Here are some science questions from the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade Standards 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.
The nucleus of the cell contains most of the cell's DNA. Which other structure in the cell contains DNA?
-
Mitochondria
Yes! Your mitochondria have their own DNA. Unlike the DNA in the cell's nucleus, which is a mix of genes from your father and mother, all of your mitochondrial DNA comes from your mother. -
Endoplasmic Reticulum
No. The endoplasmic reticulum is involved in the folding and movement of proteins in the cell. -
Chloroplast
No. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, which is used in photosynthesis. -
Ribosome
No. Ribosomes are parts of the cell that assemble proteins.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.6.L.14.4 Compare and contrast the structure and function of major organelles of plant and animal cells, including cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and vacuoles.
| Osmosis | video, checked |
| Review Cells-1 | practice |
| Review Cells-2 | practice |
| Review Cells-3 | practice |
| Review Cells-4 | practice |
SC.7.L.16.1 Understand and explain that every organism requires a set of instructions that specifies its traits, that this hereditary information (DNA) contains genes located in the chromosomes of each cell, and that heredity is the passage of these instructions from one generation to another.
| Extracting Your Own DNA | video |
| Fact checking GMOs | text page |
| Review Cells-4 | practice |
Utah
UT.7.IV.1.b Contrast the exchange of genetic information in sexual and asexual reproduction (e.g., number of parents, variation of genetic material).
| Extracting Your Own DNA | video |
| Review Plants-3 | practice |
| Review Cells-4 | practice |
NGSS
3-LS3-1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.
| Who Evolved on First? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Cells-4 | practice |
MS-LS1-2 Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.
| Osmosis | video, checked |
| Review Cells-1 | practice |
| Review Cells-2 | practice |
| Review Cells-3 | practice |
| Review Cells-4 | 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.
| 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 |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-2 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | 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).
| Flowers | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Hunting with an Umbrella | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| 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).
| Onion Crystals | video |
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Selective Smelling | video, checked |
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| Review Plants-6 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Plants-7 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
| Review Plants-5 | 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.
| Pumpkin Guts | video, free, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| 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 |
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| How Does a Butterfly Fly? | 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 |
From our new home in Utah, the stars are so bright that we can even see the Milky Way Galaxy. How far is the Milky Way Galaxy from Earth?
-
923 light years.
-
92.3 light years.
-
9.23 light years.
-
We are in the Milky Way Galaxy.
Think about it, and when you think you know the answer, then continue.
The Sun and you and me and all the stars that we can see are in the galaxy we call the Milky Way.
923 light years.
92.3 light years.
9.23 light years.
We are in the Milky Way Galaxy.
Think about it, and when you think you know the answer, then continue.
The Sun and you and me and all the stars that we can see are in the galaxy we call the Milky Way.
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.5.1 Recognize that there are enormous distances between objects in space and apply our knowledge of light and space travel to understand this distance.
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| A Color You Can't See | video, free, checked |
| Sunprints | video |
| Making a Scale Model of the Solar System | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Global Science | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| CD Spectrum | text page |
| How Far is That Planet? | text page |
| Review Space-1 | practice |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
Utah
UT.6.IV.1.d Compare the size of the Milky Way galaxy to the size of the known universe.
| Review Space-1 | practice |
NGSS
2-LS2-1 Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.
| Measuring Photosynthesis | video, checked |
| Testing a Leaf for Starch | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
What do you have to do to replicate an experiment?
-
You do the same experiment several times.
No. Doing the same experiment several times is repetition, not replication. -
You do the same experiment that someone else did.
Yes. By replicating an experiment exactly, you should get the same results as the original experiment. -
You do an improved version of someone's experiment.
For replication, you do the experiment exactly as the original scientist did, without making any changes. -
You look for errors in someone's experiment.
The purpose of replication is to verify, not to look for errors.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.2.N.1.4 Explain how particular scientific investigations should yield similar conclusions when repeated.
| What is Science? | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Scientific Process-6 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-5 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-7 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-10 | practice |
SC.5.N.2.2 Recognize and explain that when scientific investigations are carried out, the evidence produced by those investigations should be replicable by others.
>>> Teacher Page: Nature of Science and Dissolving
| What is Science? | video, ClosedCaptions |
| What is Science?: Repeat and Replicate | video |
| Review Scientific Process-6 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-5 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-10 | practice |
SC.6.N.1.2 Explain why scientific investigations should be replicable.
| What is Science? | video, ClosedCaptions |
| What is Science?: Repeat and Replicate | video |
| Review Scientific Process-6 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-5 | practice |
SC.7.N.1.2 Differentiate replication (by others) from repetition (multiple trials).
| What is Science? | video, ClosedCaptions |
| What is Science?: Repeat and Replicate | video |
| Review Scientific Process-6 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-5 | practice |
SC.8.N.1.2 Design and conduct a study using repeated trials and replication.
| What is Science?: Repeat and Replicate | video |
| Review Scientific Process-6 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-5 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-7 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-10 | practice |
Utah
NGSS
This is called Obsidian. It is formed from molten lava that cools so quickly that it forms a natural glass instead of crystals. What kind of rock is it?.
-
Igneous
Yes! Igneous rocks formed from magma or lava. This is an igneous rock. -
Sedimentary
No. Sedimentary rocks are deposited by wind, water, ice, or gravity, and they often contain fossils. This is not a sedimentary rock. -
Metamorphic
No. Metamorphic rocks have been changed by heat and pressure from a different kind of rock. Instead of being changed, this got hot enough to completely melt, so it is not metamorphic. -
Obsidian is not a rock.
No. Obsidian is a naturally occurring solid that forms large layers in the Earth. Obsidian is a rock.
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-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 |
| Review Rocks-2 | practice |
| Review Rocks-3 | practice |
| Review Rocks-4 | practice |
| Review Rocks-5 | 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-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 |
| Review Rocks-4 | practice |
| Review Rocks-5 | practice |
| Review Rocks-6 | practice |
| Review Rocks-8 | practice |
Utah
UT.4.III.1.a Describe the differences between minerals and rocks.
| Definition of a Mineral | video, checked |
| What is a Mineral? | video, checked |
| Identifying Minerals | video, learnalong |
| What is a Rock? | video, learnalong, checked |
| Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals | video |
| 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-1 | practice |
NGSS
4-ESS1-1 Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time.
| Reading the Rocks: Law of Superposition | video |
| Reading the Rocks: Law of Crosscutting | video |
| What is a Rock? | video, learnalong, checked |
| Reading the Rocks: The Present is the Key to the Past | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Paleo Cookies | video |
| Evaporites | video, learnalong, checked |
| Igneous Rocks and Bubbles | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sedimentary Rocks | video, learnalong |
| Homemade Fossil Dig | text page |
| Review Rocks-1 | practice |
| Review Geologic Time-1 | practice |
| Review Rocks-4 | practice |
| Review Geologic Time-2 | 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 Geologic Time-3 | practice |
MS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
| Evaporites | video, learnalong, checked |
| Definition of a Mineral | video, checked |
| Igneous Rocks and Bubbles | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| What is a Mineral? | video, checked |
| Identifying Minerals | video, learnalong |
| Sedimentary Rocks | video, learnalong |
| What is a Rock? | video, learnalong, checked |
| The Rock Cycle | video, learnalong |
| Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals | video |
| Light and Dark Minerals | text page, learnalong |
| 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 |
| Review Rocks-2 | practice |
| Review Rocks-3 | practice |
| Review Rocks-4 | practice |
| Review Rocks-5 | practice |
| Review Rocks-6 | practice |