Nature of Science
Hannah has many questions about the birds that visit Florida during the year. Which is the most useful
question for a science investigation?
A. Do the birds enjoy Florida’s weather the same way that people do?
B. Which is the prettiest bird that visits Florida?
C. Do all the birds leave and arrive in Florida at the same times of the year or at different times?
D. Should a bird replace oranges on the license plates for Florida?
C. Do all the birds leave and arrive in Florida at the same times of the year or at different times?
What do migration and hibernation have in common with each other?
A. Both slow down the body functions of an animal.
B. Both allow an animal to avoid living in a cold, snowy winter.
C. Both are used only by large animals, such as bears and elephants.
D. Both may help an animal survive cold winter weather, when food is scarce.
D. Both may help an animal survive cold winter weather, when food is scarce.
Oliver and Eduardo are comparing liquids. Which property shows a difference between a cup of milk and a cup of water?
A. Volume B. Hardness C. Color D. Magnetism
C. Color
Vicky and Bill are reporting on the make-up the Universe. How should they define a galaxy?
A. a star and the objects in orbit around it
B. all the planets of a star system but not the star itself
C. a huge system of many stars and objects around them as well as gas and dust
D. all of the stars that are visible in Earth’s sky
C. a huge system of many stars and objects around them as well as gas and dust
What is the role of the flowers of grass plants?
A attracting animals
B making food
C making seeds
D making spores
C making seeds
Lois’s family raises potatoes and other crops on their farm in Florida. Lois wonders if too much water can damage a potato crop. In an experiment, she thoroughly soaks the soil beneath a few of the potato plants. Then, she compares their growth with the rest of the potato crop.
What is the control group of the experiment?
A. the potato plants that have soaked soil
B. the potato plants that do not have soaked soil
C. all of the farm’s plants, except for the potato plants
D. the potato plants that are damaged by heavy rain
A. the potato plants that have soaked soil
Amelia is comparing the physical adaptations of animals and plants. Which plant adaptation has a purpose similar to the shell of a turtle?
A. the spines of a cactus
B. the bright flower of a daisy
C. the broad leaves of a rubber tree
D. the deep, wide root of a carrot plant
A. the spines of a cactus
The Socha family cooks breakfast together. Jonathan observes how the food changes as it cooks. Which of the following changes is caused by temperature?
A. A stick of butter is sliced into pieces.
B. Flour and water are mixed to make pancake batter.
C. Pancake batter is poured onto a griddle.
D. Pancake batter is changed into a cooked pancake.
D. Pancake batter is changed into a cooked pancake.
The four outer planets are all much larger than Earth and the other inner planets. How else are the four outer planets similar to one another?
A. They have oceans of liquid water.
B. Their surfaces are made of rock.
C. Their surfaces are much warmer than Earth.
D. They have surfaces made of gas.
D. They have surfaces made of gas.
Which is a group of invertebrates that lays eggs?
A amphibians
B reptiles
C insects
D fish
C insects
Which is a verified observation?
A. The plant is small
B. The plant is 2 inches smaller than the tree
C. The plant loves water
D. The children take care of the plants
B. The plant is 2 inches smaller than the tree
Doctor Glenn is concerned about the levels of sugar in a patient’s blood. The patient has too much sugar in the blood after a heavy meal and not enough sugar at other times. Which of the patient’s organ is most likely to be performing its function correctly?
A. Stomach B. Heart C. Pancreas D. Liver
C. Pancreas
Molasses is a thick, sticky liquid. Aidan and Mikayla try to dissolve molasses in water. What can they do to make the molasses dissolve faster?
A. Blow it
B. Stir it
C. Use less water
D. Use smaller container
B. Stir it
Aisling’s group is making a model of the solar system. The teacher suggests including asteroids in the model. Where should the group place the asteroids?
A. between Mercury and the Sun
B. near Earth
C. between Mars and Jupiter
D. near Pluto and its moon
C. between Mars and Jupiter
Cheri is investigating the phases of the moon. Tonight,
she notices that the moon appears as a half circle,
which is a first-quarter Moon. When can she next
expect the moon to appear in this phase?
A about one week
B about two weeks
C about four weeks, or one month
D about six months, or half of a year
C about four weeks, or one month
Marni is planning an investigation of the insect pests that damage Florida citrus trees. Which of these actions must be included in any useful investigation of these insects?
A. observing the insects
B. stating a hypothesis about the insects
C. identifying a variable and controls for an experiment
D. proposing a way to prevent damage to citrus trees
C. identifying a variable and controls for an experiment
Which support structure could students observe in many invertebrates?
A. a woody trunk
B. an internal skeleton made of flexible tissues
C. an internal skeleton made of hard bones
D. an exoskeleton, or hard covering around the animal
C. an internal skeleton made of hard bones
All the science students use devices that transform energy from one form into another. Which everyday object is useful because it transforms electrical energy into light energy?
A. A television set
B. A clothes dryer
C. A solar-powered calculator
D. A battery
A. A television set
Theo and Ana observe the ocean at the beach. Which of their ideas correctly explains how the ocean affects the water cycle?
A. When ocean waves are large, high winds push clouds through the sky.
B. The temperature of the ocean affects the amount of water vapor in the air.
C. The ocean makes rain salty because salt evaporates with water from the ocean.
D. When the ocean is calm, more clouds form in the atmosphere.
B. The temperature of the ocean affects the amount of water vapor in the air.
Helene has gathered and identified several samples of
rocks for her rock collection. Which is an example of a
metamorphic rock?
A limestone, which forms from minerals that are
deposited from seawater
B marble, which forms when high heat and pressure
are applied to limestone
C basalt, which forms from magma that cools and
hardens
D sandstone, which forms from sand grains that have
been cemented together
B marble, which forms when high heat and pressure
are applied to limestone
Julia tests table legs to see which one holds the most weight. What is the benefit of repeating these tests several times?
A. Repeated tests might identify the strongest possible shape for a table leg.
B. Repeated tests might identify the ideal number of legs for a table.
C. Repeated tests could help show that the results are accurate and useful.
D. Repeated tests could measure the effect of other variables, such as the material of the
leg.
C. Repeated tests could help show that the results are accurate and useful.
Ramon thinks of an example of a fish, a bird, a reptile, and a mammal. Which body structure must all four of the animals have in common?
A fur or hair on the outside of their bodies
B scales that cover at least some parts of their bodies
C a pair of lungs that breathe either air or water
D a backbone that extends down their body
D a backbone that extends down their body
Danny rubs two balloons against a thick carpet, giving both the balloons a negative charge. What happens if Danny then holds the two balloons close together?
A. The push each other apart
B. They stick together
C. An electric current forms
D. A spark forms
A. The push each other apart
Will watches a video about a family who lives in northern Canada. The climate is dry and cold. In which climate zone does the family live?
A. Temperate B. Tropical C. Subtropical D. Polar
D. Polar
Stems hold up leaves. Which is another role of
the stems?
A Stems make and hold seeds.
B Stems let sunlight shine on the roots.
C Stems take in water and nutrients from
the soil.
D Stems carry water, nutrients, and food
between other plant parts.
D Stems carry water, nutrients, and food
between other plant parts.