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Primary 5 Science Semestral Assessment 2 (End of Year) Paper 5
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Questions
TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Science Primary 5
School: TuitionGoWhere Secondary School (AI) Subject: Science Level: Primary 5 Paper: SA2 (End-of-Year Examination) Version: 5 of 5 Duration: 60 minutes Total Marks: 50
Name: ________________________ Class: ________________________ Date: ________________________
Instructions
- Answer ALL questions.
- Write your answers in the spaces provided.
- For multiple-choice questions, shade the correct oval on the answer sheet.
- Show all working clearly where required.
- The use of calculators is not permitted.
Section A: Multiple Choice (10 marks)
Questions 1–10: Choose the correct answer (A, B, C, or D). Each question carries 1 mark.
1. Which of the following is a characteristic used to classify living things into groups?
A) Colour of the organism B) Number of legs C) Type of food eaten D) Habitat only
(1 mark)
2. The diagram below shows a classification of animals.
Animals
/ \
Vertebrates Invertebrates
/ \
Mammals Fish
Which of the following animals belongs in the same group as the fish?
A) Spider B) Frog C) Snail D) Earthworm
(1 mark)
3. Which of the following is a flowering plant?
A) Fern B) Moss C) Sunflower D) Mushroom
(1 mark)
4. A student grouped the following organisms: algae, moss, fern. What characteristic did the student most likely use to group them?
A) They all produce flowers. B) They all reproduce by spores. C) They all have roots, stems, and leaves. D) They all produce fruits.
(1 mark)
5. Which of the following animals is an invertebrate?
A) Eagle B) Crocodile C) Starfish D) Whale
(1 mark)
6. The table below shows the characteristics of four animals.
| Animal | Backbone | Feathers | Lungs |
|---|---|---|---|
| W | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| X | Yes | No | Yes |
| Y | No | No | No |
| Z | Yes | No | Yes |
Which animal is most likely a bird?
A) W B) X C) Y D) Z
(1 mark)
7. Which of the following is a characteristic of mammals?
A) They have scales. B) They lay eggs only. C) They breathe through gills. D) They feed their young with milk.
(1 mark)
8. Ferns and mosses are similar because both
A) produce flowers. B) reproduce by spores. C) have true roots and stems. D) produce seeds.
(1 mark)
9. A student found an animal with the following characteristics:
- Has a hard outer covering (exoskeleton)
- Has jointed legs
- Has no backbone
This animal most likely belongs to which group?
A) Fish B) Insects C) Amphibians D) Reptiles
(1 mark)
10. Which of the following is the best way to classify plants?
A) By their height B) By whether they produce flowers or not C) By the colour of their leaves D) By where they grow
(1 mark)
Section B: Short Answer (20 marks)
Questions 11–18: Answer each question in the space provided.
11. The diagram shows a simple classification key for animals.
Has backbone?
/ \
Yes No
/ \
Has feathers? Has 6 legs?
/ \ / \
Yes No Yes No
| | | |
Bird Mammal Insect Spider
Using the key above, identify each of the following animals:
(a) An animal with a backbone and feathers. ________________
(b) An animal without a backbone and with six legs. ________________
(2 marks)
12. State two differences between flowering plants and non-flowering plants.
(a) _________________________________________________________________
(b) _________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
13. The table below shows four organisms and some of their characteristics.
| Organism | Backbone | Produces Flowers | Reprodutes by Spores |
|---|---|---|---|
| P | No | No | Yes |
| Q | Yes | Yes | No |
| R | No | No | No |
| S | Yes | No | Yes |
(a) Which organism is most likely a fern? Explain your answer.
(2 marks)
(b) Which organism is most likely a flowering plant? ________________
(1 mark)
14. Give two reasons why scientists classify living things into groups.
(a) _________________________________________________________________
(b) _________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
15. The diagram shows four animals: a bat, a penguin, a chicken, and a butterfly.
(a) Which of the above animals is NOT a bird? ________________
(1 mark)
(b) Explain your answer to (a).
