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Primary 3 Science Semestral Assessment 1 (Mid-Year) Paper 2
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Questions
Primary 3 Science SA1 Examination 2026
TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Version 2
Duration: 75 minutes
Total Marks: 100
Name: _________________________ Class: _______ Date: _________
Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (25 marks)
Choose the correct answer and write the letter (A, B, C, or D) in the brackets provided. Each question is worth 1 mark.
1. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of living things?
(A) Grow
(B) Reproduce
(C) Made of metal
(D) Need food
( )
2. Raj found a snail in the school garden. The snail is a __________.
(A) plant
(B) non-living thing
(C) living thing
(D) once-living thing
( )
3. Which material would be the best choice for making a container to store hot soup?
(A) Plastic
(B) Glass
(C) Paper
(D) Ceramic
( )
4. Which animal goes through complete metamorphosis?
(A) Grasshopper
(B) Cockroach
(C) Ladybird beetle
(D) Lizard
( )
5. What is the function of the flower?
(A) To absorb water from the soil
(B) To make food for the plant
(C) To produce seeds for reproduction
(D) To transport water to the leaves
( )
6. Which of the following groups contains only living things?
(A) Tree, rock, mushroom
(B) Fish, bird, bacteria
(C) Coral, water, seaweed
(D) Insect, sand, flower
( )
7. Which property of glass makes it useful for windows?
(A) Flexibility
(B) Transparency
(C) Absorbency
(D) Softness
( )
8. The pupa stage is found in the life cycle of the __________.
(A) cockroach
(B) chicken
(C) butterfly
(D) grasshopper
( )
9. Which part of the plant grows towards sunlight?
(A) Root
(B) Stem
(C) Flower
(D) Seed
( )
10. A wooden chair is classified as __________.
(A) a living thing
(B) a non-living thing
(C) an once-living thing
(D) both living and non-living
( )
11. Aisyah wants to wrap a present. Which material should she use if she wants to see the gift inside?
(A) Brown paper
(B) Transparent plastic wrap
(C) Newspaper
(D) Aluminium foil
( )
12. In the life cycle of a frog, what comes AFTER the tadpole stage?
(A) Egg
(B) Froglet
(C) Adult frog
(D) Spawn
( )
13. Which of the following statements about leaves is TRUE?
(A) Leaves absorb water from the air
(B) Leaves store seeds for the plant
(C) Leaves make food for the plant
(D) Leaves anchor the plant in the soil
( )
14. Which of the following materials is a good conductor of heat?
(A) Wood
(B) Plastic
(C) Metal
(D) Rubber
( )
15. Which animal lays eggs and takes care of its young?
(A) Butterfly
(B) Frog
(C) Chicken
(D) Mosquito
( )
16. A plant with damaged roots will most likely __________.
(A) produce more flowers
(B) not be able to absorb water properly
(C) grow taller
(D) make more food
( )
17. Which of the following is made from natural materials?
(A) Plastic bottle
(B) Silk scarf
(C) Nylon rope
(D) Styrofoam cup
( )
18. The grasshopper's life cycle has __________ stages.
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 5
( )
19. What does a seed need to start growing?
(A) Water and warmth
(B) Sunlight and soil
(C) Fertilizer and air
(D) Rocks and sand
( )
20. Which of the following is an example of a waterproof material?
(A) Cotton
(B) Paper towel
(C) Plastic sheet
(D) Sponge
( )
21. During which stage of its life cycle does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly?
(A) Egg stage
(B) Larva stage
(C) Pupa stage
(D) Adult stage
( )
22. Plants that do not receive sunlight will __________.
(A) grow faster
(B) produce more flowers
(C) become weak and pale
(D) absorb more water
( )
23. Which material would be best for making an eraser?
(A) Metal
(B) Glass
(C) Rubber
(D) Wood
( )
24. How is a nymph different from an adult cockroach?
(A) The nymph has more legs
(B) The nymph is smaller and has no wings
(C) The nymph lives in water
(D) The nymph has a different body shape
( )
