5th Grade STAAR Review

What most likely happened to the dead plants and animals?

• They were eaten by scavengers.

• They were washed away by water.

• They became fossil fuels.

• They became an underground aquifer.

A student places 250 g samples of clay, sand, gravel, and silt in separate flower pots. The pots are set on a wire rack, and dishes are placed beneath the pots so that water can drip through holes and collect. The student then pours 100 mL of water over the sample in each pot. The student measures the time it takes for water to begin dripping from the bottom of each pot.What property of soils is the student most likely examining with this procedure?

• The amount of time it takes different soils to dry

• How well different soils retain water

• How much water is needed to dissolve different soils

• The differences in texture between wet and dry soils

Which of these describes one or more living organisms that depend on another living organism to survive?

• Bacteria living in the mouth of a horse

• Ivy plants growing up a fence to obtain more sunlight

• Mold living on a hard, rocky surface

• An angelfish releasing carbon dioxide into pond water

Which statement correctly describes the transfer of energy in a food chain in this wetland?

• Energy is transferred from hawks to shrews to grasshoppers to marsh grasses.

• Energy is transferred from marsh grasses to crickets to hawks to frogs.

• Energy is transferred from grasshoppers to crickets to frogs to hawks.

• Energy is transferred from cattails to crickets to shrews to hawks.

A bright-red male cardinal comes to a school bird feeder every morning. Like other cardinals, this bird makes a sharp chirping sound as it hops around the bird feeder. Which of these is a learned behavior of this bird?

• Having red feathers

• Eating seeds during the day

• Coming to the bird feeder each morning

• Making a chirping sound

Some students are feeding a crab in an aquarium. They use tongs to place the food directly in front of the crab. The students look through the side of the aquarium. They notice that the image of the tongs appears to break as the tongs enter the water. Which property of light are the students observing in this situation?

• Light can be refracted and separated into different colors as it moves from air to a different medium.

• Light is refracted as it moves from one medium to another medium.

• Light travels in a straight line and can be reflected off the surface of water

• Light is absorbed by water and reflected off glass.

The abalone is a type of sea snail. Adult abalones slowly crawl over rocks near the shore, while larvae float in the water. Which organisms have a life cycle that is most like that of abalones?

• Frogs

• Humans

• Snakes

• Birds

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The Grand Canyon is more than 400 km long and in some places almost 2 km deep. Which model best represents the main process that formed the Grand Canyon?

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The leaves of two types of plants that live in different environments are shown in the pictures. The leaves of both plants have different structures. What differences in the structure of the leaves of these plants likely help them survive in their environments?

• The pan-like shape of the giant water lily leaves helps them catch rainwater. The slim shape of the mesquite leaves helps them avoid sunlight

• The broad shape of the giant water lily leaves helps them stay on the water surface. The slim shape of the mesquite leaves helps them prevent water loss.

• The pan-like shape of the giant water lily leaves helps them attract small fish. The slim shape of the mesquite leaves helps them avoid herbivores

• The broad shape of the giant water lily leaves helps them attract aquatic birds. The slim shape of the mesquite leaves helps them attract pollinators.