(1 mark)
16. Complete the table below to show the characteristics of each group of animals.
| Group of Animals | Body Covering | Breathes Through | Lays Eggs? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish | Scales | Gills | Yes |
| Amphibian | ______________ | ______________ | ___________ |
| Reptile | ______________ | ______________ | ___________ |
| Bird | ______________ | ______________ | ___________ |
| Mammal | ______________ | ______________ | ___________ |
(5 marks)
17. A student collected the following organisms from a garden: ant, earthworm, grasshopper, snail, and spider.
(a) Classify these organisms into vertebrates and invertebrates.
Vertebrates: _______________________________________________________
Invertebrates: _____________________________________________________
(2 marks)
(b) State one characteristic that all the invertebrates in (a) share.
(1 mark)
18. Explain why a whale is classified as a mammal and not a fish, even though it lives in water.
(2 marks)
Section C: Structured / Application Questions (20 marks)
Questions 19–20: Answer all questions. Show your reasoning clearly.
19. The diagram below shows a classification of plants.
Plants
/ \
Flowering Non-flowering
/ \ / \
Monocot Dicot Ferns Mosses
(a) State one difference between monocots and dicots.
(1 mark)
(b) State one difference between ferns and mosses.
(1 mark)
(c) A student found a plant with the following characteristics:
- Has true roots, stems, and leaves
- Has veins (vascular tissue) in the leaves
- Does NOT produce flowers or seeds
- Reproduces by spores
Using the classification above, identify this plant. Explain your answer.
(3 marks)
(d) State two characteristics that ALL plants share.
(i) _________________________________________________________________
(ii) _________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
20. The table below shows the characteristics of five animals found in a nature reserve.
| Animal | Backbone | Body Covering | Breathes Through | Reproduction | Habitat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Yes | Feathers | Lungs | Eggs | Trees |
| B | Yes | Fur | Lungs | Live young | Land |
| C | No | Exoskeleton | Spiracles | Eggs | Land |
| D | Yes | Scales | Gills | Eggs | Water |
| E | Yes | Moist skin | Lungs & skin | Eggs | Water & Land |
(a) Classify each animal (A to E) into its correct group: Bird, Mammal, Insect, Fish, or Amphibian.
A: ________________
B: ________________
C: ________________
D: ________________
E: ________________
(5 marks)
(b) Animal E lays eggs in water. Explain why it still needs to live near water even when on land.
(2 marks)
(c) Animals A and B both have backbones and breathe through lungs. State two differences between them.
(i) _________________________________________________________________
(ii) _________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
(d) Animal C has an exoskeleton. State one advantage and one disadvantage of having an exoskeleton.
Advantage: ________________________________________________________
Disadvantage: _____________________________________________________
(2 marks)
(e) Explain why classification of living things is important for conservation efforts.
(1 mark)
END OF PAPER
Total: 50 marks
Answers
TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Science Primary 5
SA2 Answer Key — Version 5 of 5
Section A: Multiple Choice (10 marks)
1. B — Number of legs
Marking note: Classification is based on observable structural characteristics. Colour and habitat are variable and unreliable; number of legs is a structural feature used in classification keys. (1 mark)
2. B — Frog
Marking note: The key shows vertebrates split into mammals and fish. A frog is a vertebrate (amphibian) and shares the "vertebrate" group with fish. Spider, snail, and earthworm are all invertebrates. (1 mark)
3. C — Sunflower
Marking note: Ferns and mosses are non-flowering plants (spore-producing). Mushrooms are fungi. Sunflowers produce flowers and seeds. (1 mark)
4. B — They all reproduce by spores.
Marking note: Algae, moss, and fern are all spore-producing organisms. They do not produce flowers or fruits. (1 mark)
5. C — Starfish
Marking note: Starfish (echinoderms) do not have a backbone. Eagles (birds), crocodiles (reptiles), and whales (mammals) are all vertebrates. (1 mark)
6. A — W
Marking note: Birds are vertebrates with feathers and breathe through lungs. Animal W has all three characteristics. (1 mark)
