Fifth Grade Science

End-Of-Grade Test Preparation

Test-Taking Strategies per NCDPI Released Form E (2008-2009)

Note to Teacher: Use the following test-taking strategies to prepare for the fifth grade End-Of-Grade

Science Test. When reviewing these questions, model and demonstrate specific techniques. Apply your

classroom science experiences to the Standard Course of Study and unit objectives. Adapt and personalize

as needed. Questions are numbered per Released EOG – Form E (2008-2009).

WEATHER

Test-Taking Strategies: Segment, Draw a Picture, Remember Classroom

Experiences, Hypothesize

12. Sometimes the weather in North Carolina is affected by air masses

moving from the Gulf of Mexico. Which best describes these air masses?

A cold and moist

B warm and moist

C cold and dry

D warm and dry

Ramya: “My goodness, I have no idea. I have already skipped it and checked for context clues in other

answers. Now that I’m back to question #12 again in my double-checking, I still have no idea. How

frustrating! I think I’m going to take this problem one step at a time (segment), and really “break it down,”

like my science teacher Mrs. West always says to do when I’m challenged.

I can’t remember anything about air masses. What else do I know that can help me? I have perseverance –

I’m NOT giving up! Let’s see… first of all:

1) Well, I know where North Carolina is. I’m going to draw a picture of North Carolina, just like I

remember the great state from learning about it so much in fourth grade social studies class.”

12. Sometimes the weather in North Carolina is affected by air masses moving from the Gulf of Mexico.

Which best describes these air masses?

A cold and moist

B warm and moist

C cold and dry

D warm and dry

Ramya: “Alright, let’s see, what else do I know that might help me answer question #12?

2) Oh yeah… where is the Gulf of Mexico again? It must be somewhere near Mexico. I kind of

remember it from the Landforms science unit, and also from fifth grade social studies class. I’ll draw

a picture of the Gulf of Mexico, just like I remember it on Mrs. West’s classroom map.”

Ramya: “Yes, I remember now that the Gulf of Mexico is between the country of Mexico and the states of

Texas and Florida! A few other states, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, border it too. Now, ‘what in

the world’ was I supposed to answer again?”

12. Sometimes the weather in North Carolina is affected by air masses moving from the Gulf of Mexico.

Which best describes these air masses?

A cold and moist

B warm and moist

C cold and dry

D warm and dry

Ramya: “Okay, air masses coming from the Gulf of Mexico to North Carolina. Well, I don’t remember

anything about air masses. What do these two places have to do with each other?”

Ramya: “Hmmm… really, the only thing I really remember about these places was when Mrs. West taught

us about hurricanes. In fact, she always wrote the word like: ‘hurriCane,’ so that we would always

remember that hurriCanes usually traveled in a C-shape off the eastern coast of the United States, right near

where we live. When we tracked a few hurriCanes as a class together on the Internet, we plotted different

points along their paths. We noticed that most hurriCane paths looked like the letter C, with the beginning

of the hurriCane starting at the bottom of the C, and the end being at the top. On a couple of hurriCanes,

you can even plot where the storm was born, off the windy west coast of Africa. See, that’s because a

hurriCane has to have warm, tropical waters to stay alive… HEY! Does this have anything to do with

question #12?”

12. Sometimes the weather in North Carolina is affected by air masses moving from the Gulf of Mexico.

Which best describes these air masses?

A cold and moist

B warm and moist

C cold and dry

D warm and dry

Ramya: “YES! HurriCanes that hit the southeastern coasts of the United States start over warm tropical

waters in the Atlantic Ocean, and sometimes they even travel up through the Gulf of Mexico. HurriCanes

have all kinds of moisture, humidity, rain, and clouds. WOW! If hurriCanes and tropical storms can travel

from the Gulf of Mexico to North Carolina, then I bet that warm and moist air masses can also travel from

the Gulf of Mexico to North Carolina. The answer is B!”

Test-Taking Strategies: Cross Off Silly Answers, Remember Classroom Experiences

31. Which is most likely part of a weather station in a school?

A balance scales

B magnifying lens

C rain gauge

D telescope

John: “I remember using balance scales when we measured the mass of different objects during the Motion

& Design unit in science class. Mr. Carter even had us measure the mass of our K’NEX cars. We never used

the balance scales in the Weather unit. I’m crossing off answer A.”

