Here are free Primary 1 Basic Science first term exam questions and answers for teachers, parents and pupils. The questions follow the NERDC first term scheme of work, and the answers are at the bottom of this page.

Use the paper for revision at home, a class test or your end-of-term examination. You may copy it for your own class.

Primary 1 Basic Science First Term Examination

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes  |  Total: 60 marks

Section A: Objective Questions (20 marks)

Choose the correct answer from the options A to D. Each question carries ½ mark.

1. Everything around us is called our ____.

(A) homework    (B) name    (C) environment    (D) shoe

2. Which of these is in our environment?

(A) a tree    (B) a dream    (C) a song in my head    (D) a number

3. We should keep our environment ____.

(A) dirty    (B) smelly    (C) bushy    (D) clean

4. Which of these is made by people?

(A) a tree    (B) a river    (C) a stone    (D) a house

5. A dirty environment can make us ____.

(A) sick    (B) strong    (C) tall    (D) clever

6. The room where pupils learn in school is the ____.

(A) kitchen    (B) garage    (C) classroom    (D) bathroom

7. In school, we play on the ____.

(A) roof    (B) table    (C) playground    (D) road

8. We should throw rubbish into the ____.

(A) dustbin    (B) classroom    (C) road    (D) river

9. The head teacher works in the ____.

(A) toilet    (B) market    (C) office    (D) farm

10. We keep our school clean by ____.

(A) littering    (B) writing on walls    (C) sweeping    (D) breaking chairs

11. Cars and buses move on the ____.

(A) road    (B) river    (C) roof    (D) tree

12. A road covered with black coal tar is a ____ road.

(A) untarred    (B) sandy    (C) tarred    (D) grassy

13. A red traffic light means ____.

(A) go    (B) stop    (C) run    (D) dance

14. A green traffic light means ____.

(A) go    (B) stop    (C) sleep    (D) sit down

15. We should cross the road ____.

(A) alone and running    (B) while playing    (C) with our eyes closed    (D) with an adult at a zebra crossing

16. Which of these is a primary colour?

(A) red    (B) green    (C) orange    (D) purple

17. Grass is ____ in colour.

(A) red    (B) green    (C) blue    (D) black

18. On a clear day, the sky is ____.

(A) red    (B) blue    (C) black    (D) brown

19. A ripe banana is ____.

(A) blue    (B) purple    (C) black    (D) yellow

20. Milk is ____ in colour.

(A) white    (B) red    (C) green    (D) black

21. A ball has the shape of a ____.

(A) square    (B) triangle    (C) rectangle    (D) circle

22. A shape with three sides is a ____.

(A) circle    (B) triangle    (C) square    (D) oval

23. A shape with four equal sides is a ____.

(A) circle    (B) triangle    (C) star    (D) square

24. A door has the shape of a ____.

(A) circle    (B) rectangle    (C) triangle    (D) star

25. How many sides does a square have?

(A) 3    (B) 5    (C) 4    (D) 2

26. An egg has the shape of an ____.

(A) square    (B) triangle    (C) star    (D) oval

27. The shape we see in the night sky that twinkles is a ____.

(A) square    (B) rectangle    (C) star    (D) triangle

28. A football is shaped like a ____.

(A) cube    (B) sphere    (C) cylinder    (D) cone

29. A tin of milk is shaped like a ____.

(A) sphere    (B) cylinder    (C) cube    (D) triangle

30. A box is shaped like a ____.

(A) cube    (B) sphere    (C) cylinder    (D) circle

31. Living things can ____.

(A) grow    (B) never move    (C) never eat    (D) never change

32. Which of these is a living thing?

(A) stone    (B) chair    (C) cup    (D) goat

33. Which of these is a non-living thing?

(A) goat    (B) stone    (C) tree    (D) boy

34. Living things need ____ to live.

(A) sand    (B) stones    (C) food and water    (D) toys

35. A plant is a ____ thing.

(A) non-living    (B) dead    (C) living    (D) plastic

36. Which of these is a pet?

(A) lion    (B) snake    (C) crocodile    (D) dog

37. Which of these is a wild animal?

(A) lion    (B) goat    (C) hen    (D) cat

38. Which of these is a farm animal?

(A) lion    (B) monkey    (C) elephant    (D) goat

39. The part of a plant that grows under the soil is the ____.

(A) leaf    (B) root    (C) flower    (D) fruit

40. Plants need ____ to grow well.

(A) sweets    (B) water and sunlight    (C) toys    (D) oil

Section B: Theory Questions (40 marks)

Answer any FOUR questions. Each question carries 10 marks.

1. (a) Name FIVE things in our environment. [5 marks]

(b) Write THREE ways to keep our environment clean. [5 marks]

2. (a) Name FOUR places in our school. [5 marks]

(b) What does each traffic light mean? (i) red (ii) yellow (iii) green [5 marks]

3. (a) Name the THREE primary colours. [5 marks]

(b) Name FIVE shapes. [5 marks]

4. (a) Write THREE things that living things can do. [5 marks]

(b) Name TWO pets, TWO farm animals and ONE wild animal. [5 marks]

5. Name FIVE living things and FIVE non-living things. [10 marks]

6. (a) Name FIVE parts of a plant. (b) Name FIVE things living things need to stay alive. [10 marks]

Answer Key

Section A

1. C	2. A	3. D	4. D	5. A	6. C	7. C	8. A	9. C	10. C
11. A	12. C	13. B	14. A	15. D	16. A	17. B	18. B	19. D	20. A
21. D	22. B	23. D	24. B	25. C	26. D	27. C	28. B	29. B	30. A
31. A	32. D	33. B	34. C	35. C	36. D	37. A	38. D	39. B	40. B

Give ½ mark for each correct answer (20 marks).

Section B: Marking Guide

Question 1(a) [5 marks]

• Any five, e.g. trees, houses, roads, rivers, animals, people, flowers, cars (1 mark each)

Question 1(b) [5 marks]

• Any three: sweep; throw rubbish in the dustbin; do not litter; clear gutters; plant trees (5 marks shared)

Question 2(a) [5 marks]

• Any four: classroom, office, playground, toilet, library, gate, field (5 marks shared)

Question 2(b) [5 marks]

• (i) red – stop (2)
• (ii) yellow – get ready / wait (1.5)
• (iii) green – go (1.5)

Question 3(a) [5 marks]

• Red, yellow, blue (5 marks shared)

Question 3(b) [5 marks]

• Any five: circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval, star, heart, diamond (1 mark each)

Question 4(a) [5 marks]

• Any three: grow, eat, move, breathe, have young ones (5 marks shared)

Question 4(b) [5 marks]

• Pets: e.g. dog, cat, rabbit (2)
• Farm animals: e.g. goat, cow, hen (2)
• Wild animal: e.g. lion, elephant, monkey (1)

Question 5 [10 marks]

• Living: e.g. man, goat, tree, fish, bird (5)
• Non-living: e.g. stone, chair, cup, book, car (5)

Question 6 [10 marks]

• (a) Root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit (5)
• (b) Food, water, air, shelter, sunlight (for plants) (5)

Accept other correct answers written in the pupil’s own words.

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