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100+ Free MAP Science Grade 5 Practice Questions

Prepare for the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) Science — Grade 5 exam with instant access — no signup required.

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Published annually by Missouri DESE in statewide and district assessment results; proficiency rates vary by year and grade level Pass Rate
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Key Facts: MAP Science Grade 5 Exam

Grade 5

Tested Elementary Grade Level in Missouri

Missouri DESE

Free

Statewide Public Assessment

Missouri DESE

Untimed

Typically Administered in 2 Testing Sessions

MAP Testing Manual

NGSS-Aligned

Based on Missouri Learning Standards for Science

Missouri DESE

4 Domains

Physical, Life, Earth & Space, and Engineering

MAP Science Blueprint

Missouri MAP Science Grade 5 is a free statewide DESE assessment measuring 5th grade proficiency across physical, life, earth/space sciences, and engineering design.

Sample MAP Science Grade 5 Practice Questions

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

1A student in St. Louis pumps air into a rubber balloon until it expands and becomes firm. Even though air cannot be seen inside the balloon, which statement best explains why the balloon expands?
A.Air is made of tiny particles that move around and push against the inside walls of the balloon.
B.Air turns into a solid material when forced into a flexible rubber container.
C.Air increases the weight of the balloon by absorbing heat from the room.
D.Air creates a vacuum inside the balloon that pulls the rubber outward.
Explanation: Air is matter composed of microscopic particles (gases like nitrogen and oxygen) that are constantly moving. As more air is pumped into the balloon, these particles collide with the inner rubber walls, exerting pressure and causing the balloon to expand.
2Students in Kansas City test how heat moves through different materials. They place a wooden spoon, a plastic spoon, and a metal spoon into a bowl of hot soup. After two minutes, which spoon handle will feel the warmest to the touch?
A.The wooden spoon, because wood traps heat energy inside itself.
B.The plastic spoon, because plastic creates its own thermal energy.
C.All three spoons will feel equally warm because they are in the same bowl.
D.The metal spoon, because metal is a good thermal conductor.
Explanation: Metal is an effective thermal conductor, allowing heat energy from the hot soup to transfer quickly along the handle. Wood and plastic are thermal insulators and transfer heat much more slowly.
3While visiting the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, a student drops a small rubber ball from a height of one meter. In which direction does Earth's gravitational force pull the falling ball?
A.Toward the closest large building or monument.
B.In the direction that the wind is blowing.
C.Horizontal toward the equator.
D.Straight down toward the center of the Earth.
Explanation: Earth's gravity exerts a downward force on all objects near its surface, pulling them directly toward the center of the Earth regardless of their location.
4Farmers in Saline County, Missouri, grow corn crops that feed local beef cattle. Where did the original energy in the cattle's food come from?
A.From the soil nutrients that the cattle absorbed while walking in the field.
B.From the Sun, which provided light energy for the corn plants to make food.
C.From the farm equipment used to harvest and process the corn.
D.From rainwater stored inside the corn kernels.
Explanation: All energy in animal food can be traced back to the Sun. Corn plants use sunlight during photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide and water into energy-rich sugars, which cattle eat for nourishment.
5A student shines a flashlight onto four different objects: a sheet of clear glass, a sheet of aluminum foil, a piece of dark cardboard, and a clear plastic ruler. Which object reflects almost all the light back toward the student?
A.The clear glass, because light passes straight through transparent materials.
B.The dark cardboard, because dark rough surfaces absorb and reflect all light equally.
C.The clear plastic ruler, because plastic bends light into colorful rainbows.
D.The aluminum foil, because it has a shiny, smooth metallic surface.
Explanation: Smooth, shiny surfaces like aluminum foil have high reflectivity, bouncing light rays cleanly back toward the source rather than absorbing or transmitting them.
6During a science lab in Springfield, Missouri, a student stirs table salt into one beaker of water and sand into another beaker of water. What will the student observe after stirring both beakers for two minutes?
A.Both the salt and the sand completely dissolve into invisible liquids.
B.The salt dissolves in water to form a clear solution, while the sand remains undissolved at the bottom.
C.The sand dissolves completely, while the salt floats on top of the water.
D.Neither substance dissolves, leaving solid crystals of both salt and sand floating.
Explanation: Salt is soluble in water, meaning its molecules separate and mix evenly among water molecules to form a solution. Sand is insoluble in water and settles at the bottom of the beaker.
7A student builds a simple electric circuit using a D-cell battery, a small light bulb, and three connecting wires. Which material would make the best conductor wire to allow electricity to flow and light the bulb?
A.Cotton string.
B.Wooden toothpick.
C.Plastic drinking straw.
D.Copper metal wire.
Explanation: Metals like copper are excellent electrical conductors because their electrons can move freely, completing the circuit to illuminate the bulb. Cotton, wood, and plastic are insulators.
8A student collecting rock specimens in an Ozark cave tests the hardness of an unknown mineral sample. The mineral can be scratched easily by a copper penny (hardness 3), but cannot be scratched by a fingernail (hardness 2.5). What is the relative hardness of the mineral sample?
A.Less than 2.5.
B.Greater than 5.
C.Exactly 1.0.
D.Between 2.5 and 3.
Explanation: If an object can scratch a mineral, the object is harder than the mineral. If an object cannot scratch the mineral, the mineral is harder than the object. Thus, a mineral harder than a fingernail (2.5) but softer than a penny (3) has a hardness between 2.5 and 3.
9A student in Columbia, Missouri, plants tomato seeds in potting soil. Over six weeks, the tomato plants gain 500 grams of fresh plant mass. Where do plants get most of the raw matter needed to build their new structures?
A.From rich dark soil particles absorbed directly into the stem.
B.From carbon dioxide gas in the air and water absorbed by the roots.
C.From fertilizer chemicals manufactured inside garden tools.
D.From earthworm waste dissolved in sunlight.
Explanation: Plants construct their biomass primarily from carbon dioxide taken in from the air through leaves and water absorbed from soil through roots during photosynthesis.
10In Mark Twain National Forest, white oak trees grow tall canopy branches. What role do oak trees play in this forest ecosystem?
A.Consumer, because they eat soil organisms to survive.
B.Decomposer, because they break down dead autumn leaves into dirt.
C.Producer, because they make their own food energy using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
D.Predator, because they capture flying insects in their bark.
Explanation: Oak trees are green plants that perform photosynthesis, capturing solar energy to produce glucose. This classifies them as producers at the base of the forest ecosystem food web.

