Here are free Primary 2 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 2 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. How many senses do we have?

(A) five    (B) two    (C) three    (D) ten

2. We see with our ____.

(A) ears    (B) nose    (C) tongue    (D) eyes

3. The small hairs on the eyelids that protect our eyes are called ____.

(A) eyebrows    (B) beards    (C) teeth    (D) eyelashes

4. Which of these is good for our eyes?

(A) rubbing them with dirty hands    (B) reading in good light    (C) looking at the sun    (D) putting sand in them

5. Which of these can harm our eyes?

(A) rubbing them with dirty hands    (B) washing our faces    (C) sleeping well    (D) eating carrots

6. We hear with our ____.

(A) eyes    (B) ears    (C) hands    (D) feet

7. Which of these makes a loud sound?

(A) a drum    (B) a feather    (C) a cotton ball    (D) a leaf

8. We feel things with our ____.

(A) hair    (B) skin    (C) teeth    (D) nails

9. Ice feels ____.

(A) hot    (B) cold    (C) sweet    (D) loud

10. We should not put ____ into our ears.

(A) clean water when bathing    (B) our pillow    (C) sticks or pins    (D) sound

11. We smell with our ____.

(A) nose    (B) ears    (C) eyes    (D) knees

12. We taste with our ____.

(A) nose    (B) eyes    (C) tongue    (D) fingers

13. Sugar tastes ____.

(A) sour    (B) bitter    (C) salty    (D) sweet

14. Lemon tastes ____.

(A) sweet    (B) sour    (C) salty    (D) hot

15. We should never taste ____.

(A) food from Mama    (B) things we do not know    (C) clean water    (D) fruits that have been washed

16. Plants grow in the ____.

(A) sky    (B) air    (C) water tank    (D) soil

17. The soil that feels rough and grainy is ____ soil.

(A) sandy    (B) clay    (C) loamy    (D) black

18. Sandy soil does not hold ____ well.

(A) water    (B) stones    (C) air    (D) sand

19. The three types of soil are sandy, clay and ____.

(A) rocky    (B) wet    (C) loamy    (D) muddy

20. Mud houses are built with ____.

(A) plastic    (B) glass    (C) soil    (D) paper

21. The soil that is sticky when wet is ____ soil.

(A) sandy    (B) loamy    (C) dry    (D) clay

22. Pots are made from ____ soil.

(A) sandy    (B) loamy    (C) stony    (D) clay

23. The best soil for growing plants is ____ soil.

(A) sandy    (B) clay    (C) red    (D) loamy

24. Loamy soil is a mixture of sand and ____.

(A) stones    (B) clay    (C) water    (D) sugar

25. Clay soil ____ when it is dry.

(A) melts    (B) flies    (C) sings    (D) cracks

26. We cannot see air, but we can ____ it.

(A) feel    (B) eat    (C) touch with a spoon    (D) colour

27. Moving air is called ____.

(A) rain    (B) water    (C) wind    (D) smoke

28. We need air to ____.

(A) see    (B) hear    (C) read    (D) breathe

29. Who needs air?

(A) only people    (B) people, animals and plants    (C) only animals    (D) only plants

30. When we blow air into a balloon, the balloon becomes ____.

(A) bigger    (B) smaller    (C) wet    (D) heavy

31. Air has no ____.

(A) colour    (B) weight at all    (C) space    (D) use

32. Air helps to dry wet ____.

(A) stones    (B) houses    (C) clothes    (D) books in water

33. Air helps a ____ to fly.

(A) stone    (B) table    (C) kite    (D) bucket

34. Smoke and dust make air ____.

(A) clean    (B) sweet    (C) cold    (D) dirty

35. When we blow into water through a straw, we see ____.

(A) fire    (B) bubbles    (C) sand    (D) stones

36. We can get water from ____.

(A) stones    (B) wells, rivers and taps    (C) trees    (D) walls

37. We need water for ____.

(A) seeing    (B) hearing    (C) drinking    (D) talking

38. Clean water has no bad ____.

(A) taste only    (B) use    (C) smell    (D) colour only

39. Drinking dirty water can make us ____.

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

40. Rain falls from the ____.

(A) ground    (B) trees    (C) clouds    (D) houses

Section B: Theory Questions (40 marks)

Answer any FOUR questions. Each question carries 10 marks.

1. (a) Name the FIVE senses and the part of the body we use for each. [5 marks]

(b) Write THREE ways to take care of our eyes. [5 marks]

2. (a) Name FOUR tastes and give ONE food for each. [5 marks]

(b) Write THREE ways to take care of our ears. [5 marks]

3. (a) Name the THREE types of soil. [5 marks]

(b) Write TWO uses of clay soil. [5 marks]

4. (a) What is air? Write TWO ways we know air is around us. [5 marks]

(b) Write THREE uses of air. [5 marks]

5. Name FIVE places where we get water and FIVE uses of water. [10 marks]

6. (a) Why should we drink clean water? (b) Write FOUR ways to keep our drinking water clean. [10 marks]

Answer Key

Section A

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

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

Section B: Marking Guide

Question 1(a) [5 marks]

• Sight – eyes; hearing – ears; smell – nose; taste – tongue; touch – skin (1 mark each)

Question 1(b) [5 marks]

• Any three: wash the face; do not rub the eyes with dirty hands; read in good light; do not look at the sun; keep sharp things away from the eyes (5 marks shared)

Question 2(a) [5 marks]

• Sweet – sugar/honey; sour – lemon/orange; bitter – bitter leaf/kola; salty – salt/crisps (5 marks shared)

Question 2(b) [5 marks]

• Any three: clean them gently; avoid very loud sounds; do not put sticks or pins in them; see a doctor if they hurt (5 marks shared)

Question 3(a) [5 marks]

• Sandy, clay and loamy soil (5 marks shared)

Question 3(b) [5 marks]

• Any two: making pots; making bricks; building mud houses; moulding (2.5 each)

Question 4(a) [5 marks]

• Air is all around us; we cannot see it but we can feel it (2)
• Any two: we breathe it; we feel the wind; balloons get bigger when we blow air into them; trees move (3)

Question 4(b) [5 marks]

• Any three: breathing; drying clothes; flying kites; winnowing grains; moving windmills and boats (5 marks shared)

Question 5 [10 marks]

• Sources: rain, river, stream, well, borehole, tap (any five) (5)
• Uses: drinking, cooking, bathing, washing clothes, watering plants (any five) (5)

Question 6 [10 marks]

• (a) Dirty water can make us sick (2)
• (b) Any four: cover water pots; use clean cups; boil water; filter water; keep animals away from water; wash hands before fetching water (8)

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

More Free Primary 2 Exam Questions

• All Primary 2 first term exam questions (free)
• Primary 2 English Language exam questions
• Primary 2 Mathematics exam questions
• Primary 2 Physical and Health Education exam questions
• Primary 2 Christian Religious Studies exam questions
• Primary 2 Islamic Studies exam questions
• Primary 2 Nigerian History exam questions
• Primary 2 Social and Citizenship Studies exam questions
• Primary 2 Cultural and Creative Arts exam questions

More Teaching Resources

• Primary 2 lesson notes
• Primary 3 first term exam questions (free)
• Primary 4 first term exam questions
• Primary 5 first term exam questions
• Primary 6 first term exam questions

Frequently Asked Questions