Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________

ID: A

6th Grade Science Assessment (Yearly) SY15-16

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. Which is an evaluation of new facts based on what you already know?
a. critical thinking
b. estimation
c. hypothesis
d. theory
2. Which statement is an inference rather than a description?
a. The elephant weighs over 5 tons
b. The rock has many crystals in it
c. The bird flaps its wings while it is flying
d. The pond became smaller from evaporation
3. A scientist studying a species of flower that grows on the side of a mountain measured the height of many of the
flowers at different elevations. His results are shown in the graph. Which statement best describes the pattern of
growth for the flowers during this experiment?

a.
b.
c.
d.

The flowers heights are unaffected by elevation.

The flowers cannot grow below elevations of 1,000 meters
The flowers grow best at elevations of around 3,000 meters
The flowers heights increase with higher elevation.

4. Which question could Julie answer most easily by conducting a scientific investigation?

a.
b.
c.
d.

What is the temperature of the water?

Does ice melt faster in air or in water?
How long does it take for water to freeze?
Does the mass of an ice cube change when it melts?

Name: ________________________

ID: A

5. A scientist examined the numbers of two different species of insects on four different kinds of trees in the same
forest. The results of her examination are shown on the data table. What inference can the scientist make about the
insects?

a.
b.
c.
d.

Species B insects are the main food source for species A insects
Species A and species B insects are very closely related
There are more of species B insects than species A insects in the entire forest
Species A insects prefer different kinds of trees from species B insects

6. Ten Mealworms were put into a "choice chamber" and then counted after ten minutes. What is a valid conclusion
from the results shown above ?

a.
b.
c.
d.

Mealworms prefer light and dry conditions

Mealworms are only found in dark places
70% of mealworms were found in dark & damp places
No conclusion can be drawn from this experiment

7. Organisms have the most in common with other organisms in their ______.
a. domain
b. genus
c. species
d. family
8. Taxonomy is the science of classifying living things. Which of the following places the classification groups in the
correct order?
a. kingdom, class, phylum, order, genus, family, species
b. kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
c. kingdom, family, class, phylum, order, genus, species
d. kingdom, phylum, family, class, order, genus, species

Name: ________________________

ID: A

9. Trish constructed a dichotomous key to help identify the reptiles and amphibians living in a certain area. Which
phrase describes a lizard?

a.
b.
c.
d.
10.

an animal with scaly skin and a shell but no external gills

an animal with scaly skin and legs but no shell
an animal with legs and coastal grooves but no tail
an animal with external gills and a tail but no coastal grooves

Plants that produce seeds formed by cones or conelike structures are classified as...
a. gymnosperms
b. angiosperms
c. bryophytes
d. none of the above

11. What kinds of plants have structures that move water and other substances through them?
a. protists
b. nonvascular
c. bacteria
d. vascular
12. Which of the following best describes the plant labeled B?

a.
b.
c.
d.

gymnosperm
monocot
dicot
nonvascular

Name: ________________________

ID: A

13. Which example describes a behavioral adaptation?

a. A bird builds its nest in the ash near a volcano
b. A whale has the ability to hold its breath for 20 minutes
c. A foxs hair is white in the winter and brown in the summer
d. A monkey has long arms that allow it to swing from one branch to another
14. A peacock spreads its tail feathers and walks around with its bright feathers held high. What is this an example of?
a. trial and error
b. hibernation
c. courtship behavior
d. imprinting
15. A behavioral adaptation in which animals undergo a period of greatly reduced activity in winter is ____.
a. clusters
b. hibernation
c. burrows
d. estivation
16. A gosling follows a goose shortly after hatching, and from that point on considers that goose its parent. What is
this an example of?
a. reflex action
b. conditioning
c. regeneration
d. imprinting
17. Gray whales swim to warm waters off of Mexico from their cold arctic water homes. What instinctive behavior is
this an example of?
a. estivation
b. migration
c. pheromones
d. bioluminescence
18. A rhinoceros defends its territory in the wild. What type of behavior is this?
a. learned
b. instinctive
c. conditioned
d. submissive
19. The process of water vapor changing to a liquid is called ___.
a. evaporation
b. precipitation
c. condensation
d. convection
20. The temperature at which air is saturated and condensation forms is the ____.
a. dew point
b. rain point
c. wind point
d. relative humidity

