Grade 7 Science Baseline

1. An empty paper cup is the same temperature as the air in the room. A student fills the cup with cold water. Which of the following describes how thermal energy is transferred? (SC.7.P.11.4)

• a. Thermal energy is transferred from the cold water to the cup until they are at the same temperature.

• b. Thermal energy is transferred from the cup to the cold water until they are at the same temperature.

• c. Thermal energy is transferred from the cup to the cold water until the cup has no more thermal energy.

• d. Thermal energy is not transferred between the cup and the cold water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

In the morning, a student puts a warm can of soda in a cooler filled with ice. He closes the cooler. At lunch, the can of soda is colder. What happened to the total amount of energy in the cooler containing the can of soda and the ice?

(Assume that no energy is transferred into or out of the cooler when it is closed.) (SC.7.P.11.3)

• a. The total amount of energy increased because the energy that the can of soda transferred to the ice is greater than the energy that the ice lost.

• b. The total amount of energy decreased because the can of soda has less energy than it started with, and the amount of energy the ice has did not change.

• c. The total amount of energy stayed the same because the amount of energy that the can of soda lost is equal to the amount of energy that the ice gained.

• The total amount of energy stayed the same because being warmer or colder does not affect the amount of energy objects have.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

3. According to the theory of natural selection, what would happen to a species of lizards when a new predator is introduced into the environment where the lizards live? (SC.7.L.15.2)

• a. The lizards that already have the physical traits needed to avoid the new predator would be more likely to survive and reproduce, and the ones that do not would be less likely to survive and reproduce.

• b. All of the lizards would try to develop new physical traits to avoid the new predator.

• c. Some of the lizards would try to develop new physical traits to avoid the new predator, and the other lizards would die.

• d. Because all lizards of the same species have the same physical traits, one lizard would not have an advantage over another lizard. They would either all survive or all die.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

4. The eye color of children often resembles the eye color of their parents. Which of the following is genetically passed from parents to children? (SC.7.L.16.1)

• a. Particles of color are passed from parents to children.

• b. Cells that become the colored part of the eye are passed from parents to children.

• c. Molecules that contain the information that determines eye color are passed from parents to children.

• Nothing having anything to do with eye color is passed from parents to children.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-2

In 1893, a large area of a national forest was home to mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats as well as about 3,000 deer.

The deer ate grass, and the mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats ate deer.

Around 1900, hunters began killing large numbers of mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats. By 1923, there were 100,000 deer in this population.

Using only the relationships between the plants and animals described above, which of the following statements could explain why the population of deer increased so much? (SC.7.L.17.2)

• a. The number of deer increased because without predators, the deer lived longer and had more offspring that also lived longer.

• b. The number of deer increased because populations are always increasing.

• c. The number of deer increased because with fewer mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats, the deer had more food to eat.

• There is not enough information to tell why the deer population increased.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

6. Which of the following statements is TRUE about competition between organisms with the same needs when resources are limited? (SC.7.L.17.2)

• a. Animals are the only organisms that compete for resources.

• b. Plants are the only organisms that compete for resources.

• c. Neither plants nor animals compete for resources.

• Both plants and animals compete for resources.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

7. Which of the following is TRUE about how wind can change earth’s solid rock layer and loose material on top of it? (SC.7.E.6.2).

• a. Wind can break rocks, carry rocks, and drop rocks in new locations.

• b. Wind can break rocks, but cannot carry and drop them in new locations.

• c. Wind can carry rocks and drop them in new locations, but cannot break rocks.

• Wind cannot break rocks, carry rocks, or drop them in new locations.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

8. In the figure above, which of the following is the pathway of light that allows the child to see the ball? (SC.7.P.10.2)

• a. Light bulb → child's eyes → ball

• b. Child's eyes → light bulb → ball

• c. Ball → light bulb → child's eyes

• d. Light bulb → ball → child’s eyes

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

9. Which of the following is designed to convert energy into mechanical work?

(SC.7.P.11.2)

• a. Electric fan

• b. Kerosene heater

• c. Flashlight

• d. Baking oven

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

10. Which of the following is most consistent with the modern theory of evolution?

(SC.7.L.15.2)

• a. Parents pass their physical traits to their offspring; those offspring with traits that help them survive in the environment are able to reproduce.

• b. Parents change their physical traits in order to survive in the environment, then those parental traits are passed to their offspring.

• c. Life on this planet came from another planet far out in space.

• d. Living organisms have not changed for hundreds of millions of years.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4