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Primary 3 Science Semestral Assessment 2 (End of Year) Paper 3
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Questions
TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Science Primary 3
School: TuitionGoWhere Secondary School (AI) Subject: Science Level: Primary 3 Paper: SA2 (End-of-Year Examination) Version: 3 of 5 Duration: 60 minutes Total Marks: 50
Name: ________________________ Class: ________________________ Date: ________________________
Instructions to Candidates
- Write your name, class, and date in the spaces provided above.
- Answer ALL questions.
- Write your answers in the spaces provided.
- For multiple-choice questions, shade the correct oval (a), (b), (c), or (d).
- The use of calculators is not required.
- This paper consists of Section A, Section B, and Section C.
Section A: Multiple Choice (10 marks)
Questions 1–10: Each question carries 1 mark. Choose the most accurate answer.
1. Which of the following is a living thing?
(a) A plastic cup (b) A wooden chair (c) A butterfly (d) A rubber ball
Answer: ( )
2. Which characteristic is shared by ALL living things?
(a) They can fly. (b) They can grow. (c) They are large. (d) They make sounds.
Answer: ( )
3. A plant is different from a rock because the plant __________.
(a) is heavier (b) can reproduce (c) is found outdoors (d) does not move
Answer: ( )
4. Which of the following is a non-living thing?
(a) A goldfish (b) A mushroom (c) A toy car (d) A frog
Answer: ( )
5. Which group of living things does a fern belong to?
(a) Animals (b) Fungi (c) Plants (d) Bacteria
Answer: ( )
6. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of living things?
(a) They need water to survive. (b) They can respond to changes around them. (c) They are made of metal. (d) They can reproduce.
Answer: ( )
7. A balloon is inflated and becomes bigger. This means the balloon __________.
(a) is a living thing because it grows (b) is a non-living thing because getting bigger by inflating is not true growth (c) is a living thing because it changes shape (d) is a non-living thing because it cannot move
Answer: ( )
8. Which of the following is a fungus?
(a) A rose (b) A lizard (c) A mushroom (d) A grasshopper
Answer: ( )
9. Living things need air, water, and food in order to __________.
(a) change colour (b) survive (c) become non-living (d) float
Answer: ( )
10. Which of the following correctly classifies the items?
| Living | Non-Living | |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Cat, Grass | Book, Pencil |
| (b) | Book, Pencil | Cat, Grass |
| (c) | Cat, Book | Grass, Pencil |
| (d) | Grass, Pencil | Cat, Book |
Answer: ( )
Section B: Short Answer (25 marks)
Questions 11–18: Answer each question in the space provided. Marks are indicated in brackets.
11. State two characteristics that all living things share. (2 marks)
(i) _______________________________________________________________
(ii) _______________________________________________________________
12. The table below lists four items. For each item, write L if it is a living thing or NL if it is a non-living thing. (4 marks)
| Item | L or NL |
|---|---|
| (a) Earthworm | __________ |
| (b) Pencil | __________ |
| (c) Mould on bread | __________ |
| (d) Cloud | __________ |
13. Explain why a moving toy car is NOT a living thing even though it can move. (2 marks)
14. The diagram below shows four organisms.
- W: A sparrow
- X: A goldfish
- Y: A fern
- Z: A mushroom
(a) Which organism is a plant? (1 mark)
Answer: __________
(b) Which organism is a fungus? (1 mark)
Answer: __________
(c) Classify organisms W and X into their correct animal groups. (2 marks)
W (Sparrow): __________
X (Goldfish): __________
15. Put a tick (✓) in the correct box to show whether each statement is True or False. (4 marks)
| Statement | True | False |
|---|---|---|
| (a) All living things can reproduce. | ||
| (b) A table is a living thing because it is made from wood, which comes from trees. | ||
| (c) Living things respond to changes in their surroundings. | ||
| (d) Non-living things do not need water or food. |
16. The following list shows five items: ant, stone, sunflower, bread, butterfly.
(a) List the living things from the list above. (2 marks)
(b) List the non-living things from the list above. (2 marks)
17. A pupil says, "A candle flame is a living thing because it moves and needs air." Do you agree? Explain your answer. (2 marks)
18. Complete the table below by matching each organism to its correct group. (4 marks)
| Organism | Group |
|---|---|
| (a) Frog | __________ |
| (b) Yeast | __________ |
| (c) Eagle | __________ |
| (d) Moss | __________ |
Choose from: Amphibian, Bird, Fungus, Plant
Section C: Structured / Application Questions (15 marks)
Questions 19–20: Answer all questions. Show your reasoning clearly. Marks are indicated in brackets.
19. Mei Ling sorted a collection of items into two groups as shown below.
Group P: Cat, Grasshopper, Rose, Mushroom Group Q: Ruler, Eraser, Shoe, Water
(a) What is the characteristic that Mei Ling used to sort the items into Group P and Group Q? (1 mark)
(b) She found one item that she was unsure about: a wooden stick that was once part of a living tree. Explain whether the wooden stick should be placed in Group P or Group Q. (2 marks)
(c) A classmate said that the grasshopper in Group P should be moved to Group Q because it is small like the items in Group Q. Explain why this is incorrect. (2 marks)
20. The diagram below shows a garden. Study it carefully and answer the questions that follow.
In the garden, there are: a butterfly flying near a hibiscus plant, a lizard on a rock, a bird's nest in a tree, a pond with fish, fallen leaves on the ground, and a garden hose.
(a) List three living things that can be found in the garden. (3 marks)
(i) _______________________________________________________________
(ii) _______________________________________________________________
(iii) _______________________________________________________________
(b) List two non-living things that can be found in the garden. (2 marks)
(i) _______________________________________________________________
(ii) _______________________________________________________________
(c) The fallen leaves were once part of a living tree. Explain why the fallen leaves are now considered non-living things. (2 marks)
(d) A pupil observed that the lizard was sitting still on the rock and said, "The lizard is not alive because it is not moving." Explain why this conclusion is wrong. (3 marks)
— End of Paper —
Answers
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)
| Item | L or NL |
|---|---|
| (a) Earthworm | L |
| (b) Pencil | NL |
| (c) Mould on bread | L |
| (d) Cloud | NL |
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)
| Statement | True | False |
|---|---|---|
| (a) All living things can reproduce. | ✓ | |
| (b) A table is a living thing because it is made from wood, which comes from trees. | ✓ | |
| (c) Living things respond to changes in their surroundings. | ✓ | |
| (d) Non-living things do not need water or food. | ✓ |
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)
| Organism | Group |
|---|---|
| (a) Frog | Amphibian |
| (b) Yeast | Fungus |
| (c) Eagle | Bird |
| (d) Moss | Plant |
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 —