25. Which part of the plant is usually found underground?
(A) Stem
(B) Leaf
(C) Root
(D) Flower
( )
Section B: Short Answer Questions (45 marks)
Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
26. Look at the items below. (4 marks)
Items: Wooden table, Glass vase, Iron nail, Leather belt, Rubber ball, Clay pot
(a) Group the items into natural and man-made materials. (2 marks)
Natural materials: _______________________________________________________
Man-made materials: _____________________________________________________
(b) Which TWO items were once part of living things? (2 marks)
27. The diagram shows the life cycle of an animal. (6 marks)
Egg → Nymph (small) → Nymph (medium) → Nymph (large) → Adult
(a) What type of animal has this life cycle? Give ONE example. (2 marks)
Type: ________________________________
Example: ________________________________
(b) What type of metamorphosis is this? (1 mark)
(c) How is this life cycle different from a butterfly's life cycle? Give TWO differences. (3 marks)
Difference 1: ________________________________________________________________
Difference 2: ________________________________________________________________
28. Ling Wei conducted an experiment to test which material is the most absorbent. She poured 50ml of water on each material and measured how much water was absorbed. (6 marks)
| Material | Amount of water absorbed |
|---|---|
| Paper towel | 45 ml |
| Plastic sheet | 0 ml |
| Cotton cloth | 35 ml |
| Newspaper | 30 ml |
(a) Which material is the most absorbent? (1 mark)
(b) Why did the plastic sheet absorb no water? (2 marks)
(c) Based on the results, which material would be best for cleaning up spilled drinks? Why? (3 marks)
29. Study the diagram of a flowering plant. (6 marks)
[Flower] ← Part A
|
[Leaves] ← Part B
|
[Stem] ← Part C
|
[Roots] ← Part D
(a) Match each part to its function by writing the correct letter. (2 marks)
| Function | Part (A, B, C or D) |
|---|---|
| Absorbs water and minerals | |
| Makes food using sunlight |
(b) If Part C is damaged, what will happen to the plant? Explain why. (2 marks)
(c) Name ONE thing that Part A attracts and explain why. (2 marks)
30. Mei Ling observed the life cycle of a bean plant. (5 marks)
Her observations:
- Day 1: Planted a bean seed in soil
- Day 5: A small root appeared from the seed
- Day 8: A green shoot pushed through the soil
- Day 15: The seedling had two small leaves
- Day 30: The plant had many leaves and flowers
(a) What is the process called when a seed starts to grow? (1 mark)
(b) What conditions did Mei Ling provide for the seed to grow? (2 marks)
(c) What will the flowers eventually develop into? (2 marks)
31. Study the animals in the table below. (5 marks)
| Animal | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butterfly | Egg | Caterpillar | Pupa | Adult |
| Chicken | Egg | Chick | ? | |
| Frog | Egg | Tadpole | Froglet | Adult |
(a) Complete the table by filling in the missing stage for the chicken. (1 mark)
(b) Which animal undergoes incomplete metamorphosis? How do you know? (2 marks)
(c) Compare the butterfly and chicken. Give ONE similarity and ONE difference in how they grow. (2 marks)
Similarity: _________________________________________________________________
Difference: _________________________________________________________________
32. Mr Lim tested different materials to find out which ones are flexible. (6 marks)
| Material | Can it bend without breaking? |
|---|---|
| Glass rod | No, it broke |
| Rubber tube | Yes |
| Metal wire | Yes, but with difficulty |
| Wooden stick | No, it broke |
(a) Which material is the most flexible? (1 mark)
(b) Why is rubber used to make tyres for bicycles? Give TWO reasons. (2 marks)
Reason 1: __________________________________________________________________
Reason 2: __________________________________________________________________
(c) Suggest why glass is NOT a good material for making children's water bottles. (2 marks)
(d) Name one property of metal that makes it useful even though it is hard to bend. (1 mark)
33. The table shows some characteristics of three organisms. (7 marks)
| Characteristic | Mushroom | Mango Tree | Goldfish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Has leaves | No | Yes | No |
| Can make own food | No | Yes | No |
| Can move from place to place | No | No | Yes |
| Needs water to survive | Yes | Yes | Yes |
(a) Based on the table, which organism can make its own food? How does it do this? (2 marks)
(b) All three organisms need water to survive. Give ONE other thing all living things need to survive. (1 mark)
(c) How does the mushroom get its food if it cannot make its own food? (2 marks)
(d) Are mushrooms plants or animals? Explain your answer using information from the table. (2 marks)
Section C: Word Problems (30 marks)
Answer all questions in the spaces provided. Show your working where necessary.
