Florida Comprehensive Science

1. In Florida, many plants live their lives without ever touching the ground. These plants grow on the tall trees of the mangrove forests. The seeds of the plants never touch the soil on the ground far below. The seed breaks open and roots grow to support the plant as it grows. Stems begin to climb upward. Leaves spread to gather the light at the top of the tree. The heavy rain and humid air of Florida means that the plants can get all of the water they need right where they grow. These plants are commonly called "air plants."

What important process within air plants is MOST LIKELY different compared to plants that live on the ground?

• making food

• growing leaves

• reproducing

• getting nutrients

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

2. "Spanish moss" is a common type of air plant that grows in Florida. However, the common name is not correct. "Spanish moss" is not actually moss. What structure would clearly show that "Spanish moss" is NOT really a moss?

• leaves

• flowers

• roots

• spores

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

3. The plants that grow above the ground do not get support from the ground to grow. But they still grow almost straight up in the tops of the trees. What are the air plants responding to in order to grow in the correct direction?

• rain coming from the sky

• air they use to make food

• light from the sun

• heat from the tree

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

4. A student collects the following data about the Sun, stars, moon, and Earth over the course of one day.

What research question is the student investigating?

• How long does it take Earth to rotate on its axis?

• Does the moon rotate at a faster rate than Earth does?

• How do the locations of the stars relate to the moon?

• What is the relationship between time of day and seeing objects in the sky?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

5. If the student goes outside at 3 A.M., what data would be collected?

• 
• 
• 
• 

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

6. Which of these is a conclusion the student could make based on the data?

• The Sun, moon, and stars stay in the same places in the sky all the time.

• The position of the Sun is related to the visibility of the moon and stars.

• The moon and stars are only visible during the same time when the Sun is near the horizon.

• The visibility of the stars, Sun, and moon depends on the time of day.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

7. Michael was hiking along a canyon when he noticed this interesting rock pattern.

Which property of rocks help Michael MOST EASILY identify how this rock pattern was formed?

• streak color, because the lightest layers would leave a streak on another rock layer

• hardness, because some layers look much softer than others

• color, because it shows that layers formed from different minerals over time

• luster, because some layers are much brighter than others

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

8. What evidence in the diagram shows that the rock formed from pressure?

• The rock includes streaks of colors, indicating the calcite and graphite are present.

• The rock includes streaks of colors, indicating that they were once very hot.

• The rock shows a striped pattern, indicating that it was formed by fossils.

• The rock shows a striped pattern, indicating that layers pressed on top of each other.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

What kind of rock is shown in the diagram?

• igneous

• sedimentary

• metamorphic

• graphite

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

A visitor to Florida sees both renewable and nonrenewable resources on a drive along the river below.

10. Which of these resources is NOT a renewable resource that is frequently transformed into energy?

• sun

• wind

• water

• soil