Time
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Approach:  Station
Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus: Planetary motion and time  
Resources:
None
148Kb
Questions/instructions:  
 
% responses
2007 ('03)
y4
y8
hour
day
week
month
year
   
Choose one word from the box which is the best answer to each question.

1. How long does it take for the Moon to go right around the Earth?
 
hour
13 (12)
4 (3)
day
32 (31)
35 (32)
week
11 (9)
12 (8)
month
19 (26)
31 (41)
year
22 (20)
15 (13)
2. How long does it take for the Earth to turn once on its own axis?
 
hour
12 (10)
7 (4)
day
23 (27)
37 (41)
week
17 (17)
15 (17)
month
24 (22)
20 (19)
year
19 (21)
19 (17)
3. How long does it take for the Earth to go right around the Sun?

hour
8 (8)
3 (2)
day
13 (16)
15 (13)
week
15 (13)
8 (7)
month
18 (15)
10 (9)
year
44 (45)
63 (66)

Total score:
3
5 (9)
18 (25)
2
14 (15)
19 (19)
1
42 (41)
39 (35)
0
39 (35)
24 (21)
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 4
Year 8
Commentary:
About 80% of year 4 students and 65% of year 8 students showed little knowledge of the relationships between planetary motion and time periods on Earth. There was little change in performance at either level between 2003 and 2007.