Beginning of Year Pre-assessment

​Show what you already know....

By Jennifer Carscadden

​Susan Smith is a paleontologist from Montana State University. She had an opportunity to study the fossil record in the Bridger Mountain Range. This mountain range is known for containing an abundance of marine invertebrate fossils. Susan saw many different fossils as she collected rocks from each layer of the mountain. Susan wondered why she saw marine invertebrate fossils on the top of a mountain.  

Multiple Choice

What was Susan's QUESTION?

• What is a fossil?

• How old are the fossils in the Bridger Range?

• Why would marine invertebrate fossils be found on top of a mountain?

Open Ended

Write a hypothesis for the problem that Susan is examining

Multiple Choice

When Susan COLLECTED rock samples from each layer, she was 

• analyzing results

• testing her hypothesis

• collecting evidence

Multiple Choice

When Susan CREATED A TABLE to organize her data, she was

• analyzing results

• testing her hypothesis

• collecting evidence

Multiple Choice

All of the following are Earth System connections EXCEPT: 

• a tsunami flooding the land

• salt water flowing through the ocean.

• a volcano spewing gases into the atmosphere

Multiple Choice

 Which statement best describes planet Earth?

• Earth is known as an inner planet and a gaseous planet.

• The Earth revolves around the moon, causing tides.

• The Earth is a dynamic planet; with the continents, atmosphere, oceans, ice, and life ever changing and continuously interacting in numerous ways.

Multiple Choice

 Which of the following is the BEST example of how the water cycle plays a role in the rock cycle?

• Sedimentary rock melting into magma

• An animal burrowing and breaking up sediments.

•  Rainwater weathering and eroding an igneous rock.

Multiple Choice

This diagram represents planets A and B, of equal mass, revolving around a star. 

Compare Planets A and B.  Relative to the star, Planet A has...

• WEAKER gravitational attraction to the star and a SHORTER period of revolution

• WEAKER gravitational attraction to the star and a LONGER period of revolution

• GREATER gravitational attraction to the star and a SHORTER period of revolution

Multiple Select

Select all of the following DIFFERENCES between the inner and outer planets

• The inner planets are larger than the outer planets.

• They all orbit the sun in an elliptical orbits. 

• The outer planets have more moons than the inner planets

• The inner planets are smaller than the outer planets.

• The outer planets are spaced closer together than the inner planets

Multiple Select

Select all of the following SIMILARITIES between the inner and outer planets

• The inner planets are larger than the outer planets.

• They all orbit the sun in an elliptical orbits. 

• The outer planets have more moons than the inner planets

• The inner planets are smaller than the outer planets.

• They are all planets

Multiple Choice

If Earth’s rate of rotation INCREASES, the length of one Earth day will be

• Get longer than 24 hours

• Get shorter than 24 hours

• Stay the same

Multiple Choice

This diagram represents Earth on the first day of a particular season.  Which season is beginning in New Jersey on the day represented in the diagram? 

• Winter

• Spring

• Summer

Multiple Choice

Predict what would happen to our seasons if the Earth was NOT tilted on its axis?

• We would have more extreme seasons

• We would have no seasons and the temperatures would be relatively the same all year long. 

• The seasons would stay the same as they are now

Multiple Choice

If the sun’s gravity were removed, predict what would happen to Mars

• It would fly off into outer space

• It would crash to Earth

• It would explode

Multiple Choice

All of the following describe Kepler's laws of planetary motion except :

• All planets follow elliptical orbits

• planets further from the sun travel slower around the sun.

• planets closer to the sun have a longer orbital period

Multiple Choice

 A DAY on Earth is ..

• The time required for Earth to ROTATE once on its axis

• The time required for Earth to REVOLVE once around the sun

• The time required for the moon to REVOLVE once around the Earth

Multiple Choice

 A YEAR on Earth is ..

• The time required for Earth to ROTATE once on its axis

• The time required for Earth to REVOLVE once around the sun

• The time required for the moon to REVOLVE once around the Earth

Multiple Choice

 A MONTH on Earth is ..

• The time required for Earth to ROTATE once on its axis

• The time required for Earth to REVOLVE once around the sun

• The time required for the moon to REVOLVE once around the Earth

Multiple Choice

Why does the moon go through PHASES?

• The relative positions of the moon, Earth, and Sun.

• The tilted orbit of the moon.

• The sunlight reflecting off of the Earth’s surface.

Multiple Choice

Why do we always see the same side of the moon ?

• Because of the relative positions of the moon, Earth, and Sun.

• Because the moon’s period of revolution equals its period of rotation

• From the sunlight reflecting off of the Earth’s surface.