PSLE Science Practical / Experiment-Based Questions — What to Expect
Parents, if your child is preparing for the PSLE Science paper, you might have noticed something new and slightly more challenging in recent years: practical-style questions. These are based on real-world experiments and test how well students can apply scientific knowledge, not just memorise facts.
In this guide, we’ll show you what these questions look like, how to prepare for them, and how your child can score confidently.
Practical Question Types
Practical or experiment-based questions in PSLE Science are designed to assess application, interpretation, and inference (core skills in scientific thinking). These question types are appearing more frequently in recent years and may include:
Observation-based tasks: Students are shown experimental setups (e.g. two beakers of water at different temperatures) and asked to predict outcomes or explain results.
Variables and control identification: Children must identify the independent, dependent, and controlled variables in an experiment.
Fair test analysis: Students must determine if a given test is fair and explain why.
Data table interpretation: Students read tables or graphs showing results from an experiment and must draw conclusions.
Hypothesis testing: They may be asked what the experiment is trying to find out or whether the results support the hypothesis.
These questions may be presented as multiple choice or open-ended, and they can appear across all Science themes: Diversity, Cycles, Systems, Interactions, and Energy.
Experiment Design Basics
While your child won’t have to conduct an actual experiment during the PSLE, they’ll need to understand how experiments are designed. This means knowing the basic framework behind scientific testing:
Aim – What is the experiment trying to find out?
Hypothesis – What does the student predict will happen?
Variables
Independent (what you change)
Dependent (what you measure)
Controlled (what you keep the same)
Procedure – The steps taken to carry out the test.
Observation – What was seen or recorded?
Conclusion – What does the outcome show, and does it support the hypothesis?
Your child should also be familiar with drawing and interpreting simple experimental diagrams.
Sample Experiment PSLE Questions
Here are a few PSLE-style questions your child might encounter:
Question 1:
Two identical plants are placed in different rooms. One receives sunlight, the other does not. After 5 days, one plant is yellow.
Q: What is the independent variable in this experiment?
Answer: The amount of sunlight.
Question 2:
A student adds sugar to three beakers of water at different temperatures. She times how long it takes for the sugar to dissolve. It dissolves fastest in the hottest tea and slowest in the coldest tea.
Q: What can she conclude from her results?
Answer: Higher temperatures help sugar dissolve faster.
Technique Top Tips
Here’s how your child can approach these questions like a scientist:
Underline key information: Especially variables, measurements, and comparison groups.
Use scientific vocabulary: Examiners reward accurate use of terms like “fair test,” “increase/decrease,” “rate of reaction,” etc.
Think logically: If something seems strange in the experiment, it probably is — there may be an error in design or a trick in the question.
Answer clearly and concisely: Long, vague explanations lose marks. Train your child to write focused answers with cause-and-effect reasoning.
Also, encourage your child to practise sketching diagrams. This helps with visualising setups and understanding spatial elements.
Safety & Marking
Although students aren’t physically performing experiments, safety awareness may still be assessed. Look out for questions like:
“What safety step should the student take before lighting the Bunsen burner?”
“Why should gloves be worn during this experiment?”
These questions test scientific maturity and the ability to think responsibly during experiments.
How Are Practical-Based Questions Marked?
Open-ended practical questions are marked on:
Scientific accuracy
Clear reasoning
Use of appropriate terminology
Ability to link cause and effect
For example, if the student is asked to explain why ice melted faster on a metal plate than on wood, a strong answer would include both thermal conductivity and comparative reasoning (e.g. “metal conducts heat better than wood”).
Practical-based questions are a great opportunity for your child to show true scientific thinking, not just recall. With a little guidance, practice, and exposure to real-world contexts, these questions become much less intimidating.
