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100+ Free MCAS Grade 5 Science Practice Questions

Pass your MCAS Grade 5 Science and Technology/Engineering Test exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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In a forest food web, energy passes from one organism to the next. Where does the energy that powers nearly all food webs ultimately come from?

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Key Facts: MCAS Grade 5 Science Exam

The MCAS Grade 5 Science and Technology/Engineering Test is Massachusetts' free state assessment that measures fifth-grade mastery of the NGSS-based 2016 STE Framework across Earth and space, life, and physical science plus technology/engineering, reported as a 440-560 scaled score in four achievement levels where 500 meets expectations.

Sample MCAS Grade 5 Science Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your MCAS Grade 5 Science exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A student dissolves a spoonful of sugar in a glass of warm water until the sugar disappears. Which statement best explains what happened to the sugar?
A.The sugar was destroyed and no longer exists
B.The sugar broke into tiny particles too small to see that spread through the water
C.The sugar turned into water
D.The sugar floated to the top of the glass
Explanation: When sugar dissolves, it breaks apart into particles too small to see that mix evenly throughout the water. The matter is not destroyed; it is still present, which is why the water tastes sweet.
2Two students measure the mass of a sealed jar that contains ice. The jar is left out until all the ice melts into liquid water. They measure the jar's mass again. What will they most likely find?
A.The mass is greater after melting
B.The mass is less after melting
C.The mass is exactly the same after melting
D.The mass cannot be measured after melting
Explanation: In a sealed container, no matter can enter or leave, so the total mass stays the same even when ice melts to liquid water. This is the idea of conservation of matter.
3Which of these is the best evidence that a new substance has formed during a change?
A.Ice cubes melt into liquid water
B.Water boils and turns into water vapor
C.A nail rusts and forms a reddish-brown coating
D.Salt is stirred into water and disappears
Explanation: When a nail rusts, it combines with oxygen to form a new substance (rust) with different properties. Forming a new material with new properties is a sign of a chemical change.
4A ball is held above the ground and then let go. What causes the ball to fall down toward Earth?
A.The push of the air around the ball
B.The force of gravity pulling the ball toward Earth's center
C.The spin of the ball
D.Magnetism between the ball and the ground
Explanation: Gravity is a force that pulls objects toward the center of Earth. This downward gravitational force is what makes a released ball fall to the ground.
5An apple sits on a table and does not move. Two forces act on it: gravity pulling down and the table pushing up. What can you conclude about these two forces?
A.The downward force is much larger than the upward force
B.The upward force is much larger than the downward force
C.The two forces are balanced and equal in size
D.There are no forces acting on the apple
Explanation: When an object stays still, the forces acting on it are balanced. The table's upward push is equal in size to gravity's downward pull, so the apple does not move.
6A student rubs a balloon on her hair and then holds it near small pieces of paper. The paper jumps up to the balloon without the balloon touching it. What does this show?
A.A force can act on objects without touching them
B.The paper has become heavier
C.The balloon is magnetic
D.The paper is made of metal
Explanation: The rubbed balloon builds up static electric charge, which can pull on the paper across a small distance. This shows that some forces can act on objects even without direct contact.
7Which list shows three materials that are all attracted to a magnet?
A.Iron nail, steel paperclip, iron filings
B.Copper penny, rubber band, plastic spoon
C.Wood block, glass marble, paper clip made of aluminum
D.Cotton cloth, gold ring, wax candle
Explanation: Magnets attract objects that contain iron or steel. An iron nail, a steel paperclip, and iron filings all contain iron, so a magnet attracts them.
8Plants use energy to grow and make their own food. Where does the energy that a plant uses to make its food originally come from?
A.The soil
B.The Sun (light energy)
C.The water in the ground
D.The air alone
Explanation: Plants capture light energy from the Sun and use it to make food through photosynthesis. The Sun is the original source of the energy stored in plants.
9In a food web, energy flows in one direction. Which sequence correctly shows the direction that energy flows?
A.Hawk to snake to mouse to grass
B.Grass to mouse to snake to hawk
C.Snake to grass to hawk to mouse
D.Mouse to grass to hawk to snake
Explanation: Energy from the Sun is captured by producers like grass, then passed to a plant eater (mouse), then to predators (snake, hawk). Energy flows from producers to consumers in one direction.
10Mushrooms and certain bacteria break down dead plants and animals in a forest. What is the main role of these organisms in an ecosystem?
A.Producers that make their own food
B.Predators that hunt large animals
C.Decomposers that recycle nutrients back into the soil
D.Pollinators that move pollen between flowers
Explanation: Decomposers such as fungi and many bacteria break down dead organisms and waste. This returns nutrients to the soil so that plants can use them again.