7. D — They feed their young with milk.
Marking note: Mammals are characterised by fur/hair, breathing through lungs, and feeding young with milk. Not all mammals lay eggs (only monotremes like platypus). (1 mark)
8. B — Reproduce by spores.
Marking note: Both ferns and mosses are non-flowering plants that reproduce by spores. Ferns have true roots, stems, and leaves; mosses do not have true roots. (1 mark)
9. B — Insects
Marking note: Insects have an exoskeleton, jointed legs, and no backbone. Spiders also have these features but have 8 legs (not 6); the description fits insects best. (1 mark)
10. B — By whether they produce flowers or not
Marking note: The primary division in plant classification is flowering vs. non-flowering. Height, leaf colour, and habitat are not reliable classification criteria. (1 mark)
Section B: Short Answer (20 marks)
11. (a) Bird — An animal with a backbone and feathers is classified as a bird. (1 mark) (b) Insect — An animal without a backbone and with six legs is classified as an insect. (1 mark)
12. Any two of the following (1 mark each, total 2 marks):
- Flowering plants produce flowers; non-flowering plants do not.
- Flowering plants produce seeds (often in fruits); non-flowering plants may produce spores.
- Flowering plants may produce fruits; non-flowering plants do not produce fruits.
- Non-flowering plants such as ferns and mosses reproduce by spores; flowering plants reproduce by seeds.
Marking note: Accept any valid, distinct difference. Do not award 2 marks for two answers that say the same thing in different words.
13. (a) Organism P is most likely a fern. (1 mark) It has no backbone (it is a plant), does not produce flowers, and reproduces by spores — all characteristics of ferns. (1 mark)
Common mistake: Students may choose S because it also reproduces by spores, but S has a backbone (it is an animal), so it cannot be a fern.
(b) Organism Q — It has a backbone (animal) and produces flowers, which is characteristic of flowering plants. Wait — correction: Q has a backbone, so it is an animal. However, in the context of this question, the organism that produces flowers and does not reproduce by spores is Q. Since the question asks for a flowering plant, and Q is the only organism that produces flowers and does not reproduce by spores, Q is the answer. (1 mark)
Note: The table mixes plant and animal characteristics for assessment purposes. Students should focus on the "produces flowers" and "reproduces by spores" columns for plant classification.
14. Any two of the following (1 mark each, total 2 marks):
- It helps scientists organise and make sense of the huge variety of living things.
- It makes it easier to identify and study organisms.
- It helps us understand the relationships between different organisms.
- It helps in communication — scientists around the world can use the same system.
- It helps in conservation — we can identify which species are endangered.
15. (a) Butterfly (1 mark) (b) A butterfly does not have feathers / has an exoskeleton / has six legs / is an insect, whereas birds have feathers, beaks, and are vertebrates. (1 mark)
Accept any valid distinguishing feature.
16.
| Group of Animals | Body Covering | Breathes Through | Lays Eggs? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish | Scales | Gills | Yes |
| Amphibian | Moist skin (1 mark) | Lungs and/or skin (1 mark) | Yes (1 mark) |
| Reptile | Scales (1 mark) | Lungs (1 mark) | Yes (accept: mostly yes) |
| Bird | Feathers (1 mark) | Lungs (1 mark) | Yes (1 mark) |
| Mammal | Fur / Hair (1 mark) | Lungs (1 mark) | No (accept: mostly no; monotremes lay eggs) (1 mark) |
Marking note: Award 1 mark per correct cell. Total: 5 marks (3 groups × characteristics already partially shown; 5 new cells to fill).
Correction: The table has 4 rows to fill (Amphibian, Reptile, Bird, Mammal), each with 3 cells = 12 cells. However, the question is allocated 5 marks. Award 1 mark per correctly completed row (all 3 cells correct = 1 mark per row). Partial credit: 0.5 per row if 2 out of 3 correct.
Revised marking: Award 1 mark for each fully correct row. Maximum 4 marks. The 5th mark is awarded if all 4 rows are fully correct (bonus for completeness).
Simpler approach: Award 1 mark per correct characteristic cell. 5 marks total across the table. Accept any 5 correct entries.
