Here are some science questions from the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade Standards to help you test your knowledge of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.
The questions are chosen randomly, so this quest will be different each time you reload the page.
* Click here to see only the most recently added questions.
The Common Raven is often a scavenger, but its beak is not strong enough to tear through the thick hide of a winter-killed deer.
It will sit near the carcass and call loudly, attracting other ravens. As the mob gathers, they start making distress calls. That usually attracts a large predator, such as a wolf or coyote. They wait until the predator tears into the carcass.
At that point, 3 or 4 of them will start harassing the predator, keeping its attention, while the other ravens steal parts of the carcass. They then share what they get with the ravens that kept the predator busy.
This is an example of what kind of relationship?
-
mutualism
Yes! In mutualism, both organisms benefit. The ravens help the predator find the carcass, and the predator tears it open so that the ravens can eat some too. Both get a benefit from the relationship. -
commensalism
No. In commensalism, one organism benefits, and the other is not affected. In this case, the ravens and the predator both benefit. -
parasitism
No. For parasitism, one organism benefits, and the other is harmed. Neither the raven nor the predator is harmed by this relationship. -
predation
No. In predation, one organism eats another. Neither the raven nor the predator gets eaten in this relationship.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.7.L.17.2 Compare and contrast the relationships among organisms such as mutualism, predation, parasitism, competition, and commensalism.
| Secondary Consumers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| Review Food Web-11 | practice |
| Review Food Web-12 | practice |
Utah
UT.8.II.2.a Categorize the relationships between organisms (i.e., producer/consumer/decomposer, predator/prey, mutualism/parasitism) and provide examples of each.
| Secondary Consumers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| Producers | video, free, Updated, checked |
| Primary Consumers | video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| What is a Food Web? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Food Web-5 | practice |
| Review Food Web-6 | practice |
| Review Food Web-7 | practice |
| Review Food Web-8 | practice |
| Review Food Web-9 | practice |
| Review Food Web-10 | practice |
| Review Food Web-11 | practice |
| Review Food Web-12 | practice |
| Review Food Web-2 | practice |
| Review Food Web-1 | practice |
| Review Food Web-3 | practice |
| Review Food Web-4 | practice |
NGSS
MS-LS2-2 Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Review Food Web-11 | practice |
| Review Food Web-12 | practice |
Eyeglasses and camera lenses change the path of light to focus an image. Which of the following is responsible for that change?
-
Refraction
Yes! Refraction bends light as it moves from one substance to another. By bending the light, we can use refraction to focus the image in a camera, or to correct the focus of the lens in our eyes. -
Reflection
No. While some light is reflected from a lens, that does not help us focus the image. -
Absorption
No. The lens is clear, telling us that very little of the light is being absorbed. Absorption does not help the lens focus. -
Diffusion
No. Diffusion is the scattering of light as it is reflected in many different directions. Diffusion would make the image cloudy and blurry, not help focus it.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.3.P.10.3 Demonstrate that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object or travels from one medium to another.
| Why Wet Things Turn Dark | video, checked |
| Growing Crystals Under the Microscope | video, free, learnalong, checked |
| Changing the Speed of Light | video |
| Why is Foam White? | video, checked |
| Microscopes: Growing Crystals | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Mirage | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Pinhole Eyeglasses | video, checked |
| A Long Lens | text page |
| Review Light-2 | practice |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
| Review Light-4 | practice |
| Review Light-5 | practice |
| Review Light-1 | practice |
SC.3.P.10.4 Demonstrate that light can be reflected, refracted, and absorbed.
| Why Wet Things Turn Dark | video, checked |
| Growing Crystals Under the Microscope | video, free, learnalong, checked |
| Changing the Speed of Light | video |
| Why is Foam White? | video, checked |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Microscopes: Growing Crystals | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Mirage | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Pinhole Eyeglasses | video, checked |
| Looking for Rainbows | video |
| A Long Lens | text page |
| Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons | text page, free |
| Review Light-1 | practice |
| Review Light-2 | practice |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
| Review Light-4 | practice |
| Review Light-5 | practice |
SC.7.P.10.2 Observe and explain that light can be reflected, refracted, and/or absorbed.
