STAAR Science 5 Practice 2025

A picture of a landform in the dessert is shown.

In addition to weathering due to rainwater, which process MOST LIKELY caused this landform?

• Glacier movement

• Volcanic Eruption

• Coastal Waves

• Wind Erosion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

A student found a rock in a dry steam bed. Which question can MOST LIKELY be answered by identifying the fossils in the rock?

• How deep was the water millions of years ago where the fossils are located?

• What type of organisms now live in the stream when it rains hard and fills with water?

• What was the environment like millions of years ago in the area of the dry streambed?

• How many different organisms are now living in the area of the dry streambed?

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A simplified food web is shown.

Which statement correctly describes

the flow of energy in this food web?

• Water plants change light energy from the sun into energy stored as food.

• The mayflies change energy stored in the water into a stored energy that can be used as a food source.

• Nutrients from the ground can provide both plants and animals with energy that can be stored as food.

• All organisms depend on the fish to provide them with the energy needed to survive.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

The diagram shows where the sun appears throughout the day.

If the sun will be setting at 6:30 pm, where will the sun MOST LIKELY appear at 3:00 pm?

• Point W

• Point X

• Point Y

• Point Z

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Two types of gray wolves are shown. The arctic wolf and the timber or gray wolf have different physical characteristics, such as different fur color and thickness and different snout and ear size.

Which statement best explains why these two types of wolves have different types of characteristics even though they belong to the same species?

• The wolves adapted to different types of environment.

• The wolves chose different environments based on their characteristics.

• Each type of wolf change its characteristics without the influence of their environment.

• Each type of wolf developed different type of characteristics in the same environment.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

What explains why a coin the in the bottom of the pool seems closer to the surface than it really is?

• Light reflects at the surface of the water.

• Light reflected from the coin is absorbed by the water.

• Light travels in a straight line as it is reflected.

• Light reflected from the coin changes direction as it leaves the water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

A student sees and hear a battery operated car moving across the room. What types of energy does the student use to see and hear the toy car?

• mechanical

• electical

• light

• thermal

• sound

A partial food web is shown. Which pair of animals compete directly for resources in the food web?

• snakes and lizards

• rabbits and rats

• butterflies and golden eagles

• rats and snakes

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Which pair of activities are examples of bumblebee interacting with biotic parts in the environment?

• Collecting pollen from flowers.

  Building a nest on the side of a shed.

• Drinking water from a water trough.

  staying underground during cold months.

• Passing stored nectar from one worker to another worker.

  Forming a nest in a hole in a tree.

• Queen bee laying eggs.

  Worker bees using wax to make hives.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

A student looks at the picture shown.

Which statement BEST explains why the trees appear on the surface of the lake?

• The trees produce light that reflect water.

• Light reflects off the trees and reflects off the water.

• The trees refract light then reflects off the water.

• Light refracts off from the water then reflects on the trees.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2