STAAR Grade 5 Science May 2021 RELEASED

STAAR

State of Texas

Assessments of

Academic Readiness

GRADE 5

Science

Administered May 2021

RELEASED

written permission from the Texas Education Agency.

SCIENCE

Science

Page 3

DIRECTIONS

Read each question carefully. Determine the best answer to the question from

thefouranswerchoices provided.Thenfill in theansweronyouranswer

document.

1 A student recorded the time it took for all the water in a puddle on a sidewalk to

evaporate after a rain. Which kind of energy causes water to evaporate?

Light energy

from streetlights

B Sound energy from passing cars

C Thermal energy from the environment

D Mechanical energy from nearby streets

2 Earth

continuously rotates on its axis while also moving in an orbit. About how much

time does it take for Earth to make one complete rotation on its axis?

24 hours

G 30 days

H 60 minutes

J 365 days

Science

Page 4

3 For a class demonstration a student turned off the lights in the classroom. The

student then shined light from a flashlight through a hole in a piece of cardboard. The

class saw the narrow beam of light continue until another student placed a mirror in

the light’s path.

The light did not continue past the mirror because —

light cannot travel very far

B the mirror absorbed all the light

C the light was refracted back to the light source

D light travels in a straight line and cannot go around objects

4 A table of different properties of four samples of matter is shown.

Sample

Conducts

Electricity

Conducts

Heat

Soluble in

Water

Physical

State at

Room

Temperature

1 No No Yes Solid

2 Yes Yes No Solid

3 No Yes Yes Liquid

4 Yes Yes No Liquid

Which conclusion can

be made about the samples based on the table?

Sample 1

is made of plastic.

G Sample 2 is made of metal.

H Sample 3 is attracted to magnets.

J Sample 4 is less dense than water.

Science

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5 A wagon is pushed and begins to move. As the wagon moves, it slows and comes to

a stop. The wagon and the direction it is pushed are shown.

Direction wagon is pushed

What force causes the wagon to stop?

The force of gravity which is acting in the same direction as the arrow

B The force of friction which is acting in the same direction as the arrow

C The force of gravity which is acting in the opposite direction of the arrow

D The force of friction which is acting in the opposite direction of the arrow

6 Students made

a chart classifying animal behaviors.

Animal Behaviors

Inherited Learned

Bear looking for food in a trash can Dog coming when its name is called

Owl being active at night Pony pulling a cart

Turtle burying eggs

Squirrel getting seeds from a bird

feeder

Which animal behavior is NOT correctly classified?

Bear looking for food in a trash can

G Owl being active at night

H Dog coming when its name is called

J Squirrel getting seeds from a bird feeder

Science

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7 Canyons and mesas are two landforms found in the western part of the United

States. Which statement best describes how canyons and mesas are similar?

Both were formed by slow-moving glaciers.

B Both

were formed by erosion by wind and water.

C Both were part of a mountain that was weathered by ice.

D Both were part of a desert that was reshaped by a flood.

Science

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−

Switch 1 Switch 2

−

Switch 1 Switch 2

−

Switch 1 Switch 2

−

Switch 1 Switch 2

−

Switch 1 Switch 2

8 A student wants to make a change to the circuit shown below so that when Switch 1

is open and Switch 2 is closed, only one light will be on in the circuit.

Which diagram shows how the student should change the circuit?

F H

G J

Science

Page 8

9 Students researching the relationships between some organisms in the Lavaca Bay

ecosystem in Texas made this partial food web.

Bald eagles

Spotted sandpipers

Hermit crabs

Swamp sparrows

Swamp rabbits

Wiregrass

Blue crabs

Phytoplankton

Clover grass

Which of these lists contains only organisms that receive some of their energy

directly from other organisms that produce their own food?

Bald eagles and spotted sandpipers

B Swamp

rabbits, hermit crabs, and swamp sparrows

C Phytoplankton, hermit crabs, and blue crabs

D Wiregrass, clover grass, and phytoplankton

Science

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10 A science class is observing a pet turtle in a small plastic pool. The students turn on a

portable camping lamp that is clamped on to a counter next to the pool.

