Here are some science questions from the Standards for Grades 2-5 to help you test your knowledge of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.
The questions are chosen randomly, so this quest will be different each time you reload the page.
* Click here to see only the most recently added questions.
This baby praying mantis looks very much like its mother, but not exactly. What does that tell us about its life cycle?
-
It does not undergo metamorphosis.
No. While it does look similar to its parents, it lacks wings and other features which it will have as an adult. -
It has incomplete metamorphosis.
Yes! It has most of the features of an adult, and will gain the final adult features later in its life. -
It has complete metamorphosis.
No. For complete metamorphosis, the larva looks very different from the parent. -
It skipped metamorphosis.
No. While it does look similar to its parents, it lacks wings and other features which it will have as an adult.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.2.L.16.1 Observe and describe major stages in the life cycles of plants and animals, including beans and butterflies.
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Review Life Cycle-1 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-2 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-3 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-4 | practice |
SC.4.L.16.4 Compare and contrast the major stages in the life cycles of Florida plants and animals, such as those that undergo incomplete and complete metamorphosis, and flowering and nonflowering seedbearing
plants.
| Orange Slices | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Creating a Sprout Guide | text page, photography, free |
| Review Life Cycle-1 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-2 | practice |
| Review Plants-4 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-3 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-4 | practice |
Utah
UT.5.V.1.c Compare various examples of offspring that do not initially resemble the parent organism but mature to become similar to the parent organism (e.g., mealworms and darkling beetles, tadpoles and frogs, seedlings and vegetables, caterpillars and butterflies).
| Review Life Cycle-1 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-2 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-3 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-4 | practice |
NGSS
1-LS3-1 Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.
| Review Life Cycle-1 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-2 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-3 | practice |
3-LS1-1 Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
| Review Life Cycle-1 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-2 | practice |
| Review Life Cycle-3 | practice |
Why is color not a reliable way to identify minerals?
-
Many minerals occur in several different colors
Yes. This is the mineral quartz. Quartz can be clear, white, black, yellow, purple, and other colors, so its color is not reliable for identification. -
It is difficult to tell the difference between color and luster.
No. Luster tells us how the mineral reflects light, and has nothing to do with its color. -
Some minerals are clear, and don't have any color.
No. Even clear minerals like quartz can be found in different colors due to impurities and imperfections. -
Actually, color is a good way to identify minerals.
No. Color is not a reliable way to identify minerals.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.4.E.6.2 Identify the physical properties of common earth-forming minerals, including hardness, color, luster, cleavage, and streak color, and recognize the role of minerals in the formation of rocks.
| What is a Mineral? | video, checked |
| Identifying Minerals | video, learnalong |
| Definition of a Mineral | video, checked |
| Minerals Around You | text page, learnalong, checked |
| Review Minerals-1 | practice |
| Review Minerals-2 | practice |
| Review Minerals-3 | practice |
| Review Minerals-4 | practice |
| Review Minerals-5 | practice |
| Review Minerals-6 | practice |
| Review Minerals-7 | practice |
| Review Minerals-8 | practice |
Utah
UT.4.III.1.b Observe rocks using a magnifying glass and draw shapes and colors of the minerals.
| What is a Mineral? | video, checked |
| Identifying Minerals | video, learnalong |
| What is a Rock? | video, learnalong, checked |
| Definition of a Mineral | video, checked |
| Review Minerals-3 | practice |
| Review Minerals-4 | practice |
| Review Minerals-5 | practice |
| Review Minerals-6 | practice |
| Review Minerals-7 | practice |
| Review Minerals-8 | practice |
UT.8.III.1.b Observe and describe the minerals found in rocks (e.g., shape, color, luster, texture, hardness).
| What is a Mineral? | video, checked |
| Identifying Minerals | video, learnalong |
| What is a Rock? | video, learnalong, checked |
| Definition of a Mineral | video, checked |
| Review Minerals-1 | practice |
| Review Minerals-2 | practice |
| Review Minerals-3 | practice |
| Review Minerals-4 | practice |
| Review Minerals-5 | practice |
| Review Minerals-6 | practice |
| Review Minerals-7 | practice |
| Review Minerals-8 | practice |
NGSS
5-PS1-3 Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties.
