SC.5.L.14.2 Weekly Benchmark Assessment

Many kinds of animals live in the Everglades, including alligators, Florida panthers, and manatees. What characteristic do all three of these animals of the Everglades share?

• They all eat only fish.

• They all have a backbone

• They all give birth to live young

• They all make their homes in the water

Samson spotted an animal in his yard that he had never seen before. It was lying on top of a pile of eggs. He could also tell that the animal's skin was tough and scaly. Based on this information, what kind of vertebrate was Samson most likely looking at?

• an amphibian

• a bird

• a mammal

• a reptile

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Which organ in the fish is most similar to the human respiratory system?

• the fins

• the gills

• the skin

• the swim bladder

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

The scales of fish and the feathers of birds are both made from the same protein, called keratin. What is another characteristic birds and most fish share?

• Both are animals that lay eggs.

• Both are animals that have teeth.

• Both are animals that have cold blood

• Both are animals that care for their young

Plants have stems that function to provide support. This organ in plants is most similar to which of the following in humans?

• the heart

• the intestine

• the skeleton

• the skin

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

The poison dart frog and the red-bellied piranha are two dangerous animals that live in the Amazon in South America. What structure do both of these animals have in common?

• scales

• backbone

• beak

• fins

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Ostriches are natives of Africa and can weigh as much as 130 kg (285 lbs). Hummingbirds, native to the Americas, weigh about 3 g (0.106 oz). How are the ostrich and the hummingbird similar?

• They both fly

• They both lay eggs

• They both eat only insects

• They both make nests in trees

The chart lists some of the physical characteristics of different animals. Based on this information, which of the following animals is most similar to the whale?

• Crayfish

• Dolphin

• Shark

• Starfish

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Sharks and porpoises are very different. The porpoise is a mammal while the shark is a fish. What is one thing these two creatures have in common?

• Both lay eggs.

• Both have scales and fins

• Both have an internal skeleton

• Both breathe through gills

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

In what way are ferns different from flowering plants that produce seeds?

• The stems of ferns are woodier than the stems of seed producing flowers

• Ferns spread by underground runners rather than scattering seeds from flowers

• The leaf of a fern does not include structures to move nutrients through the plant

• Ferns reproduce using spores rather than seeds produced by most flowering plants