Grade 5 Science - 2009 Released Test

Based on the picture, the bag of leaves has —
1. less mass than the pebble
2. the same mass as the pebble
3. the same volume as the pebble
4. less volume than the pebble
Which of these is an important natural resource of the Chesapeake Bay?
The Apollo 11 mission was able to retrieve samples of the Moon’s surface because it was the first mission to have astronauts —
1. land on the Moon
2. orbit a planet
3. return to Earth
4. walk in space
When ice cream is left out of a freezer, the ice cream changes from a —
1. solid to a gas
2. gas to a liquid
3. solid to a liquid
4. liquid to a gas
Students want to learn which of two soils holds more water. They put clay in one bottle and sand in the other. Then they put equal amounts of water in the bottles. Some of the water drained into beakers. Which of these is the manipulated, independent variable?
1. Type of soil
2. Type of beaker
3. Amount of water
4. Number of bottles
Which of these correctly shows what happens when two magnets are placed side by side?
Students place a pencil in a glass of water as shown. The pencil in the water looks broken because —
1. water can dissolve pencils
2. water is colder than air
3. light bends when it enters the water
4. light is absorbed when it hits the glass
Which of these best describes the Moon?
1. Older than Earth
2. Smaller than Earth
3. Having the same climate as Earth
4. Having the same atmosphere as Earth
A student is writing a report on recycling. The student learns that different kinds of material are recycled in different amounts. Which graph best shows the data?
A student is hiking through a forest taking pictures for science class. Which picture would most likely be used as an example of human impact on Earth?
1. A trail built by cutting down trees
2. A river eroding away the riverbank
3. A bird nest made of dead branches
4. A group of butterflies landing on flowers
Which structure surrounds and protects an animal cell?
1. Nucleus
2. Vacuole
3. Cytoplasm
4. Cell membrane
What kind of energy do all moving objects have?
1. Light energy
2. Solar energy
3. Kinetic energy
4. Renewable energy
The electrician in this picture is wearing rubber gloves for protection. The purpose of the rubber gloves is to —
1. keep the electrician dry
2. create an electrical circuit
3. produce electricity
4. insulate the electrician
The top layers of soil are important because they —
1. prevent earthquakes
2. give plants nutrients
3. protect the bedrock
4. make walking easier
Based on the food web, which of these is a producer?
1. Eagle
2. Grass
3. Rabbit
4. Sparrow
Which of these correctly shows how light acts when it hits a mirror?
In winter, the arctic fox has white fur. In summer, its fur changes color to brown and gray. The change in fur color helps the arctic fox to —
1. run
2. mate
3. hide
4. hibernate
A student makes a fruit drink by stirring a powdered mix into cold water. Why is the fruit drink a solution?
1. The powder dissolves in the water.
2. The water changes color.
3. The student stirs the water.
4. The water is the proper temperature.
Which unit is best to use for measuring the width of oak tree leaves?
1. Centimeter
2. Gram
3. Kilometer
4. Milliliter
At which location are oceans the deepest?
1. Mid-ocean ridge
2. Abyssal plain
3. Ocean trench
4. Volcanic island
Which of these is most likely harmful to an ecosystem?
1. Building new homes in a wetland
2. Taking away airplanes from an airport
3. Planting trees in an orchard
4. Adding floors to an office building
Which of these describes rotation?
1. Mercury goes around the Sun every 88 days.
2. The Moon goes around Earth every 28 days.
3. Earth orbits the Sun about every 365 days.
4. Earth makes one turn on its axis every 24 hours.
When a tree is dormant, the tree is
1. dying
2. inactive
3. growing taller
4. growing its leaves
Which type of storm causes the most flooding in areas located near an ocean coastline?
1. Tornado
2. Hurricane
3. Blizzard
4. Freezing rain
Granite is a hard material and forms from cooling magma. Granite is a type of —
1. A lava stone
2. igneous rock
3. volcanic dust
4. sedimentary rock
What do the arrows on the map represent?
1. Size of waves
2. Water density
3. Ocean currents
4. Time between tides
A student rolls a ball on the ground. Which of these causes the ball to slow down and then stop?
1. The motion of the ball
2. The speed of the ball
3. Friction from the ground
4. A magnetic field
Which of the following do plants need to make their own food?
1. Flowers
2. Bacteria
3. Sunlight
4. Oxygen
A student counted the number of Canada geese that have lived on a pond for the past five years. Based on the graph, how many geese will probably live on the pond in year 6?
1. 60
2. 65
3. 70
4. 75
Which of these objects is translucent?
1. A student’s notebook
2. A mirror on the bus
3. A brick wall of the school
4. A student’s sunglass lenses
The presence of an animal fossil in a rock gives evidence of —
1. what hunting behaviors the animal used
2. how many babies the animal had
3. exactly when the animal was born
4. the time period the animal lived in
A boy placed four leaves in a caterpillar’s cage.

He observed the number of leaves in the caterpillar’s cage each day. Based on the data, the boy should infer that the caterpillar —
1. is eating only every other day
2. is eating each day
3. will eat part of one leaf next Monday
4. will stop eating during molting on Friday
What tool is used to determine the mass of an object?
1. Balance
2. Meter stick
3. Thermometer
4. Graduated cylinder
Which part of a sunflower plant absorbs water and nutrients?
1. Roots
2. Stems
3. Leaves
4. Flowers
Juan is doing an experiment to see how long it takes an acorn to grow into a 0.5-meter-tall oak tree. Which two instruments should he choose?
1. Thermometer and centimeter ruler
2. Thermometer and calendar
3. Centimeter ruler and pan balance
4. Centimeter ruler and calendar
An electric motor is designed to turn electrical energy into —
1. solar energy
2. potential energy
3. static electricity
4. mechanical energy
A group of students tested the effects of different amounts of water on ivy plant growth. Afterwards, they could not remember how much each plant grew per day. What should they have done to practice good science?
1. Discuss their observations with other groups in their class.
2. Conduct the experiment with more than one type of plant.
3. Record daily information in a data table.
4. Make up explanations for the results.
In which numbered stage of the frog’s life cycle does the frog begin to use lungs to breathe air?
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
Lee uses a microscope during science class. He sees this organism in a drop of water. Which organism did he most likely see?
1. Paramecium
2. Vorticella
3. Euglena
4. Amoeba
What part of the flower produces pollen?
1. ovary
2. sepal
3. pistil
4. stamen

Science - 5th Grade -- 2009 released test