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Quest: 5th Grade Science Assessment

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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.

While this spoon appears to have a broken handle, it is just the result of how the water affects the light. This is an example of:

  1. Refraction

    Yes! Refraction bends light as it moves from one substance to another. As the light passes from the water to the air, its path is changed, making it appear that the spoon is broken.

  2. Reflection

    No. While some light is reflected from the glass, it is not responsible for the bending of the light.

  3. Absorption

    No. The water and glass are both clear, telling us that very little of the light is being absorbed. Absorption does not bend the light.

  4. Diffusion

    No. Diffusion is the scattering of light as it is reflected in many different directions. Diffusion would make the image cloudy and blurry.

Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.

Florida

SC.3.P.10.3 Demonstrate that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object or travels from one medium to another.
Pinhole Eyeglasses video, checked
Why Wet Things Turn Dark video, checked
Growing Crystals Under the Microscope video, free, learnalong, checked
Changing the Speed of Light video
Why is Foam White? video, checked
Microscopes: Growing Crystals video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sunglass Science: Birefringence video, free, Updated
Sunglass Science: Polarized Light video, free, Updated
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
A Long Lens text page
Review Light-1 practice
Review Light-2 practice
Review Light-3 practice
Review Light-4 practice
Review Light-5 practice
SC.3.P.10.4 Demonstrate that light can be reflected, refracted, and absorbed.
Pinhole Eyeglasses video, checked
Looking for Rainbows video
Why Wet Things Turn Dark video, checked
Growing Crystals Under the Microscope video, free, learnalong, checked
Changing the Speed of Light video
Why is Foam White? video, checked
Onion Crystals video
Microscopes: Growing Crystals video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sunglass Science: Birefringence video, free, Updated
Sunglass Science: Polarized Light video, free, Updated
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
A Long Lens text page
Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons text page, free
Review Light-1 practice
Review Light-2 practice
Review Light-3 practice
Review Light-4 practice
Review Light-5 practice
SC.7.P.10.2 Observe and explain that light can be reflected, refracted, and/or absorbed.
Pinhole Eyeglasses video, checked
Why Wet Things Turn Dark video, checked
Growing Crystals Under the Microscope video, free, learnalong, checked
Finding Fat in Foods video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Changing the Speed of Light video
Onion Crystals video
Why is Foam White? video, checked
Microscopes: Growing Crystals video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sunglass Science: Birefringence video, free, Updated
Sunglass Science: Polarized Light video, free, Updated
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
A Long Lens text page
Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons text page, free
Review Light-1 practice
Review Light-2 practice
Review Light-3 practice
Review Light-4 practice
Review Light-5 practice

Utah

UT.8.IV.1.b Compare the transfer of energy (i.e., sound, light, earthquake waves, heat) through various mediums.
About Microwaves video, checked
Microwave Chocolate video, checked
Spoon Bells video, checked
The Singing Glass video, checked
Why Wet Things Turn Dark video, checked
The Science of Pizza video, checked
Heating a Balloon video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Changing the Speed of Light video
Doppler Effect video, checked
Solar Power video, checked
Sunglass Science: Birefringence video, free, Updated
Sunglass Science: Polarized Light video, free, Updated
Noisy String video, checked
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Comparing How Sound Moves Through Liquids and Gases text page
Review Light-1 practice
Review Light-2 practice
Review Light-4 practice
Review Light-5 practice

NGSS

1-PS4-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.
A Color You Can't See video, free, checked
Pinhole Eyeglasses video, checked
Why Wet Things Turn Dark video, checked
Growing Crystals Under the Microscope video, free, learnalong, checked
Sunprints video
Changing the Speed of Light video
Why is Foam White? video, checked
Onion Crystals video
Microscopes: Growing Crystals video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sunglass Science: Birefringence video, free, Updated
Sunglass Science: Polarized Light video, free, Updated
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
A Long Lens text page
Review Light-1 practice
Review Light-2 practice
Review Light-3 practice
Review Light-4 practice
Review Light-5 practice
MS-PS4-2 Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
About Microwaves video, checked
Microwave Chocolate video, checked
Why Wet Things Turn Dark video, checked
Onion Crystals video
Sunprints video
Finding Fat in Foods video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Changing the Speed of Light video
Why is Foam White? video, checked
Sunglass Science: Birefringence video, free, Updated
Sunglass Science: Polarized Light video, free, Updated
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
A Long Lens text page
Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons text page, free
Review Light-1 practice
Review Light-2 practice
Review Light-4 practice
Review Light-5 practice

What season is the area that the arrow points to having?

  1. Winter

    Yes! Even though that area is in daylight, the Earth's axis in that hemisphere is pointing away from the Sun. It gets less direct light, and has shorter days.

  2. Spring

    No. For spring, the Earth's axis for that hemisphere would be in between pointing towards the Sun and away from the Sun.

  3. Summer

    No. Although it is daytime in that area, the Earth's axis in that hemisphere is pointing away from the Sun. It gets less direct light, and has shorter days.

  4. Autumn

    No. For autumn, the Earth's axis for that hemisphere would be in between pointing towards the Sun and away from the Sun.