About the MAP Science Grade 5 Exam

The Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) Grade 5 Science test measures elementary student achievement on the Missouri Learning Standards for Science (MLS-Science). Content spans particle models of matter, conservation of mass, Earth's gravity, ecosystem food webs, plant growth from air/water, stellar brightness and shadow patterns, Earth's major spheres, global water distribution, and engineering problem-solving. OpenExamPrep provides 100 comprehensive practice questions with clear rationale for every answer choice.

Assessment

Untimed administration across 2 testing sessions covering Physical Science, Life Science, and Earth & Space Science, with engineering design practices embedded

Time Limit

Untimed; DESE estimates 2 sessions of 60-80 min each; calculators allowed

Passing Score

Performance level benchmark (Proficient or Advanced) established by Missouri DESE scale score cutoffs

Exam Fee

Free statewide public school assessment administered under Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE))

MAP Science Grade 5 Exam Content Outline

30-35%

Physical Science

Structure and properties of matter, particle model, conservation of mass during physical and chemical changes, gravitational forces directed toward Earth's center, and food energy tracing back to the Sun.

25-30%

Life Science

Plant requirements for growth (air and water), flow of energy and matter in ecosystems, food webs, roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers, and ecosystem stability.

25-30%

Earth & Space Science

Apparent brightness and distance of stars, daily shadow patterns and seasonal constellation visibility, interactions among Earth's four spheres (geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere), and distribution of water on Earth.

10-15%

Engineering Design

Defining engineering problems with criteria and constraints, evaluating competing design solutions, fair testing of prototype variables, and iterative design optimization.

How to Pass the MAP Science Grade 5 Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Performance level benchmark (Proficient or Advanced) established by Missouri DESE scale score cutoffs
  • Assessment: Untimed administration across 2 testing sessions covering Physical Science, Life Science, and Earth & Space Science, with engineering design practices embedded
  • Time limit: Untimed; DESE estimates 2 sessions of 60-80 min each; calculators allowed
  • Exam fee: Free statewide public school assessment administered under Missouri Assessment Program (MAP)

Keys to Passing

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

MAP Science Grade 5 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Understand that plants build their bulk primarily from carbon dioxide in the air and water, not from soil minerals.
2Remember that mass is always conserved in both physical changes (melting, dissolving) and chemical reactions (rusting, bubbling).
3Learn how Earth's rotation creates predictable daily shadow patterns, rising in the east and setting in the west.
4Practice identifying interactions between Earth's four main spheres: geosphere (rock/land), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere (living things).
5Distinguish between engineering 'criteria' (goals and requirements for success) and 'constraints' (limitations like cost, time, or materials).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Missouri MAP Science Grade 5 test?

The MAP Grade 5 Science test is Missouri's statewide standardized assessment that evaluates fifth-grade students' understanding of the Missouri Learning Standards for Science.

Is the MAP Grade 5 Science assessment required and free?

Yes. The test is administered free of charge to all fifth-grade students enrolled in Missouri public schools every spring.

What question types are included on the MAP Grade 5 Science test?

The online assessment features selected-response (multiple choice), technology-enhanced items (such as hot-spot or matching tasks), and constructed-response questions built around scientific phenomena.

How long is the test?

The assessment is untimed, but schools typically schedule two sessions of 45 to 60 minutes each.

What performance levels are used by Missouri DESE?

Student results are reported in four performance categories: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. Achieving Proficient or Advanced indicates meeting grade-level standards.

How should 5th grade students prepare for MAP Science?

Students should practice connecting scientific evidence to claims, interpreting data charts and diagrams, modeling food webs and water cycles, and applying engineering constraints.