Students in Ms. Major’s class are currently learning about evolution and diversity of organisms. Her class is divided into two groups. Each group performs a different experiment. The table below describes the actions the students too

1. Which description best contrasts Experiment 1 and Experiment 2?

• Experiment 1 did not measure an outcome variable. Experiment 2 did.

• Experiment 1 focused on biology. Experiment 2 explored geology

• Experiment 1 is an example of repetition. Experiment 2 is an example of replication.

• Experiment 1 is an example of replication. Experiment 2 is an example of repetition.

A student set up an experiment to determine which type of plant is best adapted to thrive and grow based on the soil nutrient and content in his mom’s garden. He took careful measurements of the plants each day and compiled his data in a journal. The student decides to create a line graph to display the data from his table.

2. What is the independent (test) variable in this experiment?

• The day

• The type of plant

• The height of the plant

• The soil nutrients in the garden

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NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

A group of students are conducting a scientific investigation on the number of butterfly species in the school yard as part of their unit on inherited traits and adaptations.

Which statement is NOT a possible inference about the data the students collected?

• A.   The number of butterfly species present in the school yard is decreasing over time.

•    The data is incorrect because a teacher once saw butterflies in February.

•    These butterfly species hibernate during the colder months in this climate

•   The number of butterfly species detected increases as temperature increases.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Toby is reading about the history of science and trying to understand how a changing Earth affects an organism’s ability to survive and change.  He comes across a table shown below.

4.  What best describes the chart Toby finds?

•    evidence that scientific facts constantly change to fit new theories

•   examples of how scientists’ opinions of hypotheses change over time

•   evidence that scientists’ observations do not change very much

•   examples of scientific knowledge changing when new evidence is discovered

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

An evolutionary biologist recently discovered fossils of a now extinct organism. She was very excited because these fossils were found on top of a mountain, several hundred feet above sea level.  After she gathered all the fossils, she used complex computer software and constructed the following model based upon all the evidence she had.

. What is a limitation that all models have?

 

 

• Models must be physical objects

•   Models must be three-dimensional

•    Models are never exactly like the real thing

• .   Models must be based on mathematical laws.

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NGSS.MS-LS3-1

Isabelle and her class recently visited the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) as part of learning about the history of Earth.  She learns how once living organisms can become fossilized and helps scientists learn about past life on Earth from millions of years ago.

 

                                   

6.  Which of the following statements is true about the fossil record?                                                                                                    

 

•   The fossil record shows no evidence of how organisms evolved.

• The fossil record shows only animal life that has become extinct.

• A.   The fossil record shows patterns that are like data that can be analyzed.

• A.   The fossil record shows only evidence of traces of animals in rock

   

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Luis goes to the Museum of Natural History and sees a display of bones from a dolphin's flipper and a cat's leg. They are very different, but the display shows that their bones have homologous structures in their limbs.

 

 .  What can you infer about these two organisms from their homologous structures?

      

•    They evolved at the same time.

• .   They evolved rapidly.

• They evolved to live in similar environmental conditions.

• A.   They evolved, are related, and share a common ancestor

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Look closely at the illustration. Assume that each drawing represents a fossil of a new species of organism.

 

8.  What can you conclude from this illustration?

• Species change over time.

•   Species do not change over time.

• A.   Species do not change over time but pass on acquired characteristics.

• A.   Species change very rapidly as depicted by the short timeline.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

9.    Scientists learn a great deal about past life forms by studying fossils. Which of the following does the fossil record support concerning the evolution of some forms of life

• A.   large body size à small body size

• A.   simple body plan à complex body plan

• A.   multicellular organism à unicellular organism

• A.   organized body plan à disorganized body plan

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Roberta is a scientist studying the evolution of reptiles. She noticed that dinosaur fossils are found only in older layers of rock. New layers of rock have lizard fossils that look similar to species that are alive today

 

9.    What is a general conclusion Roberta can make about how reptiles have changed over time?

 

• A.   Dinosaurs lived after lizards that share similarities with lizards that are alive today.

• A.   Dinosaurs lived before lizards that share similarities with lizards that are alive today.

• A.   Dinosaurs lived at the same time as lizards that share similarities with lizards that are alive  

  today

• A.   Roberta cannot make any conclusions about how reptiles have changed over time based on

  the evidence mentioned above.

   

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2