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.
Which of the following is a vertebrate?
-
A: crab
No. Crabs have an exoskeleton. They are arthropods, which are invertebrates. -
B: starfish
No. Starfish do not have a vertebral column or a notochord. They are echinoderms, which are invertebrates. -
C: fly
No. Flies have an exoskeleton. They are insects, which are invertebrates. -
D: tadpole
Yes! Tadpoles are amphibians. They have an internal skeleton, which includes a vertebral column. They are vertebrates.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.3.L.15.1 Classify animals into major groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, arthropods, vertebrates and invertebrates, those having live births and those which lay eggs) according to their physical characteristics and behaviors.
| Feathers | video, checked |
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Scientific Names | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Classify-2 | practice |
| Review Classify-1 | practice |
| Review Classify-3 | practice |
SC.6.L.15.1 Analyze and describe how and why organisms are classified according to shared characteristics with emphasis on the Linnaean system combined with the concept of Domains.
| Scientific Names | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Classify-2 | practice |
| Review Classify-1 | practice |
| Review Classify-3 | practice |
Utah
UT.4.V.3.b Use a simple classification system to classify unfamiliar Utah plants or animals (e.g., fish/amphibians/reptile/bird/mammal, invertebrate/vertebrate, tree/shrub/grass, deciduous/conifers).
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Scientific Names | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Classify-2 | practice |
| Review Classify-1 | practice |
| Review Classify-3 | practice |
UT.7.V.2.c Generalize rules for classification.
| Scientific Names | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Classify-2 | practice |
| Review Classify-1 | practice |
| Review Classify-3 | practice |
NGSS
I poured some water on this rock. Later that day, the water was all gone. What happened to it?
-
It evaporated.
Yes. When liquid water turns into water vapor, the process is called evaporation. That is what happened to the water on the rock. -
It sublimated.
No. Sublimation is when a solid turns directly into a gas. Dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide) is an example of sublimation. The solid changes directly into carbon dioxide gas, without becoming a liquid. -
It condensed.
No. Condensation is when a gas turns into a liquid. The drops of water that form on the outside of a glass of ice is the result of condensation. -
It precipitated.
No. In weather, precipitation is when solid or liquid water falls from the clouds. Rain, snow, and sleet are examples of precipitation.
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.9.1 Describe the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling by using familiar scientific terms such as melting, freezing, boiling, evaporation, and condensation.
| Cloud Formation, part 2 | video |
| Making a Solar Still | video |
| Wonderful Water | video, checked |
| A Watched Pot | video |
| Why We Sweat | video, checked |
| Photographing Snowflakes | video, checked |
| Ice Cream Science | video, checked |
| Cloud Formation, part 1 | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| The Water Cycle | video, checked |
| A Model of the Water Cycle | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| What Really Happens With Evaporation? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Weather-1 | practice |
| Review Weather-2 | practice |
| Review Weather-10 | practice |
SC.5.E.7.1 Create a model to explain the parts of the water cycle. Water can be a gas, a liquid, or a solid and can go back and forth from one state to another.
>>> Teacher Page: Water Cycle
| Cloud Formation, part 2 | video |
| Cloud Types | video |
| Making a Solar Still | video |
| A Watched Pot | video |
| Photographing Snowflakes | video, checked |
| The Water Cycle | video, checked |
| A Model of the Water Cycle | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Review Weather-1 | practice |
| Review Weather-2 | practice |
| Review Weather-8 | practice |
| Review Weather-10 | practice |
Utah
UT.4.I.2.a Locate examples of evaporation and condensation in the water cycle (e.g., water evaporates when heated and clouds or dew forms when vapor is cooled).
| Cloud Types | video |
| Making a Solar Still | video |
| A Watched Pot | video |
| Cloud Formation, part 1 | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| The Water Cycle | video, checked |
| A Model of the Water Cycle | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| A Cool Experiment | text page |
| Review Weather-1 | practice |
| Review Weather-2 | practice |
NGSS
MS-ESS2-5 Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
| Cloud Types | video |
| Nephoscope | video, checked |
| Cloud Formation, part 1 | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Pine Cone Weather | text page, free |
| Review Weather-1 | practice |
| Review Weather-2 | practice |
| Review Weather-6 | practice |
| Review Weather-4 | practice |
| Review Weather-3 | practice |
I wanted to test different amounts of fertilizer to see which was best for growing grass. I mixed water with different amounts of fertilizer, and then added sodium polyacrylate to change it into a gel. Then I sprinkled the grass seeds on top, and waited for them to grow.
