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Sample Questions

What questions are used in the NAEP science assessment?

Explore sample questions from the science assessment, and see how the NAEP science questions relate to student performance.

 

Test Yourself in Science

Select one of the grade tabs below to try out questions from the 2009 NAEP science assessment. After answering all the questions, compare your score with that of students nationally.

Grade 4
Grade 8
Grade 12
Question 1 of 5 :

The diagram below shows four places on Earth. Places 1, 2, 3, and 4 are all at sea level.

Picture called "Places on Earth." Top of picture labeled "North Pole;" bottom labeled "South Pole." Horizontal line across middle labeled "Equator." Numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 listed vertically down the center of the picture.

Which place has the coldest winters?

  1.    1
  2.    2
  3.    3
  4.    4
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The correct answer is: A
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Question 2 of 5 :

Which material is the best conductor of electricity?

  1.  Wood
  2.  Metal
  3.  Stone
  4.  Plastic
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The correct answer is: B
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Question 3 of 5 :

This question refers to the following information.

Rafael lives near a road at the bottom of a hill. His parents are concerned that soil will wash off the hill and rocks will fall onto the road.

Rafael conducts an investigation to find out if grass growing on a hillside will help stop soil erosion.

He collects two samples of the same size and type of soil. One sample of soil has grass growing on it and the other does not. He places each sample of soil in a small tray.

After pouring the water onto both pieces of soil, Rafael makes an observation. The water collected in the tray under the soil with grass looks clearer than the water collected in the tray under the soil without grass.

What conclusion can Rafael make from his observation?

  1.   The grass helped to hold the soil in place.
  2.   The grass helped to move the water through the soil.
  3.   The soil without grass was sticky, so more water stayed in the soil.
  4.   The soil without grass was loose, so more water stayed in the soil.
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The correct answer is: A
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Question 4 of 5:

A student wants to know whether two cups hold the same volume of water. The two cups have different weights (masses).

Cup 1 is a styrofoam cup. Cup 2 is a ceramic mug.

The student completely fills Cup 1 with water. The student wants to measure if Cup 2 holds the same volume of water.

What should the student do next to complete the measurements?

  1.   Completely fill Cup 2 with water and then look at the cups side by side
  2.   Pour half of the water from Cup 1 into Cup 2, weigh each cup and then compare their weights
  3.  Pour all of the water from Cup 1 into Cup 2 to see if the water completely fills Cup 2 without spilling over
  4.   Completely fill Cup 2 with water, weigh each filled cup, and then compare weights
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The correct answer is: C
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Question 5 of 5:

Look at the banana plant shown below.

Picture of a banana plant. Parts labeled from top to bottom as "Leaf," "Fruit," "Flower," and "Stem."

What part of this plant helps it get the most light?

  1. Green fruit
  2. A peeling, thick stem
  3. Wide, long leaves
  4. Brightly colored flowers
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The correct answer is: C
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The chart below shows the percentage of questions that you answered correctly, as well as how students at each of the achievement levels performed on this set of questions. For instance, fourth-grade students at Proficient had a percentage correct of 78% on average.

[Overall|63],[Below Basic|45],[Basic|61],[Proficient|78],[Advanced|95] Fourth-grade percentage correct on selected science questions by achievement level: 2009
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SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009 Science Assessment.

Fourth-Grade percentage correct on selected science questions, by district: 2009

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2009 Science Assessment.

View this set of questions in the NAEP Questions Tool to see student performance.