PSLE 2009 - Science
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justsay:
Can yr daughter remember what the actual wording was like?
Yes it did mentioned. My daughter told me about it the other day, when someone mentioned about bees.
Thanks. -
kohjl:
Can yr daughter remember what the actual wording was like?justsay:
Yes it did mentioned. My daughter told me about it the other day, when someone mentioned about bees.
Thanks.
She's in school now so I can't verify the exact wording but what she told me was the same... \"fruit trees, vegetables and butterflies make up the community\".
I'll check with her to see if she can still remember when she is back. -
Augmum:
If it was clearly mentioned that it was a \"closed community\", then the parameters/context are somewhat clearer.yes, my gal said that it was mentioned that butterflies land on the flowers/fruit, telling us that the flowers of the fruit trees are pollinated by butterflies. (exact words can't remember). she could remember the word \"butterflies\" becos she highlighted it.
BUT if the question just stated that \"butterflies land on the flowers/fruit\", it only tells me that butterflies are pollinators but they may not be the only pollinators. And if the question does not say that it is a closed community, then should a Science student logically assume that it is?
A child, who has read that \"honeybees are the most important pollinators of agricultural and horticultural crops\" (eg, http://www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/RPIO-4ZT843?open) or that \"Honeybees are the most important natural carriers of pollen\" (eg, http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6001) may think that he is being tested on his knowledge about pollinators in general (AND also being tested on his ability to make logical assumptions in scientific enquiry). He may thus conclude that even though caterpillars have been all killed by the pesticides (and hence no butterflies), there are still bees and other forms of insect pollination.
And even if \"closed community\" was mentioned, can a science student logically assume that there is no wind pollination, if the question does not specifically state that? Wind, after all, is part of environmental conditions and is not a population for inclusion or exclusion in a community.
What's more, with fruit trees being healthier now (since there are no caterpillars ravaging the leaves), the child will then logically conclude that these fruit trees will bear more fruits.
So the child's answer wld be vegetables/plants increased, fruits increased.
It really boils down to how the question was phrased, and how clearly it had conveyed the parameters/context that it was a closed community comprising only vegetables/plants, fruit trees and catepillars, that there are no other pollinators, and not to consider wind pollination. This is something we parents do not know and can never be certain of, since everything is hearsay from our kids who are only too glad that the PSLE exams are over and done with!
And I think the only thing on my son's mind now is playing computer games! :lol: -
Augmum:
Hi Augmum,
any1?? plasmastorm, can u remember the above 2 questions?? thks.
I'll ask PlasmaStorm when he comes home. Hope he can remember...but like I said, he only has computer games on his mind right now! Got to curtail that soon as I don't want him to get addicted... -
kohjl,
I fully agree that it all boils down to how the question was phrased. Too often, the discussions in this forum take a life of their own with parents debating answers without full knowledge of the questions asked, making their own assumptions and adding their own parameters. Even the children themselves don’t always remember the exact phrasing of the question, and as has been demonstrated in this question, sometimes miss a vital statement in the question.
Our children have moved on to their computer games, catching up on reading, playing with friends etc. Maybe we should too. -
turquoise:
Fully agree! Need the break... going on a much-needed holiday with neglected hubby soon. Yay!kohjl,
Our children have moved on to their computer games, catching up on reading, playing with friends etc. Maybe we should too.
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hi kohjl
thks for asking yr son for the 2 questions.
I asked my gal AGAIN the butterflies question…(she said that i very "fann" asked so many questions) :x
ok, she said it was stated "only butterflies land on the flowers"
seemed that cannot her ask any more questions…her only answersnow is "Aiya…mummy…please lah…"
just like what u had said, the only thing now she has in mind is to PLAY COMPUTER GAMES. -
Augmum:
Same for my daughter. As far as she is concerned, PSLE is over, she does not wish to discuss any question.... According to her, immediately after HCL, everyone cheered loudly (according to my son last year, the P6 cohort started counting down from the last 10sec. strangely, the invigilator did not stop them). When I asked her if any teacher has discussed with them the answers to the PSLE questions, she said \"No one at school talks about PSLE anymore!\"
....(she said that i very \"fann\" asked so many questions) :x
seemed that cannot her ask any more questions.......her answers now are \"Aiya....mummy........please lah........\"
just like what u had said, the only thing now she has in mind is PLAY COMPUTERS GAMES.
They are now busy with preparing for the upcoming bazaar. The school's post-PSLE activities for them include movie screenings, sexuality education, chess enrichment, visits to the Zoo, cinema, Pasir Ris Park, Snow City & etc.
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Augmum:
This question resembles a Pure Physics O levels MCQ question which shows two bulbs arranged in series and then one additional bulb is connected in parallel arrangement to the first bulb and the question ask what happens to the brightness of the second bulb.How about the question regarding the addition of the bulb, any1 can remember the diagram?
The answer will be the first bulb becomes dimmer and the second bulb becomes brighter. The explanation is that the potential difference for the first bulb and second bulb is the same before the additional bulb is connected in parallel to the first bulb. But when the additional bulb is connected, the potential difference (or voltage) of first bulb is reduced and that of second bulb is increased (since the emf of the battery is the same). The fall in voltage for first bulb is due to the lower combined effective resistance as a result of the parallel arrangement of bulbs. Anyway I ask one of my new student preparing for O levels, and he got that question wrong.
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Augmum:
seemed that cannot her ask any more questions.......her answers now are \"Aiya....mummy........please lah........\"
When I asked her if any teacher has discussed with them the answers to the PSLE questions, she said \"No one at school talks about PSLE anymore!\"
haha...that's exactly the same answer I've got when I tried asking just now about the populations in the community.
Yes, I guessed it's about time to stop it and move on. Seems like it's a little late now trying to book tour for the period after result release. So many tell me booking is full. Oh dear.
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