34. The Science Club at Clementi Primary School set up an experiment to observe the life cycle of mealworms. They recorded their observations for 8 weeks. (8 marks)
Observation Record:
- Week 1-2: Small, worm-like creatures crawling and eating oatmeal
- Week 3-4: Mealworms grew larger and shed their skin several times
- Week 5-6: Some mealworms stopped moving and turned into hard, brown shells
- Week 7-8: Black beetles emerged from the shells
(a) Name the FOUR stages of the mealworm's life cycle in order. (2 marks)
Stage 1: _________________ Stage 2: _________________
Stage 3: _________________ Stage 4: _________________
(b) What type of metamorphosis does the mealworm undergo? (1 mark)
(c) During which weeks was the mealworm in the pupa stage? What happened during this stage? (2 marks)
(d) Why did the mealworm shed its skin several times during weeks 3-4? (2 marks)
(e) How is the mealworm's life cycle similar to a butterfly's life cycle? (1 mark)
35. Anita visited the Singapore Zoo with her family. She observed different animals and noticed how their young looked. (8 marks)
Her observations:
- The baby elephant looked like a small version of its mother
- The tadpoles in the pond looked nothing like the adult frogs
- The caterpillars on the leaves were very different from the butterflies flying around
- The chicks followed the mother hen and looked similar to her
(a) Group the animals into those whose young look like the adults and those whose young look different from the adults. (2 marks)
Young looks like adult: ___________________________________________________
Young looks different from adult: __________________________________________
(b) Why do some animals go through metamorphosis while others do not? (2 marks)
(c) The zoo keeper wants to set up a display about animal life cycles. He has a tank with frog eggs. Describe what changes the zoo visitors will see over the next few months. (3 marks)
(d) Give ONE advantage for a caterpillar to look different from an adult butterfly. (1 mark)
36. Mrs Wong teaches Primary 3 Science at Tao Nan School. She set up four identical plants for an investigation about plant needs. (8 marks)
| Plant | Light | Water | Observation after 2 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant A | Yes | Yes | Healthy, green leaves |
| Plant B | Yes | No | Wilted, dry leaves |
| Plant C | No | Yes | Pale yellow leaves, weak stem |
| Plant D | No | No | Brown, dead leaves |
(a) What was Mrs Wong trying to find out from this investigation? (2 marks)
(b) Why did Plant C have pale yellow leaves? (2 marks)
(c) Compare Plant A and Plant B. What does this tell us about what plants need? (2 marks)
(d) If Mrs Wong wanted to test whether plants need air, how should she change the investigation? (2 marks)
37. Jin Hao is helping his mother sort items for recycling at their HDB flat in Tampines. He needs to identify what materials the items are made of. (6 marks)
Items to sort:
- Empty drink can
- Old newspaper
- Plastic yogurt container
- Glass jam jar
- Cardboard box
- Aluminium foil tray
(a) Group the items by their material type. (3 marks)
Paper/Cardboard: _________________________________________________________
Metal: ___________________________________________________________________
Plastic: _________________________________________________________________
Glass: ___________________________________________________________________
(b) Jin Hao's mother asked why we should recycle. Give TWO reasons why recycling is important. (2 marks)
Reason 1: ________________________________________________________________
Reason 2: ________________________________________________________________
(c) The recycling bin does not accept wet paper. Suggest why wet paper cannot be recycled. (1 mark)
End of Paper
Remember to check your answers before submitting!
Answers
Primary 3 Science SA1 Examination 2026
TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Version 2 ANSWER KEY
Duration: 75 minutes
Total Marks: 100
Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (25 marks)
| Question | Answer | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Diversity of Living and Non-living Things |
| 2 | C | Diversity of Living and Non-living Things |
| 3 | D | Diversity of Materials |
| 4 | C | Life Cycles |
| 5 | C | Plant Systems |
| 6 | B | Diversity of Living and Non-living Things |
| 7 | B | Diversity of Materials |
| 8 | C | Life Cycles |
| 9 | B | Plant Systems |
| 10 | C | Diversity of Living and Non-living Things |
| 11 | B | Diversity of Materials |
| 12 | B | Life Cycles |
| 13 | C | Plant Systems |
| 14 | C | Diversity of Materials |
| 15 | C | Life Cycles |
| 16 | B | Plant Systems |
| 17 | B | Diversity of Materials |
| 18 | B | Life Cycles |
| 19 | A | Plant Systems |
| 20 | C | Diversity of Materials |
| 21 | C | Life Cycles |
| 22 | C | Plant Systems |
| 23 | C | Diversity of Materials |
| 24 | B | Life Cycles |
| 25 | C | Plant Systems |
Section B: Short Answer Questions (45 marks)
26. (4 marks)
(a) Grouping materials (2 marks):
- Natural materials: Wooden table, Leather belt, Clay pot (1 mark)
- Man-made materials: Glass vase, Iron nail, Rubber ball (1 mark)
Note: Accept reasonable variations. Clay is natural, but processed into a pot.