Which kind of energy is used by the portable lamp to produce light?

F Mechanical energy, because the lamp is clamped on to the counter

G Thermal energy, because the lamp increases the temperature of the water

H Electrical energy, because the lamp is battery-operated

J Sound energy, because the lamp vibrates when clicked on

11 Students observe a glass of ice and water. The glass is dry on the outside. After ten

minutes students see drops of water on the outside of the glass.

Which statement best explains the students’ observations?

The water vapor in the air changes to a liquid when it touches the cold glass.

B The cold water inside the glass rises and then slides down the outside of the glass.

C The ice in the glass melted and caused the water to overflow the glass.

D The water moved to the outside surface through tiny holes in the glass.

Science

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12 Students chose objects to model the relative sizes of Earth and the moon.

Basketball Soccer ball Baseball Tennis ball Golf ball Marble

Earth Moon

Which set of objects best compares the sizes of Earth and the moon?

Earth Moon

MoonEarth

Science

Page 11

13 A dinosaur fossil is shown.

Which question can scientists most likely answer from studying the fossil of the

dinosaur?

What was

the pattern on the skin of the dinosaur?

B What was the type of food the dinosaur ate?

C How fast was the heart of the dinosaur beating?

D How many eggs were in the nest of the dinosaur?

14 In

the early 1600s, the astronomer Galileo used a telescope to make observations of

Mercury and Venus. What are the positions of these planets in relation to the sun?

Mercury is

the planet closest to the sun, and Venus is the second planet from the

sun.

G Mercury is

the second planet from the sun, and Venus is the third planet from the

sun.

H Venus is the planet closest to the sun, and Mercury is the second planet from the

sun.

J Mercury is the third planet from the sun, and Venus is the planet closest to the

sun.

Science

Page 12

15 This chart describes some beak and toe adaptations that help four bird species

survive in different habitats.

Bird 1

Bird 2

Bird 3

Bird 4

• Long, sharp beak

for hammering

into tree trunks

• Sharp beak for

spearing fish

• Long toes for

walking on mud

and grasping

plants

• Heavy, pointed

beak with sharp

edges for splitting

open seeds

• Special toe

placement that

helps with

perching and

hopping

• Grooved beak for

straining food

from water

• Special toe

placement that

helps with

support on tree

trunk

• Webbed toes for

moving through

water

Based on these adaptations, which table best matches the bird species to its

environment?

Species

Type of

Environment

Bird 1

Prairie

Bird 2

Forest

Bird 3

Pond

Bird 4

Marsh

Species

Type of

Environment

Bird 1

Prairie

Bird 2

Marsh

Bird 3

Pond

Bird 4

Forest

B D

Species

Type of

Environment

Bird 1

Forest

Bird 2

Pond

Bird 3

Marsh

Bird 4

Prairie

Species

Type of

Environment

Bird 1

Forest

Bird 2

Marsh

Bird 3

Prairie

Bird 4

Pond

Science

Page 13

16 A student compares the physical properties of the four objects shown.

Rock Rubber eraser Paper cup Wooden block

Which of these physical properties do all four objects have in common?

They

all have the same physical state and conduct electricity.

G They all conduct electricity and attract the same metal objects.

H They all attract the same metal objects and are not soluble in water.

J They all are not soluble in water and have the same physical state.

Science

Page 14

Oak Tree Life Cycle Lady Beetle Life Cycle

Eggs

Adult

Larva

Pupa

17 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?

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.

18 Which process will happen when the sun interacts with the ocean?

Rain will

fall only on the land.

G Water will not evaporate at nighttime.

H Salt water will become fresh water vapor.

J Precipitation will happen less often.