I really need a control group for this experiment. What would I use for a control?
-
Water, fertilizer, and grass seed, without any sodium polyacrylate.
No. For the control, we want to skip the thing we are testing for. We are not testing changes caused by the amount of sodium polyacrylate. -
Water, sodium polyacrylate, and grass seed, without any fertilizer.
Yes! We are testing to see how different amounts of fertilizer change the growth of the grass. The amount of fertilizer is the variable we are testing, so the control group should not have any fertilizer. -
Water, sodium polyacrylate, and fertilizer, without any grass seed.
No. For the control, we want to skip the thing we are testing for. We are not testing changes caused by the amount of grass seed, and we know that no grass will grow if we do not have any seeds. -
Sodium polyacrylate, fertilizer, and grass seed, without any water.
No. For the control, we want to skip the thing we are testing for. We are not testing changes caused by the amount of water.
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.
| Bacteria and Antibiotics | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Testing a Leaf for Starch | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Scientific Process-1 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-2 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-9 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-11 | practice |
SC.7.N.1.4 Identify test variables (independent variables) and outcome variables (dependent variables) in an experiment.
| Floating Cups | video, checked |
| Testing for Tannic Acid | video |
| Review Scientific Process-1 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-2 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-9 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-11 | practice |
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.
| What is Science? | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Scientific Process-1 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-2 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-7 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-9 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-10 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-11 | practice |
Notice that the very back point on this Mule Deer's antlers is split. This is a genetic trait which is becoming more and more common because hunters would rather shoot deer with perfect antlers. This is an example of:
-
why hunting deer is a bad idea.
No. Actually, deer hunting is very important. Because we have killed off many of their natural predators, if hunters did not control their population, large numbers of them would starve to death. -
an adaptation that improves an organism's chance for survival.
Yes. Because hunters are less likely to shoot it, this deer is more likely to survive long enough to reproduce, passing this trait on to its offspring. -
an acquired trait.
No. This is a genetic trait, not an acquired trait. -
why antlers are more useful than horns.
No. Antlers and horns serve different functions, but both are useful to the animal that has them.
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.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.15.2 Explore the scientific theory of evolution by recognizing and explaining ways in which genetic variation and environmental factors contribute to evolution by natural selection and diversity of organisms.
| Who Evolved on First? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Adaptation-1 | practice |
Utah
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.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 |
Which of the following statements is scientifically testable?
-
These alligators are scary.
No. Being scary is not a physical property. Instead, it is an opinion. Some people might think they are scary, while other people might think they are not. -
These alligators have sharp teeth.
Yes! Careful observation would show that all three of these alligators have very sharp teeth. Anyone who put their hand into the mouth of these alligators would find out quickly that sharp teeth are a measurable, physical property that is scientifically testable.Remember that scientifically testable properties are going to be the same, no matter who tests them. For example, these alligators each have four legs, scaly skin, and lungs for breathing air. They are carnivorous, which means that they eat other animals. They are reptiles, and they lay eggs.
All of that information is based on physical evidence that can be checked and verified. You could count their legs, examine their skin, etc. These things are scientifically testable.
On the other hand, opinions are a property of the observer, not the object. I may think alligators are interesting. Someone else may thing they are scary, or ugly, or boring. You could test different people, to see if they think alligators are scary, but you can't test the alligator to see if it is scary. Opinions are not scientific evidence about the object.
-
These alligators have ugly eyes.
No. Again, this is an opinion, not a measurable, physical property. I happen to think that alligators have pretty eyes. -
These alligators are lazy.
No. Lazy is not a measurable property. I might call them lazy, but you might think that they are just waiting for something tasty to walk by. Lazy is an opinion, and is not scientifically testable.
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.2.1 Recognize and explain that science is grounded in empirical observations that are testable; explanation must always be linked with evidence.
| My Position on Science and Religion | video |
| What is Science?: Objective | video |
| Mobius Strip | video |
| Is Your Project Scientifically Testable? | text page |
| Is Your Project Scientifically Testable? Part 2 | text page |
| Review Scientific Process-3 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-4 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-8 | practice |
SC.8.N.2.1 Distinguish between scientific and pseudoscientific ideas.
| What is Science? | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Feeding Bread to Birds | text page |
| Fact checking GMOs | text page |
| I Saw It on the Internet, part four | text page |
| I Saw It on the Internet, part three | text page |
| I Saw It on the Internet, part two | text page |
| I Saw It on the Internet, part one | text page |
| Review Scientific Process-3 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-4 | practice |
| Review Scientific Process-8 | practice |