Name: ________________________

ID: A

21. As water vapor rises in the atmosphere , it cools and chnages back to liquid. Tiny drops form clouds in this process
called___________.
a. evaporation
b. precipitation
c. condensation
d. convection
22. Which deflects wind?

a.
b.
c.
d.

convection
jet stream
Coriolis Effect
radiation

23. The weather in the U.S. is impacted by which set of global winds?
a. westerlies
b. easterlies
c. doldrums
d. trade winds
24. The flow of air caused by __________ and the Coriolis effect creates distinct wind patterns on Earth's surface.
a. differences in heating
b. the ozone layer
c. magnetic fields
d. the jet streams
25. Which of the following examples is NOT an example of kinetic energy?
a. a baseball flying through the air
b. Flow of electrical charge from a battery
c. A roller coaster perched at the top of a hill
d. revolution of the planets around the sun

Name: ________________________

ID: A

26. When playing with a YO-YO ---when does the YO YO have the MOST potential energy?

a.
b.
c.
d.

When the Yo-Yo is at the highest point near your hand

When the Yo-Yo is at the lowest point near the ground
When its at its top speed downwards
None of the above

27. The definition that describes how "energy is neither created NOR destroyed--it can only be transformed from one
form to another" is called ______________.
a. The Law of Superposition
b. The Law of Gravity
c. The Law of the Conservation of Energy
d. The Law of the Conservation of Mass
28. What kind of material transfers heat easily?
a. plastic
b. insulator
c. glass
d. conductor
29. How is energy transferred to Earth?
a. conduction
b. convection
c. radiation
d. insulation
30. When Earth receives energy from the Sun, ____.
a. some energy is reflected back into space
b. some is absorbed by the atmosphere
c. some is absorbed by land and water on Earth's surface
d. all of the above

ID: A

6th Grade Science Assessment (Yearly) SY15-16

Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ANS: C
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sa: The student will demonstrate an understanding of technological design and scientific inquiry,
including process skills, mathematical thinking, controlled investigative design and analysis, and problem solving.
LOC: 6Sa.2: Differentiate between observation and inference during the analysis and interpretation of data.
2. ANS: D
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sa: The student will demonstrate an understanding of technological design and scientific inquiry,
including process skills, mathematical thinking, controlled investigative design and analysis, and problem solving.
LOC: 6Sa.2: Differentiate between observation and inference during the analysis and interpretation of data.
3. ANS: C
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sa: The student will demonstrate an understanding of technological design and scientific inquiry,
including process skills, mathematical thinking, controlled investigative design and analysis, and problem solving.
LOC: 6Sa.2: Differentiate between observation and inference during the analysis and interpretation of data.
4. ANS: B
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sa: The student will demonstrate an understanding of technological design and scientific inquiry,
including process skills, mathematical thinking, controlled investigative design and analysis, and problem solving.
LOC: 6Sa.4: Use a technological design process to plan and produce a solution to a problem or a product
(including identifying a problem, designing a solution or a product, implementing the design, and evaluating the
solution or the product).
5. ANS: D
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sa: The student will demonstrate an understanding of technological design and scientific inquiry,
including process skills, mathematical thinking, controlled investigative design and analysis, and problem solving.
LOC: 6Sa.4: Use a technological design process to plan and produce a solution to a problem or a product
(including identifying a problem, designing a solution or a product, implementing the design, and evaluating the
solution or the product).
6. ANS: C
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sa: The student will demonstrate an understanding of technological design and scientific inquiry,
including process skills, mathematical thinking, controlled investigative design and analysis, and problem solving.
LOC: 6Sa.4: Use a technological design process to plan and produce a solution to a problem or a product
(including identifying a problem, designing a solution or a product, implementing the design, and evaluating the
solution or the product).
7. ANS: C
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sb: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of plants that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sb.2: Recognize the hierarchical structure of the classification (taxonomy) of organisms (including the
seven major levels or categories of living things-namely, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and
species).
8. ANS: B
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sb: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of plants that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sb.2: Recognize the hierarchical structure of the classification (taxonomy) of organisms (including the
seven major levels or categories of living things-namely, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and
species).

