EOY STAAR Science Benchmark 2025

How many planets in the solar system are farther from the sun than Jupiter is?

• One

• Two

• Three

• Four

Food chains show feeding relationships between organisms living within an ecosystem. Which food chain correctly shows the flow of energy that might be found in a grassland ecosystem?

• Foxes → beetles → grasses → songbirds

• Grasses → beetles → songbirds → foxes

• Foxes → songbirds → beetles → grasses

• Grasses → foxes → songbirds → beetles

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

A student washes dishes using hot water. This causes fog to form on the student’s eyeglasses. Which process caused the fog to form on the eyeglasses?

• Water vapor melted on the student’s eyeglasses.

• Water vapor evaporated off the student’s eyeglasses.

• Water vapor condensed on the student’s eyeglasses.

• Water vapor froze on the student’s eyeglasses.

A picture of trees, clouds, and a pond is shown.

Which process did light undergo on the pond’s surface to produce the image of the trees and clouds?

• Refraction

• Absorption

• Reflection

• Transmission

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

An old-growth forest has many tall trees. It also has many smaller shrubs and plants that grow much closer to the ground under the tall trees. Which factor is MOST LIKELY responsible for limiting the growth of these smaller shrubs and plants in the forest?

• Limited access to sunlight

• Limited access to water

• Limited access to nutrients

• Limited access to oxygen

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

A student conducting an investigation dissolves salt in water and then adds the salt solution to a beaker containing sand. The student now wants to separate the salt and the sand from the mixture. Which steps should the student perform to separate the salt and the sand from the mixture?

• 1. Use a magnet to remove the particles that are magnetic. 2. Pour the remaining mixture through filter paper.

• 1. Pour the new mixture through filter paper. 2. Use a magnet to remove the particles that are magnetic.

• 1. Boil the mixture. 2. Pour the new dry mixture through filter paper.

• 1. Pour the mixture through filter paper. 2. Boil the water that passes through the filter paper.

A student watches a toy car speed up as it rolls down a ramp. After the car gets to the bottom of the ramp, the car slows to a stop as it rolls across the classroom floor.

Which force caused the toy car to speed up when rolling down the ramp, and which force caused it to slow down when rolling across the floor?

• Gravity caused the car to speed up when rolling down the ramp and slow down when rolling across the floor.

• Friction caused the car to speed up when rolling down the ramp and slow down when rolling across the floor.

• Gravity caused the car to speed up when rolling down the ramp, and friction caused the car to slow down when rolling across the floor.

• Friction caused the car to speed up when rolling down the ramp, and gravity caused the car to slow down when rolling across the floor.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Both falcons and bats hunt for their food. Falcons use mainly their eyes and bats use mainly their ears to locate prey.

Which form of energy does each predator mainly use for locating their prey?

• Bat: light, Falcon: thermal

• Bat: sound, Falcon: light

• Bat: solar, Falcon: sound

• Bat: thermal, Falcon: electrical

A partial desert ecosystem food web is shown.

Which organisms receive energy from a herbivore and a carnivore?

• Ground squirrels

• Golden eagles

• Scorpions

• Kit foxes

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

An ocean food web is shown.

Which food chain is correct based on the information in this food web?

• Leopard seals → Fish → Tiny sea animals → Tiny sea plants

• Tiny sea plants → Tiny sea animals → Baleen whales → Toothed whales

• Elephant seals → Leopard seals → Seabirds → Baleen whales

• Crabs → Fish → Elephant seals → Toothed whales

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-3