Change One Thing: Variables in an Experiment

About This Resource

A complete Grade 6 science pack on planning fair tests with variables: the independent variable (what you change), the dependent variable (what you measure) and the control variables (what you keep the same). Students identify variables in real investigations, spot unfair tests, write a testable question and hypothesis, and plan and run a ramp investigation with repeated readings. Includes slides with notes, a lesson plan, worksheet, quiz, homework, flashcards, a rubric and answer keys.

Overview

Students learn that a good experiment changes only one thing at a time. The thing we change is the independent variable, the thing we measure is the dependent variable, and everything else we keep the same are the control variables. Students practice naming the variables in several investigations, find what makes a test unfair, write a testable question and a hypothesis, and see why repeating measurements makes results more reliable. They then plan and carry out a ramp investigation to find out how the height of a ramp affects how far a toy car rolls.

Resource Details

Subject: Science
Topic: Variables in an Experiment
Category: Science Experiments
File Type: PDF
File Size: 359.6 KB
Published: 09 Nov 2026
Downloads: 0

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Grade 6 (ages 11–12) 60 minutes Working scientifically planning fair tests measuring repeating readings evaluating

Learning Objectives

Identify the independent, dependent and control variables in an investigation.
Explain why changing only one variable makes a test fair.
Plan an investigation with a testable question, a hypothesis and repeated measurements.

How to Use This Resource

Start with the slides: show two students racing paper planes made from different paper and thrown by different people, and ask whether the race is fair.
Teach the three kinds of variable with the slides and flashcards, then do worksheet activities 1 and 2 together.
Run the ramp investigation, let students complete activities 3 to 6, then use the quiz and send the homework page home.

Classroom Activity Ideas

Ramp test: change the height of a ramp (independent), measure how far a toy car rolls (dependent) and keep the car, surface and starting point the same (control).
Unfair test detective: show short descriptions of badly planned tests and ask groups to fix them.
Variable sort: give cards for one investigation and ask students to sort them into change, measure and keep the same.

Differentiation

Support: give a planning frame with the sentence starters "I will change…", "I will measure…" and "I will keep the same…". Challenge: students explain why an anomalous result should be repeated and how a line graph shows the pattern.

Assessment

Use the worksheet and quiz to check identifying variables and spotting unfair tests. Use the rubric during the ramp investigation and for the homework plan.

Teacher Tips

A quick way to remember: I change the Independent variable, I measure the Dependent variable, and I keep the Control variables the same. Encourage students to repeat each measurement three times and find the mean.

What's Included

10-page printable PDF lesson pack: teacher lesson plan with timings, materials and differentiation
Key vocabulary list (8 words with meanings and examples)
Student worksheet (6 activities)
Quiz / assessment (3 parts)
Homework practice page
Printable flashcards: 8 A5 picture cards (separate PDF)
Assessment rubric (4 levels)
Lesson slides (editable PowerPoint)
Editable Word version of all student pages
Complete answer key (also as a separate PDF)

Additional Files

Lesson Slides (PPTX)
Editable Student Pages and Lesson Plan (DOCX)
A5 Flashcards (PDF)
Answer Key (PDF)

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