ID: A
9. ANS: B
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sb: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of plants that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sb.2: Recognize the hierarchical structure of the classification (taxonomy) of organisms (including the
seven major levels or categories of living things-namely, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and
species).
10. ANS: A
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sb: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of plants that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sb.3: Compare the characteristic structures of various groups of plants (including vascular or nonvascular,
seed or spore-producing, flowering or cone-bearing, and monocot or dicot).
11. ANS: D
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sb: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of plants that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sb.3: Compare the characteristic structures of various groups of plants (including vascular or nonvascular,
seed or spore-producing, flowering or cone-bearing, and monocot or dicot).
12. ANS: C
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sb: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of plants that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sb.3: Compare the characteristic structures of various groups of plants (including vascular or nonvascular,
seed or spore-producing, flowering or cone-bearing, and monocot or dicot).
13. ANS: A
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of animals that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sc.5: Illustrate animal behavioral responses (including hibernation, migration, defense, and courtship) to
environmental stimuli.
14. ANS: C
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of animals that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sc.5: Illustrate animal behavioral responses (including hibernation, migration, defense, and courtship) to
environmental stimuli.
15. ANS: B
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of animals that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sc.5: Illustrate animal behavioral responses (including hibernation, migration, defense, and courtship) to
environmental stimuli.
16. ANS: D
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of animals that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sc.7: Compare learned to inherited behaviors in animals.
17. ANS: B
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of animals that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sc.7: Compare learned to inherited behaviors in animals.
18. ANS: B
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of structures, processes, and responses of animals that
allow them to survive and reproduce. (Life Science)
LOC: 6Sc.7: Compare learned to inherited behaviors in animals.

ID: A
19. ANS: C
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between Earth's atmospheric
properties and processes and its weather and climate. (Earth Science)
LOC: 6Sd.2: Summarize the interrelationships among the dynamic processes of the water cycle (including
precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, condensation, surface-water flow, and groundwater flow).
20. ANS: A
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between Earth's atmospheric
properties and processes and its weather and climate. (Earth Science)
LOC: 6Sd.2: Summarize the interrelationships among the dynamic processes of the water cycle (including
precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, condensation, surface-water flow, and groundwater flow).
21. ANS: C
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between Earth's atmospheric
properties and processes and its weather and climate. (Earth Science)
LOC: 6Sd.2: Summarize the interrelationships among the dynamic processes of the water cycle (including
precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, condensation, surface-water flow, and groundwater flow).
22. ANS: C
PTS: 1
STA: 6Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between Earth's atmospheric
properties and processes and its weather and climate. (Earth Science)
LOC: 6Sd.9: Explain the influence of global winds and the jet stream on weather and climatic conditions.
23. ANS: A
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between Earth's atmospheric
properties and processes and its weather and climate. (Earth Science)
LOC: 6Sd.9: Explain the influence of global winds and the jet stream on weather and climatic conditions.
24. ANS: A
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between Earth's atmospheric
properties and processes and its weather and climate. (Earth Science)
LOC: 6Sd.9: Explain the influence of global winds and the jet stream on weather and climatic conditions.
25. ANS: C
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the law of conservation of energy and the properties
of energy and work. (Physical Science)
LOC: 6Se.2: Explain how energy can be transformed from one form to another (including the two types of
mechanical energy, potential and kinetic, as well as chemical and electrical energy) in accordance with the law of
conservation of energy.
26. ANS: A
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the law of conservation of energy and the properties
of energy and work. (Physical Science)
LOC: 6Se.2: Explain how energy can be transformed from one form to another (including the two types of
mechanical energy, potential and kinetic, as well as chemical and electrical energy) in accordance with the law of
conservation of energy.
27. ANS: C
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the law of conservation of energy and the properties
of energy and work. (Physical Science)
LOC: 6Se.2: Explain how energy can be transformed from one form to another (including the two types of
mechanical energy, potential and kinetic, as well as chemical and electrical energy) in accordance with the law of
conservation of energy.
28. ANS: D
PTS: 1
STA: 6Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the law of conservation of energy and the properties
of energy and work. (Physical Science)
LOC: 6Se.5: Illustrate the directional transfer of heat energy through convection, radiation, and conduction.
3

ID: A
29. ANS: C
PTS: 1
STA: 6Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the law of conservation of energy and the properties
of energy and work. (Physical Science)
LOC: 6Se.5: Illustrate the directional transfer of heat energy through convection, radiation, and conduction.
30. ANS: D
PTS: 1
DIF: B
STA: 6Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the law of conservation of energy and the properties
of energy and work. (Physical Science)
LOC: 6Se.5: Illustrate the directional transfer of heat energy through convection, radiation, and conduction.