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Fair Test Squash Recipe: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 6
- ForYear 6
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Fair Test Squash Recipe is a free printable science worksheet for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11). Children complete a recipe card for cups of squash, then answer questions about fractions, ratio and fair testing. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children start with a checklist for measuring carefully. Then they fill in a table for each cup, showing the squash to water ratio, the millilitres of squash and the millilitres of water. Numbered questions follow. Children compare cups using fractions, scale a mix up for a bigger batch, and explain what makes the test fair. There is space under each question for the answer.
- Cup
- Squash : water
- Squash (ml)
- Water (ml)
- Which cup has the largest fraction of squash?
- What fraction of cup D is squash?
- Mia makes 600 ml of the cup A mix. How much squash does she need?
- Name one thing Mia keeps the same to make it a fair test.
- Read the jug at eye level on a flat table
- Use the same jug for every cup
- Write each amount in the table
Worked example: sharing out a mix
A cup of squash has squash to water in the ratio 1 : 5. The cup holds 300 ml altogether. How much squash and how much water does it need?
This is a different question from the sheet, with different numbers. It shows two ways children can work.
Method 1: use equal parts- Add the parts: 1 + 5 = 6 parts in total.
- Share the total between the parts: 300 ÷ 6 = 50 ml in one part.
- Squash is 1 part, so 50 ml. Water is 5 parts, so 5 × 50 = 250 ml.
- Check: 50 + 250 = 300 ml.
- Squash is 1 part out of 6, so it is 1/6 of the cup.
- Find 1/6 of 300: 300 ÷ 6 = 50 ml of squash.
- Water is the rest of the cup: 300 take away 50 is 250 ml.
How the sheet builds understanding
Measure and record
The checklist comes first. It reminds children how to read a jug and how to write amounts in the table. Careful measuring is the base for everything else.
Turn a ratio into amounts
Children use each ratio to work out the squash and the water in millilitres. They need to think about parts and the whole cup.
Compare using fractions
Children describe how much of a cup is squash as a fraction. This lets them compare cups that look different on paper.
Scale up and explain
A bigger batch needs the same recipe, so children scale a mix. Then they think about what a fair test needs.
Why squash makes a good fair test
Squash is a strong drink that is mixed with water before it is drunk. The recipe decides how strong it tastes and how dark it looks. That makes it a handy way to practise ratio. A ratio compares parts, so 1 part squash to 2 parts water means the same mix whether you make a small cup or a big jug.
A fair test changes only one thing and keeps everything else the same, so any difference in the results comes from that one change. Scientists call the things that can change variables. Careful measuring in millilitres matters too. A jug read from above or on a tilt can give a slightly wrong amount, which spoils the comparison.
If you try a cup for real, use clean jugs and cups. Check the squash label for allergens before anyone tastes anything. Wipe up spills straight away so nobody slips.
Quick facts about measuring and testing
- There are 1000 millilitres in 1 litre.
- A fair test changes one thing at a time.
- Scientists often repeat a test to check their results.
- A measuring jug has marks on the side so you can read an amount.
- A table is a neat way to keep results in order.
Skills and curriculum link
- Measuring in millilitres
- Fair testing
- Ratio and fractions
- Recording results in a table
- Controlling variables
Ideas that help with this sheet
- Fair testOnly one thing is changed. Everything else stays the same, so the results can be compared.
- RatioA ratio compares parts. The order matters, so squash to water is not the same as water to squash.
- Fraction of a wholeCount all the parts in the cup. A fraction is one group of parts shown over that total.
- Reading a jugPut the jug on a flat surface. Bring your eyes level with the mark. Read the line, not a guess.
Key words
- RatioA way to compare two amounts by showing how many parts of each there are.
- FractionA part of a whole, such as one part out of five equal parts.
- Millilitre (ml)A small unit for measuring liquid. 1000 ml make 1 litre.
- VariableSomething in a test that can change.
- Fair testA test where only one thing changes and the rest stay the same.
- PartOne equal share of a mix or a whole.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for yourself, as it has the notes and answers.
- Read the checklist together. Talk about why each tick helps the measuring to be accurate.
- Children fill in the table first, then answer the questions. Have a measuring jug ready to try one cup for real.
- Work through the first questions together. Ask, "How did you decide that?" and let your child explain their method.
- Check against page 2. Come back another day to redo any tricky parts, because repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Draw the cup as equal strips, one strip for each part of the mix. Count the strips to find the total. Then share the total amount by the number of strips to find the size of one part. Do one cup at a time.
To stretch confident children
Design two new cups, E and F, with new ratios that still make 200 ml. Fill in a table for them, then predict which cup will look darkest. Explain your thinking using fractions before you test it.
Make it a game
Make the cups with real squash and water, using the same jug and the same cups for each. Then rank them by colour before checking the ratios. An adult can pour. Who ranked them correctly?
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child reads a ratio of 1 : 5 as one fifth of the cup.
Try thisAdd the parts first. The cup has 1 + 5 = 6 parts, so squash is one sixth. Drawing strips shows this clearly.
Watch forThe amounts in the table do not match the size of the cup.
Try thisAdd the squash and water for each cup. The total should match the size of the cup. If it does not, recheck the part size.
Watch forA child reads the jug from above and the amount is slightly wrong.
Try thisPut the jug on a flat table. Bring your eyes level with the line and read it from there.
Talk about it
- Why does a scientist keep some things the same in a test?
- How can you tell which cup has more squash without measuring it?
- What would change if you used a different jug for each cup?
- How could you show a ratio as a drawing?
- If you make a bigger batch, what must stay the same about the recipe?
- What would you test next with the same equipment?
Take it off the page
Colour strip chart
Draw rows of equal strips and colour some in to match different ratios. Compare which rows have the most colour.
Fair test at home
Make paper aeroplanes. Change only one thing, such as the length of the wings, and keep the rest the same. Record how far each one flies.
Millilitre hunt
Look at the labels on bottles, cartons and jugs. Write down how many millilitres each holds and put them in order from smallest to largest.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Ask them to explain each choice. If you have a measuring jug, trying one cup for real helps the ratios make sense.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a unit on fair testing, as a link between science and ratio in maths, or as homework. It needs no preparation. Page 2 has help and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
Home educators
Pair it with a real mixing session in the kitchen using clean jugs and cups. Repeat the activity later for brothers and sisters or as a recap, and ask your child to talk through a fair test of their own.
Where this fits in learning
Before this sheet, children meet simple fractions, measuring in millilitres and the idea of testing things. They learn that a test is only useful if it is carried out carefully and recorded clearly.
After this sheet, children can plan their own fair tests, choose which variable to change and decide what to measure. In maths they can go on to scale recipes and solve problems with ratio and proportion.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Fair Test Squash Recipe for?
It is written for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11), in Key Stage 2. Younger children can try it with help, and older children can use it as a quick revision task.
- What will children practise?
They practise working scientifically: measuring in millilitres, controlling variables for a fair test and recording results in a table. They also use fractions and ratio to compare mixes.
- Do we need real squash and water?
No. The sheet works with paper and a pencil. A measuring jug and a little squash are helpful if you want to try one cup for real, but they are optional.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Slow down and use drawings. Show a cup as equal strips, one strip for each part, and share the total by the number of strips. Do one cup at a time.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Printing in black and white is fine.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.