Prekindergarten/Primary PK–3

Science Subtest

Test Format and Sample Questions

The Science subtest contains approximately 40 multiple-choice questions. You will have 60 minutes to complete the subtest.

Each question will contain four response options, and you will indicate your answer by selecting A, B, C, or D.

The table below presents types of questions on the exam and directs you to examples of these formats among the sample items that follow.

Table of Question Formats

Type of Question	Sample Question
Direct Question Choose the response option that best answers the question.	Question 1
Scenario Examine a situation, problem, or case study. Then answer a question, make a diagnosis, or recommend a course of action by selecting the best response option.	Question 6
Sentence Completion Select the response option that best completes the sentence.	Question 17

Sample Questions

The following questions represent both the form and content of questions on the examination. These questions will acquaint you with the general format of the examination; however, these sample questions do not cover all of the competencies and skills that are tested and will only approximate the degree of examination difficulty.

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Science Subtest

Competency 1—Knowledge of effective science instruction

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following activities would be the most meaningful science experience for kindergarten students?

Choose an answer

1. engaging in self-generated, open-ended investigations
2. participating in hands-on instruction from a textbook
3. viewing an educational DVD with the class
4. conducting an experiment with several variables

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

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Science Subtest

Competency 1—Knowledge of effective science instruction

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following classroom activities is the best example of teaching inquiry-based science?

Choose an answer

1. Each student chooses an animal to study, learns about the animal through picture books, and then shares a short report with the class.
2. Each student observes and draws a flower, makes conclusions about the various parts, and the teacher then guides class discussion.
3. Students draw a picture of the water cycle, labeling key words such as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
4. Students learn about butterflies by reading stories, singing songs, drawing pictures, and creating their own poetry.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

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Science Subtest

Competency 1—Knowledge of effective science instruction

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

A 1^stfirst-grade teacher is preparing to teach about magnification. Which of the following is the best strategy for introducing the topic?

Choose an answer

1. showing pictures of magnified objects for identification
2. having students draw a picture of a magnified object
3. providing magnifying glasses and objects to explore
4. matching magnified objects to its original item

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

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Science Subtest

Competency 1—Knowledge of effective science instruction

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following science experiences would be most developmentally appropriate for kindergartners?

Choose an answer

1. placing objects in water and observing which ones float and which ones sink
2. determining what makes a simple pendulum gradually slow down and stop
3. observing shadows and noting their relation to the sun's position
4. investigating why sugar dissolves more rapidly in warm water than in cold water

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

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Science Subtest

Competency 1—Knowledge of effective science instruction

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following science concepts about plants would be most appropriate for kindergartners?

Choose an answer

1. Plants are composed of cells.
2. Plants are the producers in ecosystems.
3. Damage to a plant's structures can make the plant weaken or die.
4. Different types of leaves help plants live in different environments.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

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Science Subtest

Competency 1—Knowledge of effective science instruction

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

A small group of kindergarten students have been using assorted wet and dry materials to discover which of the materials will dissolve in water and which will not. The children take turns mixing salt, cornstarch, flour, salad oil, and sand with water and record their findings on a teacher-made chart.

Which of the following is the most appropriate activity for the teacher to have the students do next?

Choose an answer

1. writing about the activity in their science journals
2. reading an age-appropriate text about solutions
3. listening to the teacher explain what happened
4. discussing results and possible conclusions

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

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Science Subtest

Competency 2—Knowledge of the nature of science

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

To address a state standard on forces and changes in motion, a 1^stfirst-grade teacher designed an activity using balls. The teacher marks off a space and provides balls of different sizes and materials. Pairs of students are allowed 20 minutes to explore the balls and 10 minutes to discuss the question, "How did the balls roll?" This is an example of what type of teaching?

Choose an answer

1. reciprocal
2. direct instruction
3. thematic instruction
4. inquiry

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

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Science Subtest

Competency 2—Knowledge of the nature of science

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following is LEAST reflective of science’s interrelatedness to other disciplines?

Choose an answer

1. After reading a short passage, students predict the events of the next chapter using evidence from the reading.
2. After viewing famous works of European artists, students categorize the paintings according to their characteristics.
3. Students use various methods to prove that 4 x 3 = 12, including arrays, skip-counting, and drawing pictures.
4. Students create a timeline of Florida history, including Native American tribes, colonialism, and current events.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

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Science Subtest

Competency 2—Knowledge of the nature of science

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

A 3^rdthird-grade teacher is exploring the concept of controlling variables in science experiments. The class decides to grow plants as a part of this unit. Which set of variables is the most realistic to control in the classroom setting?

Choose an answer

1. light, soil, water
2. parasites, seeds, water
3. seeds, temperature, water
4. nutrients, temperature, water

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

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Science Subtest

Competency 2—Knowledge of the nature of science

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following basic science processing skills would a student employ when sorting blocks by color?

Choose an answer

1. observing
2. measuring
3. classifying
4. predicting

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

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Science Subtest

Competency 2—Knowledge of the nature of science

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following would be the most appropriate strategy to help students understand the nature of science?

