Year 7 Domain Science Date Assigned Due Date

Assessment Task Title: The Landing Time of a Parachute

Student’s Name:

Assessment Task
Imagine you are skydiving. As you are falling through the air, what forces would be acting on you? How would these forces affect certain
things, such as: the time it takes for you to reach the ground? Or, the speed you reach the ground at? What properties of your parachute would
also have an effect on these variables?

Your task is to build a parachute out of materials of your choice, and investigate the effects that size or shape
(of the canopy) or weight (of the person) will have on the landing time of your parachute.

Before starting your experiment you will need to consider the safety procedures you should follow during the experiment, the
variables to be controlled and how you can improve the reliability of your results. You will have to complete a science report using
the following report sections;

Aim, Hypothesis, Materials, Method, Results, Discussion Questions and Conclusion.

To start your experiment you will need to write down your Aim, Hypothesis, Materials and Method and complete Section 1. You will also need to
consider how you will record your results. A table similar to the one below can be constructed.

1. Area of Canopy
Time taken to fall (seconds)
or 2. Shape of Canopy
or 3. Weight of Person
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average
1 E.g. Diameter 10cm, 20cm, 30cm …

2 E.g. Shape Square, circle, triangle…

3 E.g. Weight 10g, 20g, 30g …

Section 1: Science Safety Rules and Variables

1. Identify each of the safety considerations using SAM.

Spot the hazard
Assess the risk
Make the change
2. Identify the dependent and independent variable in the experiment?
3. What other factors need to be controlled during the experiment?
4. How will you ensure that you have improved the reliability of your results?

Section 2: Science Report & Discussion Questions

5. Make a comment on the effect of the average drop time for the variable you tested.
6. Include a diagram of your parachute and person explaining what forces are acting on the parachute at the start, middle and end of its
flight.
7. What forces are acting on an autumn leaf as it falls from a tree and how would its flight down differ to that of the parachute you
constructed?
Rubric for assessing your work _________________________________
Progression Points Beyond expectations On target with expectations Meeting expectations Working towards expectation
Rubric Description    

Part 1: Science Safety Student has been able to spot the Student has been able to spot the Student has been able to spot the
Rules and Variables main hazards main hazards main hazards
-and- -and-
Science Inquiry Skills Has made changes based in hazards Has made changes based in hazards
identified identified
-and-
Provided detail of assessment of risks
Score /3 /2 /1
Hypotheses Uses information and knowledge from Uses information and knowledge from Uses information and knowledge from Uses information and knowledge from
secondary sources (eg. things you previous investigations and from previous investigations to predict the previous investigations to predict the
Section 2 have seen on TV or Read) to predict secondary sources (eg. things you expected results for both situations. expected results for one situation.
Science Inquiry: the expected results from all have seen on TV or Read) to predict
Questioning and situations. in detail the expected results from
predicting -and- both situations.
Suggests other investigations that
could be undertaken to further
research the topic.
Score /3 /2 /1
identify and considering indicators of identify and considering indicators of identify and considering indicators of identify and considering indicators of
the quality of the data when analysing the quality of the data when analysing the quality of the data when analysing the quality of the data when analysing
Section 3 results results results results
Science Inquiry:
-and- -and- -and-
Evaluating,
comment on the validity of comment on the validity of comment on the validity of
(Summary Question 4)
conclusions drawn from experimental conclusions drawn from experimental conclusions drawn from experimental
data. data. data.
–and- –and-
Suggest improvements to Suggest improvements to
investigation methods that would investigation methods that would
improve the accuracy of the data improve the accuracy of the data
recorded recorded
-and-
report investigation findings, including
identification of sources of
experimental errors and comments
related to the supporting or disproving
of hypotheses.
Score /3 /2 /1
Section 4 Student has been able to comment on Student has been able to comment on Student has been able to comment on Student has been able to comment on
the effect of the variable on drop time the effect of the variable on drop time the effect of the variable on drop time the effect of the variable on drop time
Discussion -and- -and- -and- -and-
Has included a diagram with the Has included a diagram with the Has included a diagram with the Has included a diagram with the
forces labelled and explained forces labelled and explained forces labelled and explained forces labelled
-and- -and-
 The different forces acting on an The different forces acting on an
autumn leaf and parachute are autumn leaf and parachute are
explained. explained.
-and-
The factors effecting the flight path of
the leaf
Score /3 /2 /1

/12 % Score S/N Result