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Quest: 8th Grade Science Assessment

Back to the SSA page.

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.



What season is Australia having in this graphic?

  1. Spring

    No. In the spring, the Earth's axis would not be tilted towards or away from the Sun.
  2. Summer

    Yes! Australia is in the southern hemisphere, which is tilted towards the Sun. That tells us that it is summer there.
  3. Autumn

    No. In the autumn, the Earth's axis would not be tilted towards or away from the Sun.
  4. Winter

    No. Australia is in the southern hemisphere. If it was having winter, then the southern hemisphere would be tilted 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

SC.8.E.5.9 Explain the impact of objects in space on each other including: 1. the Sun on the Earth including seasons and gravitational attraction 2. the Moon on the Earth, including phases, tides, and eclipses, and the relative position of each body.
Global Science video, ClosedCaptions
Why is a Full Moon So Bright? text page, free, checked
Review Space-13 quest
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


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

MS-ESS1-1 Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.
Global Science video, ClosedCaptions
Why is a Full Moon So Bright? text page, free, checked
Review Space-6 practice
Review Space-7 practice
Review Space-9 practice
Review Space-12 practice

We enjoy the hummingbirds that visit our feeders. I am trying to find the mixture of sugar and water that they like the best.

Each day, I put out four feeders with different amounts of water and sugar. At the end of each day, I measure to see how much of each the hummingbirds drank. Which of the following is NOT an important part of this experiment?

  1. One of the feeders should only contain water, with no sugar.

    No. This IS an important part of the experiment. The feeder without any sugar is the control. If the hummingbirds drink just as much pure water, it would indicate that the sugar is not important.
  2. The feeders should be placed randomly every day.

    No. This IS an important part of the experiment. If you always put the same mixture in the same location, the results may be because the birds like that location instead of because they like the amount of sugar.
  3. I should repeat this experiment every day for several weeks.

    No. This IS an important part of the experiment. The more times you repeat the same test, the more likely you are to get accurate results.
  4. The different mixtures should be colored different colors with nontoxic food coloring.

    Yes. This is NOT an important part of the experiment. It would add a second variable to the experiment, which is a bad thing. You want everything to be the same for each sample, with the only difference being the amount of sugar. If you used different colors and different amounts of sugar, you would not know whether the results were due to the color or the sugar.



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

Florida


SC.5.N.1.4 Identify a control group and explain its importance in an experiment.

SC.7.N.1.4 Identify test variables (independent variables) and outcome variables (dependent variables) in an experiment.

Utah

NGSS


3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

Which part of the food web does this Red Shouldered Hawk fit into?

  1. Producer.

    No. A producer captures energy from sunlight, and stores it as food. To do that, the organism needs to contain chlorophyll. This hawk cannot use the energy of sunlight to produce its own food.
  2. Primary Consumer.

    No. Primary consumers eat producers. This hawk does not eat living plants.
  3. Secondary Consumer

    Yes! Secondary consumers eat other consumers. This hawk eats mice, snakes, and other animals.
  4. Decomposer

    No. Decomposers break down dead and decaying organisms. The hawk may occasionally act as a scavenger, eating a freshly dead animal that it did not kill, but it is not a decomposer.



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

Florida


SC.4.L.17.3 Trace the flow of energy from the Sun as it is transferred along the food chain through the producers to the consumers.
Secondary Consumers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Producers video, free, Updated, checked
Primary Consumers video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Scavengers and Decomposers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
What is a Food Web? text page, free, checked
Food Web Tag text page
Review Food Web-2 practice
Review Food Web-1 practice
Review Food Web-3 practice
Review Food Web-4 practice
Review Food Web-5 practice
Review Food Web-6 practice
Review Food Web-7 practice
Review Food Web-8 practice
Review Food Web-9 practice
Review Food Web-10 practice