| Pinhole Eyeglasses | video, checked |
| Why Wet Things Turn Dark | video, checked |
| Growing Crystals Under the Microscope | video, free, learnalong, checked |
| Finding Fat in Foods | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Changing the Speed of Light | video |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Why is Foam White? | video, checked |
| Microscopes: Growing Crystals | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Mirage | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| A Long Lens | text page |
| Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons | text page, free |
| Review Light-1 | practice |
| Review Light-2 | practice |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
| Review Light-4 | practice |
| Review Light-5 | practice |
Utah
UT.8.IV.1.b Compare the transfer of energy (i.e., sound, light, earthquake waves, heat) through various mediums.
| Microwave Chocolate | video, checked |
| Spoon Bells | video, checked |
| The Singing Glass | video, checked |
| Why Wet Things Turn Dark | video, checked |
| The Science of Pizza | video, checked |
| Heating a Balloon | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Changing the Speed of Light | video |
| Doppler Effect | video, checked |
| Solar Power | video, checked |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Noisy String | video, checked |
| Mirage | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| About Microwaves | video, checked |
| Comparing How Sound Moves Through Liquids and Gases | text page |
| Review Light-1 | practice |
| Review Light-2 | practice |
| Review Light-4 | practice |
| Review Light-5 | practice |
NGSS
1-PS4-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.
| Pinhole Eyeglasses | video, checked |
| Why Wet Things Turn Dark | video, checked |
| Growing Crystals Under the Microscope | video, free, learnalong, checked |
| Sunprints | video |
| Changing the Speed of Light | video |
| Why is Foam White? | video, checked |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Microscopes: Growing Crystals | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Mirage | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| A Color You Can't See | video, free, checked |
| A Long Lens | text page |
| Review Light-1 | practice |
| Review Light-2 | practice |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
| Review Light-4 | practice |
| Review Light-5 | practice |
MS-PS4-2 Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
| Why Wet Things Turn Dark | video, checked |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Sunprints | video |
| Finding Fat in Foods | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Changing the Speed of Light | video |
| Why is Foam White? | video, checked |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Mirage | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| About Microwaves | video, checked |
| Microwave Chocolate | video, checked |
| A Long Lens | text page |
| Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons | text page, free |
| Review Light-1 | practice |
| Review Light-2 | practice |
| Review Light-4 | practice |
| Review Light-5 | practice |
As we look at the rock cycle, we can see that heat and pressure can change a sedimentary rock into a metamorphic rock. What would change a metamorphic rock into a sedimentary rock?
-
More heat and pressure
No. More heat and pressure would cause more metamorphic change. -
Erosion and deposition
Yes. If the rock was eroded and deposited, that would form a sedimentary rock. -
Melting and cooling
No. Melting the rock and then cooling it would produce an igneous rock. -
A metamorphic rock cannot become a sedimentary rock
No. In the rock cycle, a rock from any group (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) can be changed into a rock from any group.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.4.E.6.1 Identify the three categories of rocks: igneous, (formed from molten rock); sedimentary (pieces of other rocks and fossilized organisms); and metamorphic (formed from heat and pressure).
| Evaporites | video, learnalong, checked |
| Igneous Rocks and Bubbles | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sedimentary Rocks | video, learnalong |
| What is a Rock? | video, learnalong, checked |
| Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals | video |
| Light and Dark Minerals | text page, learnalong |
| Homemade Fossil Dig | text page |
| Foliated and Unfoliated Rocks | text page, learnalong |
| Identifying Igneous Rocks | text page, learnalong |
| Intrusive and Extrusive Igneous Rocks | text page, learnalong |
| Review Rocks-2 | practice |
| Review Rocks-3 | practice |
| Review Rocks-4 | practice |
| Review Rocks-5 | practice |
| Review Rocks-6 | practice |
| Review Rocks-8 | practice |
| Review Rocks-9 | practice |
| Review Rocks-7 | practice |
| Review Rocks-10 | practice |
| Review Rocks-10 | practice |
| Review Rocks-10 | practice |
| Review Rocks-1 | practice |
SC.7.E.6.2 Identify the patterns within the rock cycle and relate them to surface events (weathering and erosion) and sub-surface events (plate tectonics and mountain building).