Science

Page 15

Cheetahs

Barn owls

Spotted

hyenas

Mountain zebras

Gemsboks

Grant’s

golden moles

Term ite s

Desert grasses and shrubs

19 A partial desert food web is shown.

Which food

chain shows one complete pathway in which energy flows through this

food web?

Desert grasses

and shrubs

→

barn owls termites

→

B Desert grasses and shrubs

→

cheetahsmountain zebras

→

C Desert grasses and shrubs

→

spotted hyenas termites

→

D Desert grasses and shrubs

→

Grant’s golden moles gemsboks

→

Science

Page 16

20 A student constructs the circuit shown for a science demonstration.

With the switches in these positions, which lights are on?

All the

lights

G Lights 1 and 2 only

H Lights 3 and 4 only

J None of the lights

21 A student

prepared a snack that consisted of grapes, pecans, and strawberries

sprinkled with white powdered sugar. The student stored the snack in a refrigerator.

An hour later the student observed that the powdered sugar could no longer be seen

but the fruit and nuts had not changed in appearance.

What most likely happened to the sugar in the mixture?

The sugar evaporated

at the lower temperature in the refrigerator without causing

any changes to the fruit and nuts.

B The sugar was

more dense than the other foods in the mixture, so it settled to the

bottom of the container.

C The sugar dissolved in the moisture on the fruit.

D The sugar absorbed energy from the nuts and melted into a colorless liquid.

Science

Page 17

22 The chart lists plants and animals interacting with parts of an environment.

1. A hummingbird dips its beak inside a flower.

2. A lizard burrows into the sand to stay cool.

3. A fish absorbs oxygen through its gills.

4. A cactus wren eats seeds from a cactus fruit.

5. A sea star clings to a rock in a tidal pool.

6. A bear scratches its back against a tree.

Which statements describe an animal interacting with a living part of the

environment?

Statements 1,

4, and 6 only

G Statements 1, 3, and 5 only

H Statements 2, 5, and 6 only

J Statements 2, 3, and 4 only

Science

Page 18

23 A student drew the following pictures to show the day-night cycle of Earth.

(sunrise 7:10 A.M.)

11 hours of daytime

Daytime

(sunset 6:10

P.M.)

Nighttime

? hours of nighttime

Based on the pictures, how many hours should the student record on the nighttime

picture to complete a day-night cycle?

11 hours

B 12 hours

C 13 hours

D 24 hours

Science

Page 19

24 A student uses a flashlight to shine a beam of light on three different objects.

Object 1 Object 2 Object 3

Beam of light

Which table describes what happens to the light beam as it interacts with each

object?

Object Light Beam

1 Scattered

2 Absorbed

3 Reflected

Object Light Beam

1 Reflected

2 Absorbed

3 Refracted

G J

Object Light Beam

1 Refracted

2 Absorbed

3 Reflected

Object Light Beam

1 Absorbed

2 Refracted

3 Scattered

Science

Page 20

25 White oak trees grow to be 24 to 30 meters tall. Their long branches are covered

with leaves, and their roots reach deep into the soil to hold the tree in place. White

oaks drop their leaves during the winter months.

Characteristics of Four Ecosystems

Ecosystem Temperature Yearly Precipitation Soil

Long, cold winters

with temperatures

below 0 °C and

short, cool summers

Less than 25 cm of

rain

Thin layer of topsoil;

frozen ground below

Warm throughout

the year, very hot in

summer

Less than 28 cm of

rain

Sandy, rocky soil

Cold-to-moderate

winters and warm

summers

Between 76 and

152 cm of rain

Rich, deep soil

Warm and wet

year-round

Between 200 and

1000 cm of rain

Soil drains quickly;

thin top layer of

humus

In which ecosystem would forests of white oak trees be most likely to survive?

Ecosystem 1

B Ecosystem 2

C Ecosystem 3

D Ecosystem 4

26 A three-step process is shown.

CementationCompactionDeposition

Which of these are most likely formed by the process shown?