SC.7.L.17.1 Explain and illustrate the roles of and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in the process of energy transfer in a food web.
Primary Consumers video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Measuring Calories video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Scavengers and Decomposers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Secondary Consumers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Producers video, free, Updated, checked
What is a Food Web? text page, free, checked
Food Web Tag text page
Review Food Web-2 practice
Review Food Web-1 practice
Review Food Web-3 practice
Review Food Web-4 practice
Review Food Web-5 practice
Review Food Web-6 practice
Review Food Web-7 practice
Review Food Web-8 practice
Review Food Web-9 practice
Review Food Web-10 practice

Utah


UT.8.II.2.a Categorize the relationships between organisms (i.e., producer/consumer/decomposer, predator/prey, mutualism/parasitism) and provide examples of each.
Producers video, free, Updated, checked
Primary Consumers video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Secondary Consumers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
What is a Food Web? text page, free, checked
Review Food Web-2 practice
Review Food Web-1 practice
Review Food Web-3 practice
Review Food Web-4 practice
Review Food Web-5 practice
Review Food Web-6 practice
Review Food Web-7 practice
Review Food Web-8 practice
Review Food Web-9 practice
Review Food Web-10 practice
Review Food Web-11 practice
Review Food Web-12 practice

NGSS


5-PS3-1 Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun.
Producers video, free, Updated, checked
Measuring Photosynthesis video, checked
Primary Consumers video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Measuring Calories video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Scavengers and Decomposers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Secondary Consumers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Calories: Measuring the Energy text page, free
What is a Food Web? text page, free, checked
Review Food Web-2 practice
Review Food Web-1 practice
Review Food Web-3 practice
Review Food Web-4 practice
Review Food Web-5 practice
Review Food Web-6 practice
Review Food Web-7 practice
Review Food Web-8 practice
Review Food Web-9 practice
Review Food Web-10 practice

5-LS2-1 Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
Producers video, free, Updated, checked
Primary Consumers video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Scavengers and Decomposers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Secondary Consumers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
What is a Food Web? text page, free, checked
Review Food Web-2 practice
Review Food Web-1 practice
Review Food Web-3 practice
Review Food Web-4 practice
Review Food Web-5 practice
Review Food Web-6 practice
Review Food Web-7 practice
Review Food Web-8 practice
Review Food Web-9 practice
Review Food Web-10 practice

Eyeglasses and camera lenses change the path of light to focus an image. Which of the following is responsible for that change?

  1. Refraction

    Yes! Refraction bends light as it moves from one substance to another. By bending the light, we can use refraction to focus the image in a camera, or to correct the focus of the lens in our eyes.
  2. Reflection

    No. While some light is reflected from a lens, that does not help us focus the image.
  3. Absorption

    No. The lens is clear, telling us that very little of the light is being absorbed. Absorption does not help the lens focus.
  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, not help focus it.



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.
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
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
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.
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
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
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.
Sunglass Science: Polarized Light video, free, Updated
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
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
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.
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
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
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.
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
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
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.
Mirage video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
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
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

I used a Density Column to show that olives are denser than cherry tomatoes. To follow proper scientific procedure, the experiment needs to be checked by repetition and replication. What is the difference between repetition and replication?

  1. Repetition means that I do the same experiment again. Replication means that other people do exactly the same experiment again.

    Yes! To confirm your results it is important for you to repeat exactly the same experiment again (repetition) and then for other people to do exactly the same experiment again. (replication). If any of the results from repetition or replication are different from your original data, your original results are NOT confirmed, and you need to do more work.
  2. Repetition means that I do the same experiment again. Replication means that I do the experiment again after correcting errors.

    No. Replication is when other people to do exactly the same experiment.
  3. Repetition means that I do the same experiment again. Replication means that other people try to improve on my experiment.

    No. Replication is when other people to do exactly the same experiment.
  4. Repetition means that I do the experiment again after correcting errors.. Replication means that other people do exactly the same experiment again.

    No. Repetition means that I do the same experiment again.



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.

SC.5.N.1.3: Recognize and explain the need for repeated experimental trials.

>>> Teacher Page: Nature of Science and Dissolving


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


SC.8.N.1.2 Design and conduct a study using repeated trials and replication.

Utah

NGSS


3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

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