About the MCAS Grade 5 Science Exam

The MCAS Grade 5 Science and Technology/Engineering (STE) Test is a Massachusetts state assessment that measures how well fifth graders have learned the 2016 Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework, which is built on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). DESE redesigned the grade 5 STE test around performance tasks: each task presents an illustrated storyline about a science phenomenon along with an interactive simulation, then asks selected-response questions (multiple-choice, multiple-select, and technology-enhanced) and a constructed-response question. Students complete tasks across two sessions, with five scored common tasks worth 55 points and one matrix task that does not count toward the score. Items integrate the three dimensions of the standards: Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting Concepts, across four reporting categories: Earth and Space Science, Life Science, Physical Science, and Technology/Engineering. Results are reported as a scaled score from 440 to 560 in four achievement levels, where 500 means a student meets grade-level expectations. The test is free to students and administered by Massachusetts public school districts.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

Given in two test sessions over one or more days. The grade 5 STE test is not strictly timed; schools schedule enough time for students to finish each session, and students who need more time may continue within the regular school day, with accommodations available per IEPs and 504 plans.

Passing Score

Results are reported as a scaled score from 440 to 560 in four achievement levels: Not Meeting Expectations (440-469), Partially Meeting Expectations (470-499), Meeting Expectations (500-529), and Exceeding Expectations (530-560). A scaled score of 500 means the student meets grade-level expectations.

Exam Fee

Free for students; the assessment is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and administered through public school districts. (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Student Assessment Services)

MCAS Grade 5 Science Exam Content Outline

One of four reporting categories

Earth and Space Science

Stars and the Sun, why stars differ in apparent brightness, daily and seasonal patterns such as day and night and shadows, gravity and orbits, the water cycle and water distribution, weather, Earth's interacting systems, weathering, erosion, and protecting resources (5-ESS1, 5-ESS2, 5-ESS3).

One of four reporting categories

Life Science

Producers, consumers, and decomposers, food webs and one-way energy flow from the Sun, the movement of matter among organisms, structure and function, life cycles, inherited traits, and environmental effects on organisms (5-LS1, 5-LS2).

One of four reporting categories

Physical Science

Properties of matter, particles too small to see, conservation of matter, mixtures, changes that form new substances, forces and motion, gravity, magnets, friction, and light, sound, and heat as energy (5-PS1, 5-PS2, 5-PS3).

One of four reporting categories

Technology/Engineering

Defining problems with criteria and constraints, developing and comparing solutions, building and testing models and prototypes, using data to improve designs, and choosing materials by their properties (3-5-ETS1).

How to Pass the MCAS Grade 5 Science Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Results are reported as a scaled score from 440 to 560 in four achievement levels: Not Meeting Expectations (440-469), Partially Meeting Expectations (470-499), Meeting Expectations (500-529), and Exceeding Expectations (530-560). A scaled score of 500 means the student meets grade-level expectations.
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: Given in two test sessions over one or more days. The grade 5 STE test is not strictly timed; schools schedule enough time for students to finish each session, and students who need more time may continue within the regular school day, with accommodations available per IEPs and 504 plans.
  • Exam fee: Free for students; the assessment is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and administered through public school districts.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

MCAS Grade 5 Science Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study all four STE areas, since Earth and space science, life science, physical science, and technology/engineering are each reported as a separate category.
2Learn the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers, and practice tracing the one-way flow of energy from the Sun through food webs.
3Review properties of matter, the idea that matter is made of tiny particles, conservation of matter, and how to tell when a new substance has formed.
4Practice the water cycle steps, how Earth's systems interact, and how weathering, erosion, and conservation shape and protect Earth's resources.
5Understand why stars differ in apparent brightness, why the Sun appears to move, how shadows change, and how gravity keeps objects in orbit.
6Practice the engineering design process: define a problem with criteria and constraints, build and test models, and use data from each phenomenon-based task to improve a design.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MCAS Grade 5 Science and Technology/Engineering Test?

It is Massachusetts' state science assessment for fifth graders, given near the end of the school year to measure mastery of the 2016 Massachusetts STE Curriculum Framework. The redesigned test is built around performance tasks that present real-world science phenomena.

What topics are on the MCAS Grade 5 STE Test?

The test covers four reporting categories: Earth and space science (stars, the water cycle, weather, Earth's systems), life science (ecosystems, food webs, structure and function, heredity), physical science (matter, forces, gravity, light, and sound), and technology/engineering (engineering design).

How is the MCAS Grade 5 Science Test scored?

Students receive a scaled score from 440 to 560 placed in one of four achievement levels: Not Meeting Expectations, Partially Meeting Expectations, Meeting Expectations, and Exceeding Expectations. A scaled score of 500 means a student meets grade-level expectations.

How is the redesigned MCAS Grade 5 STE Test structured?

The test is built around performance tasks given over two sessions. Each task includes an illustrated science phenomenon and an interactive simulation, with selected-response questions and a constructed-response question. Five scored tasks contribute 55 points.

What types of questions are on the test?

Each performance task uses selected-response items, including multiple-choice, multiple-select, and technology-enhanced items such as drag-and-drop, plus a written constructed-response item. The questions integrate science practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts.

Is the MCAS Grade 5 Science Test free?

Yes. The test is free to students because it is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and administered through public school districts as part of the state's required assessments.