| What is a Mineral? | video, checked |
| Identifying Minerals | video, learnalong |
| Raw Egg or Boiled? | video, checked |
| Making Turmeric Paper | video, checked |
| Testing for Tannic Acid | video |
| Definition of a Mineral | video, checked |
| Floating Bubbles | video, checked |
| Finding Fat in Foods | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Fireworks Colors | video |
| Iron Cereal | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Density: Ice, Oil, and Water | video, checked |
| Wax and Wood, part 1 | video, checked |
| Wax and Wood, part 2 | video, checked |
| A Cool Change | text page |
| Acid Hunt | text page |
| Review Minerals-2 | practice |
| Review Minerals-3 | practice |
| Review Minerals-4 | practice |
| Review Minerals-5 | practice |
| Review Minerals-6 | practice |
| Review Minerals-7 | practice |
| Review Minerals-8 | practice |
The light area on the left side of this photo is the Milky Way. What is the Milky Way?
-
A constellation.
No. The Milky Way contains many more stars than a constellation. -
A solar system.
No. A solar system only has one star, not a huge number of stars. -
A galaxy.
Yes! Our solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy. When we lived in the city, the lights made it difficult to see the Milky Way. Now that we live far from city lights, it is amazingly easy to see. -
A universe.
No. The Milky Way is only a small part of the entire universe.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.5.E.5.1 Recognize that a galaxy consists of gas, dust, and many stars, including any objects orbiting the stars. Identify our home galaxy as the Milky Way.
| Review Space-2 | practice |
| Review Space-1 | practice |
| Review Space-10 | practice |
SC.8.E.5.3 Distinguish the hierarchical relationships between planets and other astronomical bodies relative to solar system, galaxy, and universe, including distance, size, and composition.
| Making a Scale Model of the Solar System | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Planets and Pennies | video, ClosedCaptions |
| How Far is That Planet? | text page |
| Review Space-3 | practice |
| Review Space-2 | practice |
| Review Space-10 | practice |
Utah
UT.6.IV.1.c Compare the size of the Solar System to the size of the Milky Way galaxy.
| Review Space-2 | practice |
| Review Space-10 | practice |
NGSS
MS-ESS1-2 Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.
| Planets and Pennies | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Space-13 | quest |
| Review Space-10 | practice |
When Nancy and I moved from Florida to our new home in Utah, we found that many of the flowers we grew in Florida would not grow well here. Why?
-
The soil is different.
This is part of the answer. The soil here is mostly sand, and is very alkaline. The soil in Florida had much more organic matter and was more acidic. Plants that need rich soil do not grow well here. -
The climate is different.
This is part of the answer. The climate in Utah is very different from Florida. The winters are MUCH colder (down to -20°F) and the summers are MUCH hotter (up to 125°F). The climate here is also much drier. When we lived in Jacksonville, FL, we got about 52 inches of rainfall each year. Here in Utah, we only get about 14 inches of rainfall each year. Some of the plants from Florida can grow here, but the ones that cannot stand the cold, heat, and dry conditions do not. -
The animals are different.
This is part of the answer. The wildlife here is much different from the animals in Florida. There are insects here that eat plants that were not bothered by Florida insects. There are rock squirrels, western pocket gophers, jack rabbits, mule deer, and many other animals here that love to eat many kinds of flowers. Plants that do not have a bitter taste, spines, or other ways to discourage animals do not do well here. -
All of the above.
Yes! All of the answers are correct. When you take an organism from one environment and put it into another, you may see different results. If the organism is not adapted for the new environment, it may die or not grow well. If it is very well adapted to the new environment, it may take over, crowding out some of the native organisms.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.5.L.17.1 Compare and contrast adaptations displayed by animals and plants that enable them to survive in different environments such as life cycles variations, animal behaviors and physical characteristics.
| Onion Crystals | video |
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Nature Watching | video, checked |
| Calling a Woodpecker | video, checked |
| Selective Smelling | video, checked |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Flowers | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-2 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
SC.5.L.15.1 Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow some plants and animals to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new locations.
| Who Evolved on First? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Adaptation-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
SC.7.L.15.3 Explore the scientific theory of evolution by relating how the inability of a species to adapt within a changing environment may contribute to the extinction of that species.
