Grade 4 Science Practice Questions & Scoring Guide

Students are given 25 minutes to answer the questions in this booklet.
Grade 4
Science Practice Questions
& Scoring Guide
Questions begin on page 2.
Scoring Guide begins on page 11.

This booklet contains sample items from the National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP). Additional items can be accessed at
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/itmrls.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences,
National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational
Progress NAEP!, "##$ Science Assessment.
1. Which part of the human skeleton is most like the bones in a bird's wing?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D

2.

Which two numbers in the picture above of a flower show the male and female parts?

A) 1 and 2

B) 2 and 3
C) 2 and 4

D) 3 and 4

!
3. he candle in !ar 1 burned for 2 minutes after the lid was put on. he candle in !ar 2 burned for "
minutes. About how lon# did the candle in !ar 3 burn after the lid was put on?

A) 1 minute

B) 4 minutes

C) " minutes

D) 1$ minutes
%at set up four different !ars with a burnin# candle in each !ar. &e put the lids on !ars 1' 2' and 3' as
shown in the picture below.

4.

%at did not put a lid on !ar 4. he candle in !ar 4 burned for a ver( lon# time. ell wh( this candle )ept
burnin# so much lon#er than the other candles.

"
#. Christina puts ball 1 in cup 1 and ball in cup . $n which cup will the water le%el rise the
most?
As shown in the picture below' Christina has two identical cups that are filled to the same level with
water. *he also has two solid steel balls.

ell wh( (ou thin) so.

#
+. Where does water in a la)e #et most of its ener#( to evaporate?

A) he sun heatin# the la)e

B) ,reen plants livin# in the la)e

C) *treams enterin# the la)e

D) Cold sprin#s under the la)e

&. Christina has another ball that is the same si'e as ball ( but this ball is made of wood and
is hollow. $f she put this hollow ball in one of the cups( do )ou think the water le%el would
rise more or less than it would if ball were put in the cup?

&
". -n which cit( did snow most li)el( fall at some time durin# the da(?
he table below shows information about the weather in four cities on the same da(.

A) Cit( 1

B) Cit( 2

C) Cit( 3

D) Cit( 4

.. -n which cit( could children wear !ust /shirts and shorts and be most comfortable pla(in# outside all
da(?

A) Cit( 1

B) Cit( 2

C) Cit( 3

D) Cit( 4

*
12. A #reen tree fro# lives in a forest. &ow does the fro#0s #reen color help it to survive?

A1 B( helpin# the fro# find other fro#s
B1 B( )eepin# the fro# cool
C1 B( ma)in# the fro# hard to see when sittin# on leaves
D1 B( allowin# the fro# to ma)e its own food

11. +ist four wa)s that the ,arth is different from the -oon.

1$. After a volcano erupts' new t(pes of roc) can form. 23plain how this happens.

.

13. A student put some sand' cla(' and water into a bottle and shoo) the bottle. hen he put the bottle
down.
After two hours' the bottle loo)ed li)e the drawin# above. What can the student conclude based on
what he sees in the bottle?

A1 he water is heavier than the #rains of cla( and the #rains of sand.
B1 he #rains of cla( are heavier than the #rains of sand and the water.
C1 he #rains of sand are heavier than the water and the #rains of cla(.
D1 he water' #rains of cla(' and #rains of sand are all of e4ual wei#ht.

/

14. Diagram 1 shows a fro#0s life c(cle with two missin# sta#es. Diagram 2 shows the two sta#es that
are missin# from the fro#0s life c(cle in dia#ram 1. he( are labeled A and B.
Complete the fro#0s life c(cle in Diagram 1 b( writin# A in the empt( circle where sta#e A belon#s
and B in the empt( circle where sta#e B belon#s.

23plain wh( (ou placed the letters A and B where (ou did.

10
NAEP Science Practice Questions Scoring Guide
Grade 4
5uestion 1
Key

1.
Which part of the human s)eleton is most li)e the bones in a bird0s win#?

A1 A
B1 B

C1 C

D1 D
The Fieds o! Science6 Life Sciences 7*ub content classification6 Organisms1
Kno"ing and Doing Science6 Concetual !nderstanding
11
5uestion 2
Key

2.

Which two numbers in the picture above of a flower show the male and female parts?

A1 1 and 2

B1 2 and 3

C1 2 and 4

D1 3 and 4
5uestion 3
Key

3. he candle in !ar 1 burned for 2 minutes after the lid was put on. he candle in !ar 2 burned for "
minutes. About how lon# did the candle in !ar 3 burn after the lid was put on?

