Your child looks at a Science table and writes, “Cup B is better.” You can see what they are trying to say, but better at what? Which result supports it? And did the question ask for a comparison or an explanation?
Before searching for a scientific keyword, help them point to the relevant numbers. A useful answer names what was measured, selects a fair comparison and says exactly what the evidence shows. Here is a short activity you can try together.
Start with the headings
Imagine that the temperature of water in two cups was recorded at the same times. Read the headings before looking for the largest number.
| Time (min) | Cup A (°C) | Cup B (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 70 | 70 |
| 5 | 64 | 67 |
| 10 | 59 | 64 |
| 15 | 55 | 61 |
Ask your child to finish this sentence: “The table shows the temperature of the water in degrees Celsius, measured at different times in minutes.” That simple sentence checks whether they know what each number represents.
If the information is shown as a graph, do the same with the axis labels, units and key. Check the scale: one small division does not always mean one unit. A point's height alone is not a reading until you have matched it to the scale.
Compare the same moment
Question: Which cup has the warmer water after 15 minutes? Use the data to support your answer.
“Cup B, because its number is bigger” leaves out the measurement. A more precise response is:
After 15 minutes, the water in Cup B is warmer: it is 61°C, compared with 55°C in Cup A.
Both values come from the 15-minute row. Comparing Cup A at 15 minutes with Cup B at 5 minutes would answer a different question. The units also matter: 61 minutes and 61°C describe completely different things.
If the question asks how much warmer, subtract the two temperatures: 61 − 55 = 6°C. The answer is a temperature difference of 6°C, not simply “6”.
A final reading is not a change
Question: Which cup's water shows the larger fall in temperature during the first 10 minutes?
This question needs two readings for each cup: its starting temperature and its temperature at 10 minutes. Looking only for the higher final temperature will not calculate the fall.
- Cup A: 70 − 59 = 11°C fall.
- Cup B: 70 − 64 = 6°C fall.
So Cup A's water shows the larger fall over that interval: 11°C compared with 6°C. Notice that the words “first 10 minutes” tell you which rows to use. The 15-minute readings do not belong in this calculation.
A helpful parent prompt is: “Are you finding a reading, a difference between cups, or a change over time?” Let your child choose before reaching for the calculator.
Keep the conclusion within the evidence
The table shows that both temperatures fall over the recorded 15 minutes. It also shows that Cup B's water has a higher temperature at each recorded time after the start. Those are observations supported by the figures.
It does not tell us what the cups are made of, whether either has a lid, how much water they contain or whether they were in the same surroundings. We cannot identify the reason for the different cooling patterns from this table alone.
For an explanation question, your child needs the setup details and the relevant Science idea as well as the results. Encourage them to return to the diagram and description, rather than invent a material or condition that the question never supplied. The illustration on this page is decorative; it is not part of the practice question.
The same restraint applies to predictions. These readings do not tell us the exact temperatures after 30 minutes. Do not extend a pattern as a certainty when the question gives no basis for doing so.
Try one question independently
Cover the worked answers above and ask: Between 5 and 15 minutes, how much does the temperature fall in each cup? Give your child time to locate both rows and write the calculations before opening the answer.
Check the answer
Cup A: 64 − 55 = 9°C. Cup B: 67 − 61 = 6°C. Over this 10-minute interval, Cup A's temperature falls by 3°C more than Cup B's. Both calculations must start at the 5-minute reading, not at 0 minutes.
If the answer is wrong, check one step at a time. Did they select the right rows? Copy the readings correctly? Subtract correctly? Include the unit? Those are different problems and call for different help.
A small routine for the next worksheet
- Name the measurement. Read the headings or axes and say the units.
- Mark the comparison. Circle the relevant time, condition or interval in the question.
- Select the evidence. Point to the exact readings you need before writing.
- Answer the question. State the comparison or calculation; add a scientific explanation only when the question calls for one.
This is a practice routine, not an official marking formula. Some questions need a description of a pattern, some need a calculation, and others need an explanation. The aim is to help your child make that choice deliberately.
Keep the first attempt short: one table and one question are enough to see where help is needed. If interpreting Science data keeps causing difficulty, you can explore our P4–P6 Science classes or lower-secondary classes and discuss an example with us at a free trial.