STAAR Life Cycles and Egg Development

Butterflies have very long, tubelike tongues. Hummingbirds have very long tongues. Which statement best describes why butterflies and hummingbirds both have long tongues?

• A. Butterflies and hummingbirds both migrate.

• B. Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to brightly colored flowers.

• C. Butterflies and hummingbirds eat the same food.

• D. Butterflies and hummingbirds have the same predators.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

The raccoon can be found in most areas of Texas. The coati has a smaller territory and is found from Big Bend to Brownsville. These two species are related. The chart shows the characteristics of these two species.

Which statement does NOT describe how the body structures of these animals help them escape predators?

• A. Paws with long claws on flexible toes help them climb trees.

• B. Sharp teeth allow them to catch prey on land or in water.

• C. Long tails allow them to balance on branches in trees.

• D. Good eyesight helps them to see at night.

The picture shows two animals that live in Texas.

Both animals have structures that help them survive. Which sentence best describes the function of the structures that these animals have in common?

• Both animals have small eyes that help them see clearly at night.

• Both animals have tough skin to keep them warm in cold weather.

• Both animals have sharp claws that help them to dig in sand.

• Both animals have pointed tails to attract predators.

Unlike humans, otters have special flaps that close off their nostrils and ears. These flaps help otters survive in an environment that is —

• A terrestrial

• B snowy

• C windy

• D aquatic

A gardener plants seeds in the garden. After the flower stage, the fruits and vegetables grow. A table of how many days are needed for some plants to be ready for harvest is shown. Plant | Days to Sprout | Days until Ready for Harvest ---|---|--- Green beans | 6 | 50–70 Watermelon | 4–5 | 80–100 Cucumber | 2–5 | 55–65 Pumpkin | 3–4 | 85–120 Which statement is supported by the data shown in the table?

• F. Pumpkins take the most time to sprout and to be ready for harvesting.

• G. Green bean seeds sprout faster because they are smaller than other seeds.

• H. Cucumbers are ready for harvest in less time than watermelons.

• J. Watermelon seeds take longer to sprout because watermelon plants produce large fruits.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

Students observe these diagrams showing the life cycles of an oak tree and a lady beetle. Which inference can be made by comparing these diagrams?

• A. Plants require less energy than insects require to undergo changes from a young organism to a mature organism.

• B. Insects and plants follow a series of changes that allows them to survive and reproduce.

• C. Insects are more likely than plants are to adapt to changes in the environment to survive.

• D. Insects and plants are dependent on one another for survival.

Lacewings are insects that hatch from eggs.

Which of these correctly compares the lacewing life cycle with the frog life cycle?

• Adult lacewings lay eggs, but adult frogs give birth to live larvae.

• When they hatch, young lacewings and young frogs look different from their adult forms.

• When they hatch, both lacewings and frogs have long legs for jumping.

• Both adult lacewings and adult frogs have more legs than they had as larvae.

Students research how long it takes different animal eggs to develop. The information the students collected is in the table shown.

Which statement is best supported by the data shown in the table?

• The turtles have a longer life span than the birds.

• The egg stage for most animals is the shortest life cycle stage.

• Frogs have short egg stages because they lay large numbers of eggs.

• Frog and toad eggs hatch more quickly than turtle or bird eggs.

The Life stages of two animals are shown.

Which statement BEST describes a stage in the animals' development?

• Animal 1 changes form to become an adult.

• Both animals look like the adult while growing.

• Animal 2 reaches adulthood in a shorter period of time.

• Both animals have young that live in similar habitats.