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.5.1 Observe that the patterns of stars in the sky stay the same although they appear to shift across the sky nightly, and different stars can be seen in different seasons.
Global Science video, ClosedCaptions
Review Space-5 practice
Review Space-8 practice
Review Space-12 practice

Utah

UT.6.II.2.e Use a model to explain why the seasons are reversed in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Global Science video, ClosedCaptions
Review Space-5 practice
Review Space-8 practice
Review Space-12 practice

NGSS

3-ESS2-1 Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.
Nephoscope video, checked
Pine Cone Weather text page, free
Review Weather-5 practice
Review Weather-6 practice
Review Weather-4 practice
Review Weather-3 practice
Review Space-5 practice
Review Space-8 practice
5-ESS1-2 Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
Global Science video, ClosedCaptions
Finding Your Way video, checked
Review Space-5 practice
Review Space-8 practice
Review Space-12 practice

This is Johnson Wash, that runs down the middle of the canyon where we live. It is usually dry, but when it rains up north, we get flash floods. Is this an example of erosion, weathering, both, or neither?

  1. Erosion

    Yes, the is partially correct! You can tell by the muddy appearance of the water that it is carrying sand, clay and dirt along with it. Erosion is when bits of rock are moved by wind, water, ice, or gravity, so this counts as erosion..

  2. Weathering

    Yes, the is partially correct! The term "weathering" causes confusion because it sounds like it has something to do with weather. In Earth Science, weathering means "breaking apart." Weathering breaks rocks apart into smaller bits. The fast moving water causes smaller rocks to smash into larger rocks, breaking them apart.

  3. Both erosion and weathering

    Yes! The flash flood in this photo is causing weathering, and erosion. As the flood decreases, and the water slows down, it will drop the sand, clay, dirt, and rocks in a process called deposition.

  4. Neither erosion nor weathering

    No. This flash flood is causing both weathering and erosion.

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.6.1 Identify the three categories of rocks: igneous, (formed from molten rock); sedimentary (pieces of other rocks and fossilized organisms); and metamorphic (formed from heat and pressure).
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Homemade Fossil Dig text page
Foliated and Unfoliated Rocks text page, learnalong
Identifying Igneous Rocks text page, learnalong
Intrusive and Extrusive Igneous Rocks text page, learnalong
Light and Dark Minerals text page, learnalong
Review Rocks-2 practice
Review Rocks-3 practice
Review Rocks-4 practice
Review Rocks-5 practice
Review Rocks-6 practice
Review Rocks-8 practice
Review Rocks-9 practice
Review Rocks-7 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-1 practice
SC.7.E.6.2 Identify the patterns within the rock cycle and relate them to surface events (weathering and erosion) and sub-surface events (plate tectonics and mountain building).
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
The Rock Cycle video, learnalong
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Rocks-4 practice
Review Rocks-5 practice
Review Rocks-6 practice
Review Rocks-8 practice
Review Rocks-9 practice
Review Rocks-7 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-1 practice
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice

Utah

UT.4.III.2.b Distinguish between weathering (i.e., wearing down and breaking of rock surfaces) and erosion (i.e., the movement of materials).
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice
UT.5.II.1.a Identify the objects, processes, or forces that weather and erode Earth’s surface (e.g., ice, plants, animals, abrasion, gravity, water, wind)
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice
UT.8.III.2.b Describe the role of energy in the processes that change rock materials over time.
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked

NGSS

4-ESS2-1 Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 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?

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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

In August of 2004, Hurricane Charley removed over six feet of sand from the beach at St. Augustine. Was that an example of erosion, weathering, both, or neither?

  1. Erosion

    Yes! This is an example of erosion. The sand was moved by wind and water.

    The term "weathering" causes confusion because it sounds like it has something to do with weather. In Earth Science, weathering means "breaking apart." Weathering breaks rocks apart. Erosion carries the pieces of rock to a different location.

  2. Weathering

    No. While this was caused by weather, it is not an example of weathering. Keep in mind that weathering means breaking down rocks into smaller pieces. The sand was not broken into smaller pieces. It was just moved from one place to another (erosion).

  3. Both erosion and weathering

    No. This was erosion, but not weathering.

  4. Neither erosion nor weathering

    No. Since the sand was moved, it was erosion.

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.6.1 Identify the three categories of rocks: igneous, (formed from molten rock); sedimentary (pieces of other rocks and fossilized organisms); and metamorphic (formed from heat and pressure).
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Homemade Fossil Dig text page
Foliated and Unfoliated Rocks text page, learnalong
Identifying Igneous Rocks text page, learnalong
Intrusive and Extrusive Igneous Rocks text page, learnalong
Light and Dark Minerals text page, learnalong
Review Rocks-2 practice
Review Rocks-3 practice
Review Rocks-4 practice
Review Rocks-5 practice
Review Rocks-6 practice
Review Rocks-8 practice
Review Rocks-9 practice
Review Rocks-7 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-1 practice
SC.7.E.6.2 Identify the patterns within the rock cycle and relate them to surface events (weathering and erosion) and sub-surface events (plate tectonics and mountain building).
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
The Rock Cycle video, learnalong
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Rocks-4 practice
Review Rocks-5 practice
Review Rocks-6 practice
Review Rocks-8 practice
Review Rocks-9 practice
Review Rocks-7 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-1 practice
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice

Utah

UT.4.III.2.b Distinguish between weathering (i.e., wearing down and breaking of rock surfaces) and erosion (i.e., the movement of materials).
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice
UT.5.II.1.a Identify the objects, processes, or forces that weather and erode Earth’s surface (e.g., ice, plants, animals, abrasion, gravity, water, wind)
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice
UT.8.III.2.b Describe the role of energy in the processes that change rock materials over time.
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked

NGSS

4-ESS2-1 Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice

The questions are chosen randomly, so this quest will be different each time you reload the page.

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