Home / Science / Printables / Grade 2 / Sunlight, Water, or Both Sunlight, Water, or Both is a free printable Grade 2 science worksheet on planning an investigation into what plants need to grow, aligned to Common Core standard 2-LS2-1. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
One paper per pupil
Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.
Sunlight, Water, or Both 2-LS2-1
Name Date
Circle the best answer.
1. Why were all four trays sown on the same day?
A. So only the sunlight and the water differed between them B. So the class was busy C. So the trays matched 2. Tray 1 had sunlight and water and grew thick green grass. Tray 2 had sunlight and no water and grew nothing. What does that show?
A. Grass hates sunlight B. Sunlight is not needed C. Without water nothing grows at all 3. What would settle whether a plant needs soil as well?
A. A tray with water and light but no soil B. Watching tray 1 for longer C. Asking a gardener 4. Tray 4 had neither. What does its result add?
A. Nothing at all B. It proves soil is useless C. It shows what happens with nothing, to compare the others against 5. How long should a plant test run?
A. One afternoon B. Long enough for a difference to show, such as three weeks C. Until somebody gets bored 6. What should be kept the same in a plant test?
A. The seed, the soil and the tray B. The amount of light in every tray C. Nothing, so it is interesting 7. A pupil waters one tray more than the others. What is wrong?
A. The tray will be tidier B. Two things now differ, so the result cannot be explained C. Nothing, more water is better 8. Tray 3 had water and no sunlight and grew pale thin grass. What does that show?
A. Water is not needed B. Sunlight does nothing C. Water lets it grow, but sunlight is needed to grow thick and green LessonPrint · 2-LS2-1 · Set 21 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Sunlight, Water, or Both Set 21. Prints on its own sheet.
1. So only the sunlight and the water differed between them 2. Without water nothing grows at all 3. A tray with water and light but no soil 4. It shows what happens with nothing, to compare the others against 5. Long enough for a difference to show, such as three weeks 6. The seed, the soil and the tray 7. Two things now differ, so the result cannot be explained 8. Water lets it grow, but sunlight is needed to grow thick and green Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to 2-LS2-1 of the Next Generation Science Standards.