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Primary 3 Science Weighted Assessment 1 (Term 1) Paper 5
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TUITIONGOWHERE PRIMARY SCHOOL (AI)
WEIGHTED ASSESSMENT 1 EXAMINATION 2026
PRIMARY 3 SCIENCE (VERSION 5) - ANSWER KEY
Duration: 45 minutes
Total Marks: 50
Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (20 marks)
Each question carries 2 marks.
| Question | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | (3) | Fire cannot grow and reproduce on its own - it needs fuel to spread. Living things can grow and reproduce independently. Being hot or making light does not determine if something is living. |
| 2 | (3) | All living things respond to their surroundings (stimuli). Not all living things have eyes (plants don't), live in water, or eat plants (carnivores eat meat). |
| 3 | (3) | Toads are amphibians - they can live both on land and in water. Sharks are fish (water only), eagles are birds (air/land), snakes are reptiles (mainly land). |
| 4 | (3) | Snakes and lizards are both reptiles with dry scales. Birds have feathers, amphibians have moist skin, fish have fins and wet scales. |
| 5 | (3) | Opaque materials block all light. Blackout curtains are made of opaque material to prevent light from passing through. |
| 6 | (3) | Absorbency is the ability to soak up and hold liquids. Tissue paper is absorbent because it has many tiny spaces that trap water. |
| 7 | (3) | Honey is made by bees (living things). Cement, glass, and steel are all man-made materials from non-living sources. |
| 8 | (3) | Rubber is flexible (can change shape over bumps) and has good grip on road surfaces. It's not hard, transparent, or brittle. |
| 9 | (2) | Metamorphosis is the process of transformation from one form to another (caterpillar to butterfly). It involves major body changes. |
| 10 | (3) | Grasshopper has 3 stages (Egg → Nymph → Adult) - incomplete metamorphosis. Butterfly, mosquito, and beetle all have 4 stages. |
Section A Total: /20
Section B: Short Answer Questions (18 marks)
11. A student said: "Crystals are living things because they can grow bigger." (4 marks)
a) Is the student correct? No (1 mark)
b) Give TWO reasons to support your answer:
Reason 1: Crystals do not need food, water, or air to survive. (1.5 marks)
Reason 2: Crystals cannot reproduce / have babies / make more crystals on their own. OR Crystals do not respond to changes in their environment. (1.5 marks)
12. Classify these animals based on how they breathe: (4 marks)
[Dolphin, Catfish, Sparrow, Salamander, Crab]
| Breathe with LUNGS | Breathe with GILLS |
|---|---|
| Dolphin | Catfish |
| Sparrow | Crab |
| Salamander (adult) |
(1 mark for each correct answer)
Note: Adult salamanders breathe with lungs; some also breathe through skin. Crabs breathe with gills.
13. Choose the best material for each use from the word bank: (4 marks)
a) Window panes: Glass because it is transparent / allows light to pass through / we can see through it (2 marks)
b) Bridge structure: Steel because it is strong / hard / can support heavy loads / durable (2 marks)
14. Look at these materials: [Bamboo, Styrofoam, Brick, Silk] (3 marks)
a) Which is the LIGHTEST material? Styrofoam (0.5 mark)
b) Which is the HEAVIEST material? Brick (0.5 mark)
c) Which TWO are natural materials? Bamboo and Silk (2 marks)
Note: Bamboo comes from bamboo plants, Silk comes from silkworms. Styrofoam is man-made plastic, Brick is man-made from clay.
15. Draw arrows to complete this mealworm life cycle: (3 marks)
Write the life cycle in order:
Egg → Larva (Mealworm) → Pupa → Adult Beetle (2 marks)
How many stages are there? 4 (1 mark)
Section B Total: /18
Section C: Application Questions (12 marks)
16. Siti found a strange object. (4 marks)
a) Is this object most likely living or non-living? Why? (2 marks)
Answer: Living (1 mark)
Reason: It grew bigger over 2 weeks (growth) and produced small round things (reproduction/seeds/spores). These are characteristics of living things. (1 mark)
b) What could this object be? Why? (2 marks)
Object: A plant / mushroom / fungus / mould (1 mark)
Reason: It does not move or eat (like animals), but it grows and reproduces. Plants and fungi can grow and produce seeds/spores without moving. (1 mark)
17. A camping company needs materials for a tent. (4 marks)
a) Which material is BEST for the tent? Give TWO reasons. (2 marks)
Material: Nylon fabric (0.5 mark)
Reason 1: Nylon is lightweight / easy to carry when camping (0.5 mark)
Reason 2: Nylon is waterproof / keeps rain out OR Nylon is strong / durable / won't tear easily (0.5 mark)
b) Why would GLASS be a poor choice for a tent? (2 marks)
Reason 1: Glass is heavy / difficult to carry (1 mark)
Reason 2: Glass is brittle / breaks easily / dangerous if broken / not flexible (1 mark)
18. Compare these two life cycles: (4 marks)
Life Cycle A: Egg → Nymph → Adult Cricket Life Cycle B: Egg → Caterpillar → Pupa → Butterfly
a) Which life cycle shows COMPLETE metamorphosis? Life Cycle B (1 mark)
b) How many stages does Life Cycle A have? 3 stages (1 mark)
c) What is the main difference between a nymph and a caterpillar? (2 marks)
Answer: A nymph looks similar to the adult (just smaller, no wings yet), while a caterpillar looks completely different from the adult butterfly. (1 mark)
The nymph gradually changes into an adult, while the caterpillar must go through a pupa stage where its whole body transforms. (1 mark)
Section C Total: /12
Marking Summary
| Section | Maximum Marks | Marks Obtained |
|---|---|---|
| A (MCQ) | 20 | |
| B (Short Answer) | 18 | |
| C (Application) | 12 | |
| Total | 50 |
~ End of Answer Key ~