(b) Two items once part of living things (2 marks):
- Wooden table (wood comes from trees) (1 mark)
- Leather belt (leather comes from animal skin) (1 mark)
27. (6 marks)
(a) Type and example (2 marks):
- Type: Insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis (1 mark)
- Example: Cockroach / Grasshopper / Cricket (1 mark)
(b) Type of metamorphosis (1 mark):
- Incomplete metamorphosis
(c) Two differences from butterfly's life cycle (3 marks):
- Difference 1: This life cycle has 3 stages while the butterfly has 4 stages. (1.5 marks)
- Difference 2: This life cycle has no pupa stage while the butterfly has a pupa stage. (1.5 marks)
- Accept: The nymph looks like the adult, but the caterpillar looks different from the butterfly.
28. (6 marks)
(a) Most absorbent material (1 mark):
- Paper towel
(b) Why plastic sheet absorbed no water (2 marks):
- Plastic is waterproof / not absorbent. (1 mark)
- Water cannot pass through or be soaked up by plastic. (1 mark)
(c) Best material for cleaning spills and reason (3 marks):
- Paper towel (1 mark)
- It absorbed the most water (45 ml). (1 mark)
- This means it can soak up spills quickly and effectively. (1 mark)
29. (6 marks)
(a) Matching parts to functions (2 marks):
| Function | Part (A, B, C or D) |
|---|---|
| Absorbs water and minerals | D |
| Makes food using sunlight | B |
(b) What happens if Part C (stem) is damaged (2 marks):
- Water and minerals cannot be transported from the roots to the leaves. (1 mark)
- The plant will wilt and may die because it cannot get water or make food. (1 mark)
(c) What Part A attracts and why (2 marks):
- Insects / Bees / Butterflies (1 mark)
- To help with pollination so the plant can produce seeds and reproduce. (1 mark)
30. (5 marks)
(a) Process when seed starts to grow (1 mark):
- Germination
(b) Conditions provided for seed to grow (2 marks):
- Water (by watering the plant) (1 mark)
- Warmth (room temperature) (1 mark)
- Accept: Air, Soil
(c) What flowers will develop into (2 marks):
- Flowers will develop into fruits. (1 mark)
- The fruits will contain seeds. (1 mark)
31. (5 marks)
(a) Missing stage for chicken (1 mark):
- Adult chicken / Hen / Rooster
(b) Animal with incomplete metamorphosis and explanation (2 marks):
- Chicken undergoes incomplete metamorphosis. (1 mark)
- The chick looks like a smaller version of the adult chicken and gradually grows into an adult without a pupa stage. (1 mark)
Note: Some may argue frog also fits - accept with valid reasoning about 3 stages.