Glaciers

G Mountains

H Sand dunes

J Sedimentary rocks

Science

Page 21

27 A group of students is given four small cubes of the same size and instructed to place

them in a beaker of water. One cube floats to the surface of the water. Two of the

cubes float in the middle of the beaker under the surface of the water. The last cube

sinks to the bottom of the beaker.

Which conclusion is best supported by what the students observed?

Two of the four cubes are soluble in water.

B All four cubes have different masses.

C Each cube is made of a different type of solid material.

D One of the cubes is more dense than the other three.

28 Which effect would most likely occur if a six-lane highway were built through an

ecosystem?

Competition for

resources would be reduced.

G Habitats available to animals would be reduced.

H Air pollution would decrease.

J Water pollution would decrease.

Science

Page 22

29 Students investigate force. The masses they use begin at rest on the ramp. The

setup the students use is shown.

Masses

Spring scale

Ramp

Which change will reduce the amount of force needed to move the masses?

Decrease the height of the ramp

B Increase the height of the ramp

C Add an additional mass

D Pull the spring scale with two hands

Students record characteristics of a tomato plant. One student’s list is shown.

Tomato Plant Characteristics

• Stems with branches that have many wide leaves

• Roots growing out of lower stem into the ground

• Small yellow flowers

• Seven large red tomatoes

• Four small green tomatoes

Which tomato plant characteristic is least likely to be inherited?

Flower color

G Leaf shape

H Type of roots

J Number of tomatoes

Science

Page 23

31 Students list resources that are used to heat buildings.

• Wood

• Coal

• Natural gas

• Petroleum

• Solar energy

Which of these tables correctly classifies the resources?

Renewable Nonrenewable

Solar energy Petroleum

Wood Natural gas

Coal

Renewable Nonrenewable

Wood Solar energy

Coal Petroleum

Natural gas

B D

Renewable Nonrenewable

Solar energy Coal

Natural gas Petroleum

Wood

Renewable Nonrenewable

Petroleum Solar energy

Natural gas Wood

Coal

Science

Page 24

32 A student mixes a sample of stones with a sample of table salt. The mass and volume

of the samples were determined before mixing the samples. The mass and volume of

each sample is shown.

Material

Grams

(g)

Milliliters

(mL)

Stones 45 25

Salt 40 35

Which statement is true about the mixture?

The mass of the mixture is 85 grams.

G The mass of the mixture is 60 milliliters.

H The volume of the mixture is 60 grams.

J The volume of the mixture is 85 milliliters.

Science

Page 25

Rock

Sand

Water

Shredded

aterWater

Gravel

newspaper

for food

33 A student’s model of a closed ecosystem is shown. The student plans to add land

snails to the model in order to show how the snails interact with different parts of the

ecosystem.

What should the student add to the model so that the snails will survive?

Fish to provide food

B Sticks to provide a place to hide

C Deep water to provide carbon dioxide

D Living plants to provide oxygen

Science

Page 26

34 Deltas are large landforms found along coastlines. What process forms deltas?

Cementation of sediments by rivers

G Deposition of sediments by rivers

H Erosion of sediments by ocean waves

J Deposition of sediments by ocean waves

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.

Raccoon Coati

• Sharp teeth and powerful claws

• Paws with flexible toes

• Good eyesight at night

• Eats fruits, berries, insects,

rodents, frogs, fish, eggs, corn

• Long fluffy tail

• Sharp teeth and long claws

• Paws with flexible toes

• Good eyesight at night

• Eats insects, lizards, frogs, roots,

fruits, nuts, and eggs

• Long tail that helps in balancing

Which statement does NOT describe how the body structures of these animals help

them escape predators?

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.

Science

Page 27

36 Sediments are transported at different speeds. Which type of sediment transport is

the slowest?

Transport by rivers

G Transport

by winds

H Transport

by glaciers

J Transport

by ocean currents

BE SURE YOU HAVE RECORDED ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS

Science

Page 28

ON THE ANSWER DOCUMENT.

STOP

STAAR

GRADE 5

Science

May 2021