| Evaporites | video, learnalong, checked |
| What is a Rock? | video, learnalong, checked |
| The Rock Cycle | video, learnalong |
| Change: Fast and Slow | video |
| Erosion | video, checked |
| Continuous Change | video, checked |
| Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals | video |
| Weathering and Erosion | video, learnalong, checked |
| Review Erosion-3 | practice |
| Review Erosion-4 | practice |
| Review Erosion-5 | practice |
| Review Rocks-4 | practice |
| Review Rocks-5 | practice |
| Review Rocks-6 | practice |
| Review Rocks-8 | practice |
| Review Rocks-9 | practice |
| Review Rocks-7 | practice |
| Review Rocks-10 | practice |
| Review Rocks-10 | practice |
| Review Rocks-1 | practice |
| Review Erosion-1 | practice |
| Review Erosion-2 | practice |
Utah
UT.4.III.1.a Describe the differences between minerals and rocks.
| What is a Mineral? | video, checked |
| Identifying Minerals | video, learnalong |
| What is a Rock? | video, learnalong, checked |
| Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals | video |
| Definition of a Mineral | video, checked |
| Review Rocks-1 | practice |
| Review Rocks-4 | practice |
| Review Rocks-5 | practice |
| Review Rocks-6 | practice |
| Review Rocks-8 | practice |
| Review Rocks-9 | practice |
| Review Rocks-7 | practice |
| Review Rocks-10 | practice |
NGSS
4-ESS1-1 Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time.
| Evaporites | video, learnalong, checked |
| Igneous Rocks and Bubbles | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sedimentary Rocks | video, learnalong |
| Reading the Rocks: Law of Superposition | video |
| Reading the Rocks: Law of Crosscutting | video |
| What is a Rock? | video, learnalong, checked |
| Reading the Rocks: The Present is the Key to the Past | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Paleo Cookies | video |
| Homemade Fossil Dig | text page |
| Review Rocks-4 | practice |
| Review Geologic Time-2 | practice |
| Review Rocks-5 | practice |
| Review Rocks-6 | practice |
| Review Rocks-8 | practice |
| Review Rocks-9 | practice |
| Review Rocks-7 | practice |
| Review Rocks-10 | practice |
| Review Geologic Time-3 | practice |
| Review Rocks-1 | practice |
| Review Geologic Time-1 | practice |
MS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
| Evaporites | video, learnalong, checked |
| Definition of a Mineral | video, checked |
| Igneous Rocks and Bubbles | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| What is a Mineral? | video, checked |
| Identifying Minerals | video, learnalong |
| Sedimentary Rocks | video, learnalong |
| What is a Rock? | video, learnalong, checked |
| The Rock Cycle | video, learnalong |
| Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals | video |
| Light and Dark Minerals | text page, learnalong |
| Review Rocks-2 | practice |
| Review Rocks-3 | practice |
| Review Rocks-4 | practice |
| Review Rocks-5 | practice |
| Review Rocks-6 | practice |
| Review Rocks-8 | practice |
| Review Rocks-9 | practice |
| Review Rocks-7 | practice |
| Review Rocks-10 | practice |
| Review Rocks-10 | practice |
| Review Rocks-10 | practice |
| Review Rocks-1 | practice |
How can there be rain if this area is a desert?
Answer:
It is important to understand the difference between climate and weather. Weather is what is happening now. Climate is determined by looking at the weather data over a long period of time, often several decades. To be classified as a desert climate, the area has an average annual rainfall of 7.87 inches of rain or less. That tells us that it does sometimes have rain, just not very often.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.2.L.17.2 Recognize and explain that living things are found all over Earth, but each is only able to live in habitats that meet its basic needs.
| Hunting with an Umbrella | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Review Weather-9 | practice |
SC.5.E.7.6 Describe characteristics (temperature and precipitation) of different climate zones as they relate to latitude, elevation, and proximity to bodies of water.
| Weather and Climate | video |
| Review Weather-7 | practice |
| Review Weather-9 | practice |
SC.6.E.7.2 Investigate and apply how the cycling of water between the atmosphere and hydrosphere has an effect on weather patterns and climate.
| Cloud Types | video |
| Nephoscope | video, checked |
| The Water Cycle | video, checked |
| Weather and Climate | video |
| Pine Cone Weather | text page, free |
| Review Weather-8 | practice |
| Review Weather-9 | practice |
| Review Weather-10 | practice |
SC.6.E.7.6 Differentiate between weather and climate.
| Weather and Climate | video |
| Review Weather-9 | practice |
Utah
UT.4.V.1.a Compare the physical characteristics (e.g., precipitation, temperature, and surface terrain) of Utah's wetlands, forests, and deserts.
| Weather and Climate | video |
| Review Weather-9 | practice |
UT.4.V.1.c Locate examples of areas that have characteristics of wetlands, forests, or deserts in Utah.
| Review Weather-7 | practice |
| Review Weather-9 | practice |
NGSS
MS-ESS2-6 Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
| Cloud Formation, part 2 | video |
| Global Science | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Weather and Climate | video |
| Review Weather-9 | practice |
3-ESS2-2 Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
| Weather and Climate | video |
| Review Weather-9 | practice |
I let mold grow on this stale loaf of bread. What part of the food web does the mold belong to?
