLEY 1 Horsham Gates, North Street, Horsham RH13 5PJ, Tel. 01403 833200
Web site http://www.dk.com

Web Links

The BBC Learning Station
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/schools/
This is a service for children, teachers and parents at school and at home.

Schools On-line Science
http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/sci/sol/contents.htm
A useful site on its own with links to other sites on its library page.

You will find other Web Links on Learning Exchange at BTHomeCampus