As a subject, few explore quite the same breadth of topics as science. Not only does it make up three individual disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, but each of these can be further broken down. Students will discover everything from the boiling point of liquids and the inner workings of a blue whale through to the complexities of the red planet Mars and fun facts about the skeletal system or periodic table.
This makes science the perfect subject for classroom quizzes. There’s so much to learn and so many ways to learn it outside of simple experimentation or textbooks.
A science quiz can test both your student’s knowledge and help reinforce a subject you’ve just gone through, making them an ideal revision and teaching tool at the same time. They can be as simple as a few questions on a board or be made even more fun and engaging with an interactive display or interactive whiteboard. We’re going to run you through a few of our favourite interactive quizzes for science lessons across Key Stage 2 to GCSE.
How to make a science quiz for your class
The key is to keep your science trivia light. Add in a few complex questions to keep it engaging, but remember, this isn’t an exam. You can create a quiz on a handout, run it through software like MicrosoftTM PowerpointTM or take advantage of the best interactive quiz apps.
Our tips for putting together fun science quizzes are:
- Tailor your quiz to the age group and ability level.
- Mix up the format of your questions – you don’t want everything to be multiple choice!
- Decide whether your students are working alone or as a team.
- Pick a reward, if you want.
- Work out if a quiz is the right choice for your subject. Would a classroom science game work better?
So, with that in mind, it’s time to help you find the best science quiz for every key stage.
Four KS2 science quiz ideas
Science at KS2 hasn’t formally split the subject out into science, chemistry and physics yet, but each still forms the backbone of the curriculum. Subjects like the living world, the solar system, the human body and materials are ideal for quizzes. Here’s a selection of our favourite KS2 quizzes for science.
MicrosoftTM PowerpointTM science quiz for KS2 – Twinkl
A perfect quiz for testing your student’s general science knowledge at the end of the year. It’s a fun science quiz that you just need a computer to run too with just a handful of science trivia questions. You could even use it as a template to make your own. Each question focuses on subject matter from KS2 science like photosynthesis, forms of water, ‘fair’ tests and how you look after your teeth.
Speaking scientifically – Kahoot!
KS2 Science isn’t just about learning the subject itself, it’s also when a number of new pieces of equipment and terms get introduced to your students. This quiz will help your students memorise key scientific terms and equipment.
Earth and space – Kahoot!
When students are first discovering space it can be a wondrous and exciting experience. This quiz covers the solar system, planet earth and a number of key definitions and terms. You’ll be quizzing your students on the nearest star to Earth, what causes seasons and the definition of planets.
Three KS3 science quizzes
Once your students reach secondary school science really changes. Their lessons will be divided up into chemistry, physics and biology and may even take place in a science lab. Quizzes at KS3 can be used to help students learn concepts they’ve seen in an experiment while working scientifically.
KS3 Biology quiz: Variation – Quizlet
Quizlet lets you turn flashcards into a test for your interactive display. This particular Quizlet focuses on biological variations, with a range of science trivia questions around organisms and other subjects. Each question is either multiple choice or a true/false statement.
KS3 Chemistry quiz: Chromatography – Wordwall
A simple quiz that asks you to match up the annotations to the points on the diagram. This will help students understand the basics of chromatography including the terms and equipment they’ll need.
KS3 Physics: Energy & Forces – Quizizz
This is a simple Quizizz science quiz that’s designed to test your students knowledge on basic physics concepts. Your students will be quizzed on speed, forces, liquids, volume and a number of other important concepts that they’ll need across their time learning physics.
Bonus – KS3 science quizzes from Kahoot!
Kahoot! put together a whole suite of science quizzes that are ideal for teaching students across a whole range of subjects and ages. You’ll need a subscription, but these are well worth checking out if you’re after some inspiration. Here’s the Science by Kahoot! collection.
3 KS4 science quizzes for CCSE students
Quizzes are perfect for helping students prepare for their Science GCSEs. They can be used to sport holes or simply to recap on a particular subject. Students will improve their quantitative analysis, understand that every effect has one or more causes and that change is driven by interactions between different objects and systems. Chemistry, biology and physics, while taught separately, will intertwine and share similar themes.
KS4 Biology: Revision quiz – GCSE Bitesize
These are actually example exam questions, but the interactive format of GCSE bitesize makes them an ideal revision tool. You can stick them up on your interactive display or have your students go through them on their own workstations. They cover the whole of GCSE Biology from red blood cells to cloning and change in mass.
KS4 Physics Quiz: Momentum – Kahoot!
A simple five question quiz all about momentum. Your students will need to know the formula for calculating momentum and a number of other things about the state. The quiz covers basic definitions and then challenges your students to use the formula to calculate momentum based on a number of scenarios.
KS4 Chemistry – Acids, Alkalis and Salt – Kahoot!
Time to see how well your students have absorbed all your lessons on acids and alkalis. Each time-limited question will quiz them on ions, a different chemical formula or simple definitions.
More classroom quizzes and games
Still need some inspiration? We’re here to help. We’ve created a number of teaching resources across maths, science and English to help you create engaging lessons and get the best results possible for your students. Check out:
- The ultimate list of classroom games
- Our favourite classroom quiz games and apps
- Math quizzes for kids
- English quizzes for kids
If you have enjoyed this guide, why not check out some of our other expert interactive whiteboard resources.
Use interactive displays to level up your science quizzes
Not every science lesson needs an elaborate experiment to be engaging. Each of these quizzes can be used on the Promethean ActivPanel display, to help shape the scientists of the future. Many of them work with specific apps but you can also load most of them right into your web browser.
Are you interested in learning more or getting an ActivPanel interactive display for your classroom? Speak with a Promethean expert and request your free demo today!