Sharing Session on Science
Answering Techniques
Objectives of Sharing Session
 Introduce four basic skills involved in answering
Science questions
 Provide hands-on practice in applying the skills
in analysing Science questions
Pei Chun Public School
1
Science Exam Skills
Skill A – Correct interpretation of diagram
 Skill B – Identify the aim of experiment
 Skill C – Identify the underlying Science concept
 Skill D – Draw an informed inference

Pei Chun Public School
2
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram

First step in identifying the underlying Science
concept
 Crucial to the correct understanding of the
question
Pei Chun Public School
3
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Example)
Matthew performed an experiment using two setups, X and Y, as shown below. He placed three
beans into each set-up and left them in a room
with a temperature of 30 C.
cooled
boiled
water
oil
tap
water
X
Y
Pei Chun Public School
4
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Example)
cooled
boiled
water
oil
tap
water
X
Y
After two days, he noticed that the beans in
Beaker Y germinated but those in Beaker X did
not. Explain his observation.
Pei Chun Public School
5
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Example)
Hint: Why is there a need for boiled water?
 Boiled water lacks dissolved oxygen/air.
 Tap water contains dissolved oxygen/air.
Hint: Why is there a need for the layer of oil?
 The layer of oil prevents atmospheric oxygen
from dissolving in the water.
Pei Chun Public School
6
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Example)
Answer:
Oxygen
There is dissolved
is needed for germination.
oxygen
water for the beans in Beaker
in
Y
but not for the beans in Beaker
Pei Chun Public School
X
tap
to germinate
.
7
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Example)
Answer:
General Fact:
Oxygen
is needed for germination.
Specific Application:
tap
oxygen
There is dissolved
in
water for the beans in Beaker
Y
but not for the beans in Beaker
Pei Chun Public School
X
to germinate
.
8
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Example)
cooled
boiled
water
oil
tap
water
X
Y
Higher-order Thinking
Why use three beans?
Increases the success rate of the experiment
Pei Chun Public School
9
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Example)
oil
tap
water
tap
water
X
Y
Higher-order Thinking
Why is there a need for the layer of oil in Beaker Y as
shown above?
The layer of oil prevents the evaporation of water.
Pei Chun Public School
10
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Question A1)
Eunice carried out an experiment by heating a
test-tube containing crushed ice, steel wool and
water as shown below.
water
steel wool
ice
What did Eunice's experiment show?
Pei Chun Public School
11
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Question A1)
Hint: What is the purpose of the steel wool?
water
steel wool
ice
The steel wool prevents the crushed ice from floating to
the water surface, thus preventing the ice from being
under the direct heat source.
Pei Chun Public School
12
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Question A1)
Answer:
The experiment showed that
is a
water
poor/bad conductor of heat OR
insulator of heat
Pei Chun Public School
.
13
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Question A1)
Answer:
The experiment showed that
is a
water
poor/bad conductor of heat OR
insulator of heat
.
Note:  non-conductor
Reason: All matter - conductors of heat.
Pei Chun Public School
14
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Question A2)
Andrew spread a layer of oil on the plant as
shown below. The plant was then placed in the
sun and watered every day.
oil applied on the stem, leaf
stalks and both surfaces
of all the leaves
After a week, the plant wilted. Explain why the
plant wilted.
Pei Chun Public School
15
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Question A2)
Hint: What is the result of coating the plant
with a layer of oil?
The stomata are blocked. The exchange of
gases through the leaves cannot be carried out.
Pei Chun Public School
16
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Question A2)
Answer:
Photosynthesis could not take place as the
exchange of gases through the leaves could not
be carried out.
could not take place as the
Respiration
plant parts covered with oil could not take in
oxygen.
Transpiration could not take place as the
plant could not give out water vapour to keep
itself cool. ( not in syllabus)
Pei Chun Public School
17
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Question A2)
Explain why the plant wilted.
Pupils must identify one of the underlying
plant processes that have been affected.
Pei Chun Public School
18
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Question A2)
Explain why the plant wilted.
Pupils must identify one of the underlying
plant processes that have been affected.
Partial/incomplete answer:
The stomata are blocked.
The exchange of gases cannot be carried out.
Pei Chun Public School
19
Skill A – Correct Interpretation of
Diagram (Question A2)
What is the result of coating the plant with a
layer of oil?
The stomata are blocked.
The exchange of gases cannot be carried out.
The above answer is acceptable in this case as
the question is asking for the immediate effect.
Pei Chun Public School
20