A1 1 minute
B1 4 minutes

C1 " minutes

D1 1$ minutes
The Fieds o! Science6 "h#sical Sciences 7*ub content classification6 $atter and %ts &ransformations1
Kno"ing and Doing Science6 "ractical 'easoning
1
1!
5uestion 4
Scoring Guide
Score & Description
#ompete

*tudent response includes an e3planation that describes the need for a continued suppl( of air
7o3(#en1 for burnin# to continue.
Partia

*tudent response indicates that the candle burned lon#er because of 8somethin#8 that happens
when the lid is not on the !ar 7e.#.' 8thin#s burn lon#er when the( are not covered'8 8the lids on the
other !ars made them #o out sooner81.
$nsatis!actory%&ncorrect

*tudent response does not indicate that the len#th of time the fourth candle burned was related to
the absence of a lid on the !ar.
#ompete ' Student (esponse
4. %at did not put a lid on !ar 4. he candle in !ar 4 burned for a ver( lon# time. ell wh( this candle
)ept burnin# so much lon#er than the other candles.


*corer Comments6
Both responses provide a correct e3planation referrin# to the continued suppl( of o3(#en or air to
the candle.

Partia ' Student (esponse

1"

*corer Comments6
Both responses provide e3planations that refer to somethin# specific that happens when there is no
lid on the !ar' but neither response refers to o3(#en or air.

$nsatis!actory%&ncorrect ' Student (esponse


*corer Comments6
Both responses provide incorrect e3planations.

1#
5uestion 9
Scoring Guide

Score & Description
#ompete
*tudent response states that the water level #oes up more in Cup 1 and #ives a correct e3planation.
Partia

*tudent response states that the water level #oes up more in Cup 1' but no e3planation or an
incomplete e3planation is provided.

*tudent response states that the water level #oes up more in Cup 2' or that Ball 2 pushes the water
level hi#her in Cup 2.
9. Christina puts ball 1 in cup 1 and ball 2 in cup 2. -n which cup will the water level rise the most?




*corer Comments6
Both responses correctl( choose Cup 1' and provide an e3planation based on the si:e of the ball.

1&




*corer Comments6
Both responses correctl( choose Cup 1. he first response provides an incorrect e3planation' and
the e3planation in the second response is incomplete because the intent of 8more8 is not clear.





*corer Comments6
Both responses incorrectl( choose Cup 2.
1*
5uestion ;
Scoring Guide

Score & Description
#ompete

*tudent response states that the water level ma( #o up less than when Ball 2 was put in the cup
and #ives a correct e3planation or student response states that the water level ma( #o up the same
amount because the hollow ball ma( sin) below the surface and displace the same amount of water.
Partia
*tudent response states less and #ives a partial e3planation 7floatin# is not mentioned1.

*tudent response states that the water level #oes up more than it did when Ball 2 was put in the
cup' or states 8less8 but #ives an incorrect reason' or states 8no8 and #ives an incorrect reason.
;. Christina has another ball that is the same si:e as ball 2' but this ball is made of wood and is
hollow. -f she put this hollow ball in one of the cups' do (ou thin) the water level would rise more or
less than it would if ball 2 were put in the cup?




*corer Comments6
Both responses correctl( predict that the water will rise less' and e3plain that the ball will float.

1.




*corer Comments6
Both responses correctl( predict that the water will rise less' but provide inade4uate e3planations
based on relative wei#hts of steel and wood.



1/


*corer Comments6
he first response correctl( predicts that the water will rise less' but provides an incorrect
e3planation based on absorption of the water b( the ball. he second response ma)es an incorrect
prediction.

5uestion +
Key

+. Where does water in a la)e #et most of its ener#( to evaporate?

A1 he sun heatin# the la)e

B1 ,reen plants livin# in the la)e

C1 *treams enterin# the la)e

D1 Cold sprin#s under the la)e
The Fieds o! Science6 (arth ) Sace Sciences 7*ub content classification6 *ater1
5uestion "
Key

". -n which cit( did snow most li)el( fall at some time durin# the da(?

A1 Cit( 1

B1 Cit( 2

C1 Cit( 3
D1 Cit( 4
The Fieds o! Science6 (arth ) Sace Sciences 7*ub content classification6 Air1
0
1
5uestion .
Key

.. -n which cit( could children wear !ust /shirts and shorts and be most comfortable pla(in# outside
all da(?

A1 Cit( 1
B1 Cit( 2

C1 Cit( 3

D1 Cit( 4
The Fieds o! Science6 (arth ) Sace Sciences 7*ub content classification6 Air1
5uestion 1$
Scoring Guide

Score & Description
#ompete

*tudent e3plains that the lava from the volcano becomes roc) when it cools and hardens. A student
ma( also e3plain that hot lava erupts and cools and that the lava hardens into different shapes.
Partia

*tudent e3plains that volcanoes produce molten lava or molten roc) or melted roc)' but does not
e3plain that this lava forms new t(pes of roc)s' or student demonstrates an understandin# that lava
is involved but does not e3plain the process of roc) formation ade4uatel(' or student states that
volcanoes erupt and melt roc)s which form different shapes' or student states that some )ind of fluid
7substance1 is released which ma)es new roc)s.