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
Utah
UT.4.V.2.b Cite examples of physical features that allow particular plants and animals to live in specific environments (e.g., duck has webbed feet, cactus has waxy coating).
| Hunting with an Umbrella | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Flowers | video, ClosedCaptions |
| How Does a Butterfly Fly? | text page, free |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
UT.5.V.2.c Describe how a particular physical attribute may provide an advantage for survival in one environment but not in another (e.g., heavy fur in arctic climates keep animals warm whereas in hot desert climates it would cause overheating; flippers on such animals as sea lions and seals provide excellent swimming structures in the water but become clumsy and awkward on land; cacti retain the right amount of water in arid regions but would develop root rot in a more temperate region; fish gills have the ability to absorb oxygen in water but not on land).
| Review Adaptation-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
UT.6.V.1.b Compare characteristics common in observed organisms (e.g., color, movement, appendages, shape) and infer their function (e.g., green color found in organisms that are producers, appendages help movement).
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Selective Smelling | video, checked |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
| Review Plants-5 | practice |
| Review Plants-6 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Plants-7 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
UT.7.IV.2.a Predict why certain traits (e.g., structure of teeth, body structure, coloration) are more likely to offer an advantage for survival of an organism.
| Selective Smelling | video, checked |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Who Evolved on First? | text page, free, checked |
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| Review Adaptation-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-2 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
NGSS
3-LS4-2 Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
| Flowers | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Who Evolved on First? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Adaptation-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
MS-LS1-4 Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.
| Orange Slices | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Bacteria and Antibiotics | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Flowers | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Nature Watching | video, checked |
| Calling a Woodpecker | video, checked |
| Selective Smelling | video, checked |
| Pumpkin Guts | video, free, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| How Does a Butterfly Fly? | text page, free |
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Plants-2 | practice |
| Review Plants-4 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
| Review Plants-8 | practice |
When water freezes into ice, its volume increases. What happens to its mass?
-
It increases.
No. When water freezes, it takes up more space, but the mass stays the same. -
It stays the same.
Yes. When water freezes, it expands to take up more space, but its mass stays the same. Mass is the measure of how much "stuff" is there. Freezing water does not create new water or add more "stuff". It just makes the water take up more space. -
It decreases.
No. The mass stays the same, even when the water freezes. -
Water does not have mass.
No. Everything that is made out of matter has mass.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.4.P.8.3 Explore the Law of Conservation of Mass by demonstrating that the mass of a whole object is always the same as the sum of the masses of its parts.
| The Difference Between Weight and Mass | video, checked |
| Review Matter-2 | practice |
| Review Matter-6 | practice |
SC.5.P.8.1 Compare and contrast the basic properties of solids, liquids, and gases, such as mass, volume, color, texture, and temperature.
>>> Teacher Page: States of Matter
| A Bouncing Water Balloon | video |
| Egg States | video, checked |
| Experimenting with Dry Ice | video, free, checked |
| Wax and Wood, part 1 | video, checked |
| Wax and Wood, part 2 | video, checked |
| Ice Cream Science | video, checked |
| Raw Egg or Boiled? | video, checked |
| Air Space | video |
| Air has Weight | text page |
| Teach It Right the First Time. | text page, free |
| Review Matter-2 | practice |
| Review Matter-1 | practice |
| Review Matter-3 | practice |
| Review Weather-10 | practice |
SC.8.P.9.1 Explore the Law of Conservation of Mass by demonstrating and concluding that mass is conserved when substances undergo physical and chemical changes.
| Making Butter | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Review Matter-2 | practice |
| Review Matter-6 | practice |
Utah
UT.5.I.1.b Compare the weight of a specified quantity of matter before and after it undergoes melting or freezing.
| Ice Cream Science | video, checked |
| Review Matter-2 | practice |
UT.7.I.2.a Use appropriate instruments to determine mass and volume of solids and liquids and record data.
| Review Matter-2 | practice |
NGSS
5-PS1-2 Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling, or mixing substances, the total weight of matter is conserved.
| Making Butter | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| The Difference Between Weight and Mass | video, checked |
| Ice Cream Science | video, checked |
| Chemical and Physical Changes | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Air has Weight | text page |
| Review Matter-2 | practice |
| Review Matter-6 | practice |