(c) Similarity and difference (2 marks):
- Similarity: Both butterfly and chicken lay eggs. / Both start life as eggs. (1 mark)
- Difference: Butterfly goes through 4 stages with complete metamorphosis, while chicken goes through 3 stages without major body changes. / Butterfly has a pupa stage but chicken does not. (1 mark)
32. (6 marks)
(a) Most flexible material (1 mark):
- Rubber tube
(b) Two reasons rubber is used for tyres (2 marks):
- Reason 1: Rubber is flexible and can bend without breaking. (1 mark)
- Reason 2: Rubber can absorb shock from bumps on the road. / Rubber provides good grip on the road. (1 mark)
(c) Why glass is not good for children's water bottles (2 marks):
- Glass is not flexible and will break easily if dropped. (1 mark)
- Broken glass is sharp and can hurt children. (1 mark)
(d) One useful property of metal (1 mark):
- Strong / Hard / Durable / Conducts heat / Conducts electricity
33. (7 marks)
(a) Organism that can make its own food and how (2 marks):
- Mango tree can make its own food. (1 mark)
- It uses sunlight, water and air to make food in its leaves (photosynthesis). (1 mark)
(b) One other thing living things need to survive (1 mark):
- Air / Food / Shelter / Suitable temperature
(c) How mushroom gets food (2 marks):
- Mushroom absorbs nutrients from dead or decaying matter. (1 mark)
- It breaks down dead plants or animals to get food. (1 mark)
(d) Are mushrooms plants or animals (2 marks):
- Mushrooms are neither plants nor animals (they are fungi). (1 mark)
- Unlike plants, they cannot make their own food. Unlike animals, they cannot move from place to place. (1 mark)
Section C: Word Problems (30 marks)
34. (8 marks)
(a) Four stages of mealworm life cycle (2 marks):
- Stage 1: Egg (0.5 mark)
- Stage 2: Larva / Mealworm (0.5 mark)
- Stage 3: Pupa (0.5 mark)
- Stage 4: Adult beetle (0.5 mark)
(b) Type of metamorphosis (1 mark):
- Complete metamorphosis
(c) Weeks in pupa stage and what happened (2 marks):
- Weeks 5-6 (1 mark)
- The mealworm's body changed inside the hard shell/pupa, transforming into an adult beetle. (1 mark)
(d) Why mealworm shed skin several times (2 marks):
- The mealworm was growing larger. (1 mark)
- The old skin could not stretch, so it had to shed it to continue growing. / This process is called moulting. (1 mark)
(e) Similarity to butterfly's life cycle (1 mark):
- Both have 4 stages. / Both go through complete metamorphosis. / Both have egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages.
35. (8 marks)
(a) Grouping animals by young appearance (2 marks):
- Young looks like adult: Elephant, Chicken (1 mark)
- Young looks different from adult: Frog, Butterfly (1 mark)
(b) Why some animals go through metamorphosis (2 marks):
- Different animals have different ways of growing and developing. (1 mark)
- Metamorphosis allows the young to live in different environments or eat different food from adults. / It is how these animals adapt to survive. (1 mark)
(c) Changes visitors will see (3 marks):
- First, tadpoles will hatch from the eggs. (1 mark)
- The tadpoles will grow legs and their tails will get shorter. (1 mark)
- Eventually, the tadpoles will become adult frogs that can live on land. (1 mark)
(d) Advantage of caterpillar looking different from adult butterfly (1 mark):
- The caterpillar and butterfly can eat different food, so they do not compete with each other. / The caterpillar can hide from predators more easily on leaves.
36. (8 marks)
(a) What Mrs Wong was trying to find out (2 marks):
- She wanted to find out what plants need to grow healthily. (1 mark)
- Specifically, whether plants need light and water. (1 mark)
(b) Why Plant C had pale yellow leaves (2 marks):
- Plant C did not receive sunlight. (1 mark)
- Without sunlight, the plant could not make food properly and the leaves lost their green colour. / The plant could not produce chlorophyll. (1 mark)
(c) Comparison of Plant A and B (2 marks):
- Plant A was healthy but Plant B wilted. (1 mark)
- This shows that plants need water to survive. / Without water, plants will wilt and become unhealthy. (1 mark)
(d) How to test if plants need air (2 marks):
- She should set up a plant with light and water but cover it with an airtight container to remove air. (1 mark)
- Compare it with a plant that has light, water, and air to see the difference. (1 mark)
37. (6 marks)
(a) Grouping items by material (3 marks):
- Paper/Cardboard: Old newspaper, Cardboard box (0.75 mark)
- Metal: Empty drink can, Aluminium foil tray (0.75 mark)
- Plastic: Plastic yogurt container (0.75 mark)
- Glass: Glass jam jar (0.75 mark)
(b) Two reasons recycling is important (2 marks):
- Reason 1: Recycling reduces waste in landfills / keeps the environment clean. (1 mark)
- Reason 2: Recycling saves natural resources / We do not need to use as many new raw materials. (1 mark)
- Accept: Reduces pollution / Saves energy
(c) Why wet paper cannot be recycled (1 mark):
- Wet paper has damaged fibres that break apart easily. / Wet paper cannot be processed properly in recycling machines. / Wet paper can become mouldy.
Marking Summary
| Section | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|
| Section A: MCQ | 25 |
| Section B: Short Answer | 45 |
| Section C: Word Problems | 30 |
| Total | 100 |
End of Answer Key