Choose an answer

1. completing a concept map
2. collecting data to answer a question
3. viewing a video on a science concept
4. watching a demonstration of a lab investigation

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

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Science Subtest

Competency 2—Knowledge of the nature of science

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following is the correct unit of measurement for the area of a plane?

Choose an answer

1. amperes
2. kilograms
3. square feet
4. cubic inches

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

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Science Subtest

Competency 2—Knowledge of the nature of science

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following statements best describes why science is considered a STEM discipline?

Choose an answer

1. All other disciplines individually arise and are developed through the scientific method.
2. All other disciplines branch from the foundational concepts found in scientific thinking.
3. The field of science naturally supports the fields of technology, engineering, and mathematics.
4. The field of science acts as a restraint on the more subjective disciplines of literature, music, and art.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

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Science Subtest

Competency 2—Knowledge of the nature of science

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

What could be a political implication of introducing new science technology?

Choose an answer

1. labor force productivity
2. dependence on technology
3. change in social interactions
4. recent government legislation

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

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Science Subtest

Competency 3—Knowledge of the earth and space sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Greenhouse gasses trap the Sun’s thermal energy in the atmosphere. What is a direct effect of having too much of the Sun’s energy trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere?

Choose an answer

1. atmospheric changes
2. increase of global temperatures
3. increased air pollution
4. decrease of natural resources

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

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Science Subtest

Competency 3—Knowledge of the earth and space sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following actions would demonstrate to a class the cause of the Earth’s four seasons?

Choose an answer

1. The teacher moves a model of the Earth closer and further from a model of the Sun.
2. The teacher tilts a model of the Earth on its axis as it orbits around a model of the Sun.
3. The teacher rotates a model of the Earth in an elliptical orbit around a model of the Sun.
4. The teacher rotates a model of the Earth on its axis as it orbits around a model of the Sun.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

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Science Subtest

Competency 3—Knowledge of the earth and space sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Igneous rock is formed from

Choose an answer

1. different types of sediments cemented tightly together.
2. molten material in or below the Earth’s crust.
3. rock that is subjected to heat and pressure.
4. a combination of two or more minerals.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

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Science Subtest

Competency 3—Knowledge of the earth and space sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

What is the primary process in the energy cycle for living things?

Choose an answer

1. Animals consume plants for energy.
2. Animals convert sugars into energy.
3. Plants collect energy from the soil.
4. Plants collect energy from the sun.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

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Science Subtest

Competency 3—Knowledge of the earth and space sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Approximately how much time is needed for the Earth to make one complete revolution around the Sun?

Choose an answer

1. 1 day
2. 7 days
3. 30 days
4. 365 days

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

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Science Subtest

Competency 3—Knowledge of the earth and space sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Look at this image of the moon. In how many days will the moon look the same again?

Choose an answer

1. About 26 days
2. About 28 days
3. About 30 days
4. About 32 days

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

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Science Subtest

Competency 3—Knowledge of the earth and space sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Acid rain is caused primarily by

Choose an answer

1. burning fossil fuels.
2. cutting down forests.
3. damming rivers.
4. using fertilizers.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

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Science Subtest

Competency 4—Knowledge of the physical sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Water is best described as a

Choose an answer

1. mixture.
2. element.
3. compound.
4. substance.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

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Science Subtest

Competency 4—Knowledge of the physical sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following measures depends on the force of gravity?

Choose an answer

1. density
2. mass
3. volume
4. weight

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

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Science Subtest

Competency 4—Knowledge of the physical sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Lightning is classified as a

Choose an answer

1. plasma.
2. solid.
3. liquid.
4. gas.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

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Science Subtest

Competency 4—Knowledge of the physical sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following is an example of an element?

Choose an answer

1. water
2. carbon
3. acetic acid
4. sodium chloride

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

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Science Subtest

Competency 4—Knowledge of the physical sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Students are working at a science learning center investigating forms of energy. In one activity, an example has students eat a cracker for a snack. What kinds of energy are the students investigating by eating food?

Choose an answer

1. thermal and potential
2. chemical and potential
3. thermal and mechanical
4. mechanical and chemical

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

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Science Subtest

Competency 4—Knowledge of the physical sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Which of the following is an example of heat transfer by radiation?

Choose an answer

1. heating of a cold room with an electric heater
2. burning a foot by hot sand on the beach
3. warming of beach sand by the Sun
4. boiling a pot of water on the stove

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

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Science Subtest

Competency 5—Knowledge of the life sciences

DIRECTIONS: Read the question and select the best response.

Plants and animals are both classified as living things. They have many characteristics in common such as the ability to grow, reproduce, and use energy from food. Which of the following is a true statement about how plants and animals differ?

Choose an answer

1. Plants can move freely, whereas animals have limited movement.
2. Animals acquire their food, whereas plants produce their own food.
3. Plant structures have internal organs, whereas animals have external organs.
4. Animals respond slowly to environmental changes, whereas plants respond quickly.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

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