Countdown to Science STAAR, Series 9, pg 4-6

The photograph below shows Lake Austin on a partly cloudy day.

Which process of the water cycle involves a direct connection between the solar energy of the sun and the water in the lake?

• Water vapor condensing to form a cloud

• Precipitation, in the form of rain, falling from the clouds

• Evaporation from the surface of the lake

• Sunlight reflecting off the surface of the lake

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which type of landform is created when ocean water reaches a new location, the flow of water slows down, and sediment is dropped near the mouth of the river?

• V-shaped valley

• Delta

• U-shaped valley

• Canyon

Students in a fifth-grade science class are raising salamanders as part of a unit on life cycles. The diagram below shows the stages of a salamander's life cycle. Which other organism has a similar life cycle to the salamander life cycle?

• Butterfly

• Frog

• Chicken

• Turtle

A child is playing with a toy train. The train has a wind-up key that must be cranked seven times to make the wheels of the train turn. What type of energy makes the toy train move?

• Mechanical

• Electrical

• Light

• Thermal

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

The picture below shows a simple experimental investigation performed during science class. As a student moves the magnet closer to the paper clip, the paper clip attached to the string moves and floats above the table. Which of the labeled objects do NOT have any work being done on them?

• A. The string and the tape

• B. The table and the string

• C. The tape and the table

• D. All objects in the picture have work being done on them

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-5

Fifth grade students are studying the characteristics of soil during science class. Students are asked to observe different soil samples found around the room. Soil sample A is red in color and shiny, very heavy, and it sticks to fingers. Soil sample A is most likely ---

• sand

• clay
• silt

• loam

Our Solar system contains a large asteroid belt between Mars and the outer planets. The asteroid belt contains many large rocks, called asteroids or minor planets, which orbit the Sun much like the planets. Looking at the diagram, which planet is labeled with a question mark?

• Mars

• Saturn

• Jupiter

• Neptune

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

The picture shows the image of a mountain reflected in the surface of a smooth lake.

In what other example below is light reflected?

• Light travels through a prism and a rainbow forms

• A cat sees its own image in a polished tabletop

• Headlights from a car are seen from miles away

• A room gets completely dark when the door is shut and the lights are turned off

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

A student uses a pencil to complete an assignment. Which of the objects listed below uses the same source of energy as writing with the pencil?

• Barbeque grill - thermal energy

• Bicycle - mechanical energy

• Clock - electrical energy

• Wind chimes - sound energy

On Earth, there are days and nights.

Which event causes the daylight cycle?

• The Earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours.

• The Earth rotates around the Sun every 12 hours.

• The Earth rotates on its axis every 12 hours.

• The Earth rotates around the Sun every 24 hours.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1