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.
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of ALL mammals?
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All mammals have hair.
No. All mammals DO have hair. Even whales and dolphins have some hair on their skin. -
All mammals give birth to live young.
Yes! While most species of mammals give birth to live young, a few (platypus, echidna) lay eggs. -
All mammals have mammary glands.
No. All mammals DO have mammary glands. In females, these glands can produce milk to feed their young. -
All mammals have three bones in their inner ear.
No. All mammals DO have three bones in their inner ear. These bones are called the malleus, the incus, and the stapes. They transfer vibration from the ear drum to the inner ear.
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
The large cracks in this rock are called expansion cracks. As the overlying rock erodes away, the rock expands, causing the cracks. The cracks are an example of:
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Erosion
No. Erosion means that the pieces of rocks are being carried away. The overlying rocks have been eroded, but the cracks are not carrying the pieces to a new location. -
Weathering
Yes! As the rocks expand unevenly, tension builds up. When there is enough stress, the rocks break. That breaking of large rocks into smaller pieces is called weathering. -
Both erosion and weathering
No. The rocks are being broken (weathering), but the pieces are staying in place, so there is not erosion. -
Neither erosion nor weathering
No. The cracks show that the rocks are breaking, which is weathering..
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 |
| Light and Dark Minerals | text page, learnalong |
| 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 |
| 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 Erosion-4 | practice |
| Review Erosion-5 | 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-1 | practice |
| Review Erosion-1 | practice |
| Review Erosion-2 | practice |
| Review Erosion-3 | 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 |
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?
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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.. -
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. -
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. -
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 |
| Light and Dark Minerals | text page, learnalong |
| 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 |
| 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 Erosion-4 | practice |
| Review Erosion-5 | 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-1 | practice |
| Review Erosion-1 | practice |
| Review Erosion-2 | practice |
| Review Erosion-3 | 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 |
Which of the following statements is scientifically testable?
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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 |
Utah
NGSS
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 Weather-10 | practice |
| Review Matter-2 | practice |
| Review Matter-1 | practice |
| Review Matter-3 | 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 |