• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Reading tables and line graphs; Repeat readings, means and anomalies). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. A group measured how far a toy car travelled three times: 73, 74 and 75 cm. What is the mean? Give your answer to 1 decimal place. → 74 cmPrompt: Add the three readings.
2. Number of cells → Bulb brightness (lux) 2 → 26 4 → 31 30 → 36 40 → 41 25 → 46 What happens to “Bulb brightness (lux)” as “Number of cells” increases? (it stays the same / it increases / it decreases / it goes up then down) → it increasesPrompt: Read down the second column. Are the numbers getting bigger or smaller?
3. A group measured how far a toy car travelled three times: 60, 59 and 59 cm. What is the mean? Give your answer to 1 decimal place. → 59.3 cmPrompt: Add the three readings.

• Show a simple experiment with one thing changed and ask what makes it a fair test.
• Share the objective: Interpreting data from tables and graphs. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Study: Cooling coffee. Time (min) → Temperature (°C) 0 → 83 5 → 73 10 → 63 15 → 53 20 → 43 Estimate the value at 17.5, assuming the pattern between neighbouring points is a straight line.
• Step 1: (53 + 43) ÷ 2 = 48
• Step 2: So the answer is: 48
• Answer: 48
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Study: Stretching a spring. Force (N) → Extension (cm) 0 → 0 1 → 4 2 → 8 3 → 12 4 → 16 5 → 20 Estimate the value at 2.5, assuming the pattern between neighbouring points is a straight line. → 10Prompt: 2.5 lies halfway between 2 and 3.
2. Study: Light and pondweed. Distance from lamp (cm) → Bubbles per minute 10 → 46 20 → 40 30 → 34 40 → 28 50 → 22 How does “Bubbles per minute” change as “Distance from lamp (cm)” increases? (It decreases steadily. / It increases steadily. / It stays about the same. / It increases to a maximum, then decreases.) → It decreases steadily.Prompt: Read the second column from top to bottom.

• Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
• Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Study: Stretching a spring. Force (N) → Extension (cm) 0 → 0 1 → 3 2 → 6 3 → 9 4 → 12 5 → 15 At which value of “Force (N)” was the lowest value recorded? (0 / 1 / 2 / 4) → 0Prompt: Find the smallest number in the second column.
2. Study: Solubility of a salt in water. Temperature (°C) → Solubility (g per 100 g water) 0 → 12 20 → 16 40 → 20 60 → 24 80 → 28 How does “Solubility (g per 100 g water)” change as “Temperature (°C)” increases? (It increases to a maximum, then decreases. / It decreases steadily. / It stays about the same. / It increases steadily.) → It increases steadily.Prompt: Read the second column from top to bottom.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-10.