Year 7 – How Do You Plan a Fair Test?

each students how to plan and carry out a fair test with this complete lesson pack: PowerPoint, variables practice sheet, results tables, and exit ticket.

This resource is designed for the third lesson of the WJEC/KS3 Year 7 topic “I’m a Scientist” but can be adapted for any KS3 science class. It introduces the concept of a fair test and gives students the opportunity to practise identifying variables before applying their knowledge in two simple investigations.

Lesson Content Covers:

What makes a fair test.

Identifying independent, dependent, and control variables.

Planning and carrying out two investigations:

Effect of mass on spring extension.

Effect of exercise on pulse rate.

Recording results in structured tables.

Reflecting on why controlling variables is important.

What’s Included:

PowerPoint presentation (.pptx) – starter, explanations of variables, investigation instructions, safety reminders, plenary, and homework task.

Variables Practice Worksheet (.pdf) – 3 everyday scenarios for students to identify independent, dependent, and control variables.

Results Table Worksheet – Spring Extension (.pdf).

Results Table Worksheet – Pulse Rate (.pdf).

Exit Ticket Worksheet (.pdf) – quick assessment of student understanding.

How it can be used:

As a full 60-minute lesson introducing fair testing in science.

As part of the WJEC/KS3 “I’m a Scientist” scheme of work.

As a stand-alone activity to revise variables and fair testing before practicals.

Easily adaptable for cover lessons or simplified for lower ability groups.

Teacher Notes:

Suggested timings: Starter (5–10 min), Activities/Investigations (40 min), Plenary (5–10 min).

Differentiation: Provide word banks/sentence starters for lower ability students; extend higher ability with graph drawing or additional control variables.

Homework task: Research a science career and describe what it involves, skills required, and why it is interesting.

Keywords: Year 7 Science, KS3 Science, WJEC, fair test, science variables, independent variable, dependent variable, control variables, spring extension, pulse rate, introduction to science, PowerPoint, worksheets, PDF resources.

File Types: .pptx (PowerPoint), .pdf (worksheets).