*tudent does not e3plain that volcanoes brin# up molten 7or melted1 roc) or that the lava cools to
become roc).
1$.

After a volcano erupts' new t(pes of roc) can form. 23plain how this happens.

1$.


*corer Comments6
Both responses e3plain that a volcanic eruption produces lava that later cools and solidifies into
new t(pes of roc).

1$.


1$.


*corer Comments6
2ach response describes a different part of the roc)/formation process from volcanic eruptions.
he first response refers to lava production' but does not describe the solidification of the lava. he
second response indicates that somethin# cools and solidifies' but fails to specif( that the
8somethin#8 is lava.

1$.


!
1$.


*corer Comments6
he first response indicates that new roc)s are directl( produced b( the volcano without mentionin#
lava or the solidification of molten material. he second response includes a misconception that
lava dries.

The Fieds o! Science6 (arth ) Sace Sciences 7*ub content classification6 Solid (arth1
5uestion 11
Scoring Guide

Score & Description
#ompete
*tudent lists four correct differences between the <oon and 2arth.
)ssentia
*tudent lists three correct differences between the <oon and 2arth.
Partia
*tudent lists one or two correct differences between the <oon and 2arth.
*tudent lists incorrect differences between the <oon and 2arth.
11.

=ist four wa(s that the 2arth is different from the <oon.

"
11.


*corer Comments6
Both responses provide four correct differences between the <oon and 2arth.

)ssentia ' Student (esponse
11.


11.


*corer Comments6
Both responses provide three correct differences between the <oon and 2arth. >o credit is
assi#ned to the last difference stated in the second response indicatin# that 2arth has no craters.

11.


#
11.


*corer Comments6
he first response provides three differences between the <oon and 2arth' two of which are
correct. he statement that 2arth has #ravit( is not credited because it implies that the <oon has
no #ravit(. he second response provides one correct difference between the <oon and 2arth.

11.


11.


*corer Comments6
2ach response contains onl( incorrect statements re#ardin# the differences between the <oon and
2arth.

The Fieds o! Science6 (arth ) Sace Sciences 7*ub content classification6 (arth in Sace1
5uestion 12
Key

12. A #reen tree fro# lives in a forest. &ow does the fro#0s #reen color help it to survive?

A1
B( helpin# the fro# find other fro#s

B1
B( )eepin# the fro# cool
C1
B( ma)in# the fro# hard to see when sittin# on leaves

D1
B( allowin# the fro# to ma)e its own food
&
The Fieds o! Science6 Life Sciences 7*ub content classification6 Change and (volution1
5uestion 13
Key

13.

A student put some sand' cla(' and water into a bottle and shoo) the bottle. hen he put the bottle
down. After two hours' the bottle loo)ed li)e the drawin# above. What can the student conclude
based on what he sees in the bottle?

A1
he water is heavier than the #rains of cla( and the #rains of sand.

B1
he #rains of cla( are heavier than the #rains of sand and the water.
C1
he #rains of sand are heavier than the water and the #rains of cla(.

D1
he water' #rains of cla(' and #rains of sand are all of e4ual wei#ht.
The Fieds o! Science6 (arth ) Sace Sciences 7*ub content classification6 Solid (arth1
Kno"ing and Doing Science6 Scientific %nvestigation
5uestion 14
Scoring Guide

Score & Description
#ompete

*tudent places A and B correctl(' and provides a valid e3planation for the placement of both
dia#rams.
Partia

*tudent provides an acceptable e3planation for sta#e A or B' ?@ a partiall( acceptable e3planation
for one sta#e or both sta#es. 7*ta#es A and B ma( be placed correctl( or incorrectl( or left blan).1

*tudent does not provide a valid e3planation for either placement. 7*ta#es A and B ma( be placed
correctl( or incorrectl( or left blan).1
*
14.

Diagram 1 shows a fro#0s life c(cle with two missin# sta#es. Diagram 2 shows the two sta#es that


.
14.



*corer Comments6
Both responses place A and B correctl( and provide valid e3planations that include details of the
sta#es in a fro#As life c(cle.

/
14.



!0
14.



*corer Comments6
Both responses place A and B correctl(. he first response provides a correct e3planation for sta#e
A while the second response provides a correct e3planation for sta#e B.

!1
14.



!
14.



*corer Comments6
Both responses place A and B correctl( but lac) valid e3planations for either sta#e.

!!

Grade 4 Science Practice Questions & Scoring Guide

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Students are given 25 minutes to answer the questions in this booklet.

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