Primary 3 Science Semestral Assessment 2 (End of Year) Paper 3

TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Science Primary 3

SA2 Answer Key — Version 3 of 5

Subject: Science | Level: Primary 3 | Paper: SA2 | Total Marks: 50

Section A: Multiple Choice (10 marks)

1. (c) A butterfly

• Marking note: A butterfly is a living thing (an insect). The other options are non-living objects.

2. (b) They can grow.

• Marking note: All living things grow. Not all living things can fly, are large, or make sounds.

3. (b) can reproduce

• Marking note: A plant is a living thing and can reproduce. A rock is non-living and cannot reproduce.

4. (c) A toy car

• Marking note: A toy car is non-living. A goldfish, mushroom, and frog are all living things.

5. (c) Plants

• Marking note: A fern is a non-flowering plant. It belongs to the plant group.

6. (c) They are made of metal.

• Marking note: Being made of metal is not a characteristic of living things. Options (a), (b), and (d) are all true characteristics of living things.

7. (b) is a non-living thing because getting bigger by inflating is not true growth

• Marking note: True growth in living things involves an increase in the number of cells, not just an increase in size due to external force.

8. (c) A mushroom

• Marking note: A mushroom is a fungus. A rose is a plant, a lizard is a reptile (animal), and a grasshopper is an insect (animal).

9. (b) survive

• Marking note: Living things need air, water, and food to survive (stay alive).

10. (a)

• Marking note: Cat and Grass are living things. Book and Pencil are non-living things.

Section B: Short Answer (25 marks)

11. (2 marks — 1 mark each) Accept any two of the following:

• They can grow.
• They can reproduce (produce young/offspring).
• They need water to survive.
• They need food to survive.
• They need air to survive.
• They can respond to changes (stimuli) in their surroundings.
• They can move (by themselves).

Marking note: "They can die" is also acceptable as it implies they are alive. Do not accept vague answers like "they are big" or "they are colourful."

12. (4 marks — 1 mark each)

Marking note: Mould is a fungus, which is a living thing. A cloud is non-living (it is made of water droplets but does not show characteristics of life).

13. (2 marks) A toy car is not a living thing because:

• It moves only when a force (push, pull, or battery power) is applied to it — it cannot move by itself. (1 mark)
• It does not show other characteristics of living things such as growing, reproducing, or needing food/water/air. (1 mark)

Marking note: Award 1 mark for stating it cannot move on its own / needs an external force. Award 1 mark for mentioning it lacks other life characteristics. Accept equivalent phrasing.

14. (4 marks)

(a) Y (Fern) — 1 mark

• Marking note: A fern is a plant (non-flowering).

(b) Z (Mushroom) — 1 mark

• Marking note: A mushroom is a fungus.

(c) — 2 marks (1 mark each)

• W (Sparrow): Bird
• X (Goldfish): Fish

Marking note: Accept "bird" and "fish" only. Do not accept "animal" — the question asks for the specific animal group.

15. (4 marks — 1 mark each)

Marking note for (b): A table is non-living even though it is made from wood (which came from a living tree). Once the wood is cut and made into a table, it no longer shows characteristics of life.

Marking note for (d): Non-living things do not need water or food to survive. This is a true statement.

16. (4 marks — 2 marks each)

(a) Living things: Ant, Sunflower, Butterfly (2 marks)

• Marking note: Award 2 marks if all three are listed correctly. Award 1 mark if two are listed correctly. Award 0 marks if fewer than two are correct or if non-living things are included.

(b) Non-living things: Stone, Bread (2 marks)

• Marking note: Award 2 marks if both are listed correctly. Award 1 mark if one is listed correctly. Award 0 marks if none are correct or if living things are included.

17. (2 marks)

• I do not agree with the pupil. (1 mark)
• Although a candle flame moves and needs air, it cannot grow, reproduce, or respond to changes like living things do. A flame only burns when there is fuel and oxygen — it does not carry out all the life processes. (1 mark)

Marking note: Award 1 mark for stating disagreement. Award 1 mark for a valid explanation referencing missing life characteristics. Accept equivalent reasoning.

18. (4 marks — 1 mark each)

Marking note: Spelling must be reasonably correct. Accept minor spelling errors if the intended answer is clear.

Section C: Structured / Application Questions (15 marks)

19. (5 marks)

(a) Living things and non-living things / Whether the items are living or non-living. (1 mark)

• Accept: "Living vs non-living" or "Whether they are alive or not."

(b) — 2 marks

• The wooden stick should be placed in Group Q (non-living things). (1 mark)
• Although the stick was once part of a living tree, it is no longer alive — it cannot grow, reproduce, or carry out life processes. (1 mark)

Marking note: Award 1 mark for correct group (Group Q). Award 1 mark for explanation that it no longer shows characteristics of life. Accept equivalent phrasing.

(c) — 2 marks

• The classmate is incorrect because the size of an object does not determine whether it is living or non-living. (1 mark)
• The grasshopper is a living thing — it can grow, reproduce, move by itself, and needs food, water, and air. (1 mark)

Marking note: Award 1 mark for stating that size is not the sorting criterion. Award 1 mark for explaining that the grasshopper shows characteristics of living things.

20. (10 marks)

(a) Three living things — 3 marks (1 mark each) Accept any three of the following:

• Butterfly
• Hibiscus plant / Tree
• Lizard
• Bird (in the nest)
• Fish

Marking note: Do not accept "nest" alone (the nest is non-living; the bird is living). Do not accept "fallen leaves" (non-living).

(b) Two non-living things — 2 marks (1 mark each) Accept any two of the following:

• Rock
• Garden hose
• Fallen leaves
• Water (in the pond)

Marking note: Do not accept living things. "Water" is non-living.

(c) — 2 marks

• The fallen leaves were once part of a living tree, but once they fall off, they are no longer alive. (1 mark)
• They cannot grow, reproduce, or carry out life processes anymore, so they are now considered non-living things. (1 mark)

Marking note: Award 1 mark for stating they are no longer alive / part of a living organism. Award 1 mark for explaining they no longer carry out life processes.

(d) — 3 marks

• The pupil's conclusion is wrong because not all living things are constantly moving. (1 mark)
• A living thing can be resting or still and still be alive. (1 mark)
• The lizard is a living thing because it can grow, reproduce, needs food/water/air, and can respond to changes — not just because it moves. (1 mark)

Marking note: Award 1 mark for stating that living things do not need to be moving to be alive. Award 1 mark for mentioning that the lizard can be resting. Award 1 mark for referencing other life characteristics of the lizard. Accept equivalent reasoning.

— End of Answer Key —