31. Which is most likely part of a weather station in a school?

A balance scales

B magnifying lens

C rain gauge

D telescope

John: “I remember using magnifying glasses to check out topographic maps in the Landforms unit, and also

when zooming in for a closer look at biotic factors in our Eco-Column during the Ecosystems unit. We

didn’t use magnifying glasses in the Weather unit. I’m crossing off answer B.”

31. Which is most likely part of a weather station in a school?

A balance scales

B magnifying lens

C rain gauge

D telescope

John: “I remember how excited Mrs. Walters was when she taught us about the Solar System in third grade.

While studying the Earth-Moon-Sun System for a few months in science class, Mrs. Walters invited us to go

to one of Morehead Plantarium & Science Center’s ‘Skywatching Sessions’ at Jordan Lake State Park. She

promised us we would see the Moon… the real Moon through a real telescope! She said that observing the

real thing would be really helpful, because it was always hard to find models and pictures that were drawn

to scale. Now in fifth grade, I finally got the chance to go with a friend to one of these

‘Skywatching Sessions’ a few months ago. I saw the Moon, Mars, and even Saturn through a

telescope! Would you believe who I saw there?

31. Which is most likely part of a weather station in a school?

A balance scales

B magnifying lens

C rain gauge

D telescope

Test-Taking Strategies: Devise a Test, Evaluate the Results of a Test

33. During evaporation, which change best describes what happens to water?

A A gas changes to a liquid.

B A gas changes to a solid.

C A liquid changes to a gas.

D A liquid changes to a solid.

Luisa: “We tested this out in second grade and again in fifth grade. Both of my science teachers poured

water into a glass, and then set it on the classroom windowsill. My second grade science teacher pretended

to be a magician, claiming she could ‘make water disappear.’ I learned how water changed from a liquid to

a gas. My fifth grade teacher started this on the first day of the Weather unit. She required all of us to record

weekly observations on the decreasing water level, and by week #6, the water was all gone! I later learned

that this was one of the important steps in the Water Cycle. The answer is C.”

33. During evaporation, which change best describes what happens to water?

A A gas changes to a liquid.

B A gas changes to a solid.

C A liquid changes to a gas.

D A liquid changes to a solid.

We haven’t used telescopes in the fifth grade Weather unit,

although I do remember studying about satellites, balloons,

and other objects above Earth that help detect Earth’s weather

patterns. In a weather station at our school, we would most

likely have a rain gauge. Anyway, I remember making a rain

gauge in our second grade Weather unit. The answer is C.”

Test-Taking Strategies: Using Context Clues

34. Where do climate conditions cause hurricanes to become larger and more powerful?

A over warm water

B over cold water

C over mountains

D over dry, flat land

Bryan: “Now this question looks familiar… didn’t I see this on a similar problem earlier in the test? Let me

look back at the first few questions. Maybe there are some clues there that will help me answer this

question. Oh yeah….that’s right! I already drew a hurriCane path for question #12. Warm and moist air

masses travel from the Gulf of Mexico to North Carolina, and so do some hurriCanes! These storms must

have warm tropical waters to form, survive, and grow. The answer is A.”

34. Where do climate conditions cause hurricanes to become larger and more powerful?

A over warm water

B over cold water

C over mountains

D over dry, flat land

Test-Taking Strategies: Draw a Picture

55. What occurs when cool air moves from the beach toward the ocean during the night?

A a land breeze

B prevailing winds

C a sea breeze

D updrafts

Tiffany: “Oh no. I can’t remember. I think updrafts have to do with storms, and I forgot where in the world

prevailing winds blow. And I always get sea breeze and land breeze mixed up! I’m going to try to figure out

the answer by drawing a picture.

SEA BREEZE SEA BREEZE

Tiffany: “That’s right! Whenever I go to the beach during the day, I always sit in my chair. There’s always

a cool breeze blowing in my face. A sea breeze must happen during the daytime. Since nighttime is the

opposite of daytime, and question #55 wants to know what breeze blows from the beach toward the ocean,

the answer is A.”

55. What occurs when cool air moves from the beach toward the ocean during the night?

A a land breeze

B prevailing winds

C a sea breeze

D updrafts

Resource created by Kyle G. Hamstra

LAND BREEZE LAND BREEZE