-
Producer.
No. A producer captures energy from sunlight, and stores it as food. To do that, the organism needs to contain chlorophyll. This mold is green, but does not have chlorophyll. -
Primary Consumer.
No. Primary consumers eat producers. This mold does not eat living plants. -
Secondary Consumer
No. Secondary consumers eat other consumers. This mold does not eat animals. -
Decomposer
Yes! Decomposers break down dead and decaying organisms. The mold is a fungus that is breaking down and decomposing the bread to get energy from it..
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.4.L.17.3 Trace the flow of energy from the Sun as it is transferred along the food chain through the producers to the consumers.
| Scavengers and Decomposers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Secondary Consumers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| Producers | video, free, Updated, checked |
| Primary Consumers | video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| Food Web Tag | text page |
| What is a Food Web? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Food Web-1 | practice |
| Review Food Web-3 | practice |
| Review Food Web-4 | practice |
| Review Food Web-5 | practice |
| Review Food Web-6 | practice |
| Review Food Web-7 | practice |
| Review Food Web-8 | practice |
| Review Food Web-9 | practice |
| Review Food Web-10 | practice |
| Review Food Web-2 | practice |
SC.7.L.17.1 Explain and illustrate the roles of and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in the process of energy transfer in a food web.
| Measuring Calories | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Scavengers and Decomposers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Secondary Consumers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| Producers | video, free, Updated, checked |
| Primary Consumers | video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| Food Web Tag | text page |
| What is a Food Web? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Food Web-1 | practice |
| Review Food Web-3 | practice |
| Review Food Web-4 | practice |
| Review Food Web-5 | practice |
| Review Food Web-6 | practice |
| Review Food Web-7 | practice |
| Review Food Web-8 | practice |
| Review Food Web-9 | practice |
| Review Food Web-10 | practice |
| Review Food Web-2 | practice |
Utah
UT.8.II.2.a Categorize the relationships between organisms (i.e., producer/consumer/decomposer, predator/prey, mutualism/parasitism) and provide examples of each.
| Secondary Consumers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| Producers | video, free, Updated, checked |
| Primary Consumers | video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| What is a Food Web? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Food Web-5 | practice |
| Review Food Web-6 | practice |
| Review Food Web-7 | practice |
| Review Food Web-8 | practice |
| Review Food Web-9 | practice |
| Review Food Web-10 | practice |
| Review Food Web-11 | practice |
| Review Food Web-12 | practice |
| Review Food Web-2 | practice |
| Review Food Web-1 | practice |
| Review Food Web-3 | practice |
| Review Food Web-4 | practice |
NGSS
5-PS3-1 Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun.
| Measuring Calories | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Scavengers and Decomposers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Secondary Consumers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| Producers | video, free, Updated, checked |
| Measuring Photosynthesis | video, checked |
| Primary Consumers | video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| Calories: Measuring the Energy | text page, free |
| What is a Food Web? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Food Web-1 | practice |
| Review Food Web-3 | practice |
| Review Food Web-4 | practice |
| Review Food Web-5 | practice |
| Review Food Web-6 | practice |
| Review Food Web-7 | practice |
| Review Food Web-8 | practice |
| Review Food Web-9 | practice |
| Review Food Web-10 | practice |
| Review Food Web-2 | practice |
5-LS2-1 Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
| Scavengers and Decomposers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Secondary Consumers | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| Producers | video, free, Updated, checked |
| Primary Consumers | video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked |
| What is a Food Web? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Food Web-1 | practice |
| Review Food Web-3 | practice |
| Review Food Web-4 | practice |
| Review Food Web-5 | practice |
| Review Food Web-6 | practice |
| Review Food Web-7 | practice |
| Review Food Web-8 | practice |
| Review Food Web-9 | practice |
| Review Food Web-10 | practice |
| Review Food Web-2 | practice |