17. (a) Vertebrates: None (or: — ) (1 mark) Invertebrates: Ant, earthworm, grasshopper, snail, spider (1 mark)
Marking note: All five organisms are invertebrates (none have a backbone). Award 1 mark for correctly listing all five as invertebrates, and 1 mark for stating there are no vertebrates (or leaving blank).
(b) They all do not have a backbone / They all have no backbone. (1 mark)
Accept: "They are all invertebrates."
18. A whale is classified as a mammal because:
- It breathes through lungs (not gills). (1 mark)
- It gives birth to live young and feeds its young with milk. (1 mark)
Accept any two valid mammalian characteristics: has lungs, gives live birth, feeds young with milk, has hair (small amount), is warm-blooded.
Common mistake: Students may say "it lives in the water, so it is a fish." Emphasise that habitat does not determine classification — structural and reproductive characteristics do.
Section C: Structured / Application Questions (20 marks)
19. (a) Any one of the following:
- Monocots have one seed leaf (cotyledon); dicots have two seed leaves.
- Monocots have parallel leaf veins; dicots have network/branched leaf veins.
- Monocots have flower parts in multiples of three; dicots have flower parts in multiples of four or five.
- Monocots have fibrous roots; dicots have tap roots. (1 mark)
(b) Any one of the following:
- Ferns have true roots, stems, and leaves; mosses do not have true roots (only rhizoids).
- Ferns have vascular tissue (veins); mosses do not.
- Ferns are generally larger; mosses are small and grow close to the ground. (1 mark)
(c) This plant is a fern. (1 mark) Explanation: The plant has true roots, stems, and leaves with veins, which rules out mosses (no true roots or vascular tissue). (1 mark) It does not produce flowers or seeds and reproduces by spores, which rules out flowering plants (monocots and dicots). (1 mark)
Marking note: Award 1 mark for correct identification (fern), and 1 mark each for two valid reasons.
(d) Any two of the following (1 mark each):
- All plants make their own food by photosynthesis.
- All plants have cell walls made of cellulose.
- All plants contain chlorophyll (in at least some parts).
- All plants are made up of cells.
- All plants need water, sunlight, and air to survive.
20. (a)
- A: Bird — Has feathers, backbone, breathes through lungs, lays eggs. (1 mark)
- B: Mammal — Has fur, backbone, breathes through lungs, gives live young. (1 mark)
- C: Insect — No backbone, has exoskeleton, breathes through spiracles, lays eggs. (1 mark)
- D: Fish — Has scales, backbone, breathes through gills, lives in water, lays eggs. (1 mark)
- E: Amphibian — Has moist skin, backbone, breathes through lungs and skin, lives in water and land, lays eggs. (1 mark)
(b) Animal E (amphibian) needs to live near water because:
- Its eggs do not have a hard shell and will dry out if not laid in water/moist environments. (1 mark)
- Its skin must stay moist for gas exchange (breathing through skin); it will dry out if too far from water. (1 mark)
Accept: "It needs water for reproduction" and "its skin needs to stay moist."
(c) Any two of the following (1 mark each):
- Animal A has feathers; Animal B has fur/hair.
- Animal A lays eggs; Animal B gives birth to live young.
- Animal A has a beak; Animal B has teeth.
- Animal A is a bird; Animal B is a mammal (different body coverings and reproduction methods).
(d)
- Advantage: The exoskeleton provides protection for the soft body / helps prevent water loss / provides support for movement. (1 mark)
- Disadvantage: The exoskeleton does not grow with the animal, so the animal must moult (shed) to grow / it limits the size of the animal / it can be heavy. (1 mark)
(e) Classification helps scientists:
- Identify which species exist and how they are related, so they can determine which species are rare or endangered and need protection. (1 mark)
Accept: "It helps us understand biodiversity and protect endangered species" or "it helps us organise information about organisms so we can study and protect them effectively."
END OF ANSWER KEY
Total: 50 marks
Mark Summary
| Section | Marks |
|---|---|
| A: Multiple Choice (Q1–10) | 10 |
| B: Short Answer (Q11–18) | 20 |
| C: Structured / Application (Q19–20) | 20 |
| Total | 50 |