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100+ Free New Jersey NJSLA Science Grade 5 Practice Questions

Prepare for the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments — Science Grade 5 exam with instant access — no signup required.

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Key Facts: New Jersey NJSLA Science Grade 5 Exam

NJDOE

State Agency

New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Assessments

Cambium Assessment, Inc.

Test Provider

NJDOE, NJSLA Science FAQ

180 min (4 units)

Science Time

NJSLA-Science Units Testing Times

Fixed-form (not adaptive)

Format

NJDOE, NJSLA Science FAQ

English only

Language

NJDOE, NJSLA Science FAQ

100 practice questions

Practice Bank Size

OpenExamPrep

Prepare for the NJSLA Science Grade 5 test with 100 practice questions covering matter, energy, ecosystems, Earth's systems, and space, with detailed explanations.

Sample New Jersey NJSLA Science Grade 5 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your New Jersey NJSLA 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 puts a drop of food coloring into a cup of water. The coloring slowly spreads through the water until the water is evenly colored. Which statement best explains why the coloring spreads?
A.The water is made of tiny particles that are always moving and mix with the coloring particles.
B.The food coloring is heavier than the water and sinks to the bottom of the cup.
C.The cup causes the water to push the coloring in all directions at the same time.
D.The food coloring changes into water when it is added to the cup.
Explanation: Water is made of tiny particles that are always moving, and so are the particles of food coloring. As they move, the two kinds of particles mix together until they are spread evenly throughout the cup.
2A balloon is filled with air. When the balloon is squeezed, the air inside moves to the unfilled part of the balloon and the balloon changes shape. Which conclusion does this observation support?
A.Air is made of particles that can move and are not packed tightly together.
B.Air is a solid that can be bent into any shape without changing.
C.Air has no mass and cannot be measured in any way.
D.The balloon creates new air particles when it expands.
Explanation: Air is a gas, and gas particles are not packed tightly together, so they can move and flow. When the balloon is squeezed, the air particles move into the open space, which is why the balloon changes shape.
3A teacher places a solid sugar cube at the bottom of a beaker of water without stirring. After several hours the sugar cube is gone and the water tastes sweet throughout. Which statement best describes what happened?
A.The sugar particles separated and spread evenly among the water particles.
B.The sugar cube dissolved because the water pushed it to the top of the beaker.
C.The sugar particles were destroyed when they touched the water.
D.The water particles changed into sugar particles over time.
Explanation: Dissolving happens when particles of a solid separate and spread out among the particles of a liquid. The sugar particles separated and mixed evenly among the water particles, so the water tastes sweet throughout.
4A student weighs a sealed container with ice inside. After the ice melts, the student weighs the sealed container again. What should the student expect?
A.The mass stays the same because no matter entered or left the container.
B.The mass decreases because ice turns into lighter water when it melts.
C.The mass increases because liquid water is heavier than ice.
D.The mass changes only if the container was shaken during the experiment.
Explanation: In a sealed container, no matter can enter or leave, so the total mass stays the same even when a change of state occurs. Melting only changes the ice from a solid to a liquid; the same particles are still inside.
5A closed glass jar contains a burning candle. The jar is sealed so nothing can get in or out. Which statement is true about the total mass of the jar and everything inside it before and after the candle burns?
A.The total mass stays the same because the jar is closed and no matter enters or leaves.
B.The total mass decreases because the candle is being used up as it burns.
C.The total mass increases because heat is added to the jar by the flame.
D.The total mass first increases then decreases as the candle shrinks down.
Explanation: In a closed system, matter is conserved, so the total mass does not change. The candle and oxygen are still inside the sealed jar, just rearranged into new substances such as gases and ash, so the mass stays the same.
6Two students mix baking soda and vinegar in a sealed plastic bag. The bag puffs up as a gas is produced. Which statement about the total mass is correct?
A.The total mass of the bag and everything inside stays the same.
B.The total mass increases because gas takes up more space than the solids did.
C.The total mass decreases because some of the vinegar disappears.
D.The total mass stays the same only if the bag does not puff up.
Explanation: Because the bag is sealed, all the matter produced in the reaction, including the gas, stays inside. Matter is conserved, so the total mass of the bag and its contents does not change even though the bag puffs up.
7A log is burned in a sealed airtight box with oxygen inside. After the burn, the log is ash and gases. A student claims the mass decreased because only ash is left. Which response best corrects this claim?
A.The total mass of the box is unchanged because the gases produced have mass that is still inside the sealed box.
B.The mass decreased because ash weighs much less than the original log did.
C.The mass increased because burning adds energy, and energy has mass.
D.The mass cannot be measured because the gases escape through the box walls.
Explanation: The box is airtight, so all the products of burning, including the gases, remain trapped inside. The gases have mass, and together with the ash they equal the mass of the original log and oxygen, so the total mass of the box is unchanged.
8A student places a small steel ball and a large cork in water. The steel ball sinks and the cork floats. Which property best explains the difference?
A.Density — steel is denser than water and cork is less dense than water.
B.Size — larger objects always float and smaller objects always sink.
C.Color — light-colored objects float and dark-colored objects sink.
D.Weight — heavier objects always float and lighter objects always sink.
Explanation: Density is a measure of how much mass is packed into a given space. Steel is denser than water, so it sinks, while cork is less dense than water, so it floats.
9Two objects have the same volume. Object A has a mass of 40 grams and Object B has a mass of 60 grams. Which object is more dense, and why?
A.Object B is more dense because it has more mass in the same amount of space.
B.Object A is more dense because lighter objects are always denser than heavier ones.
C.Both objects have the same density because they have the same volume.
D.Object B is more dense simply because it is heavier and heavier things are always denser.
Explanation: Density is the amount of mass in a given volume. Both objects have the same volume, but Object B has more mass packed into that space, so Object B is more dense.
10A student stirs a spoonful of salt into a glass of warm water. The salt seems to disappear. Which term best describes what happened to the salt?
A.The salt dissolved in the water.
B.The salt melted because the water was warm.
C.The salt evaporated into the air above the water.
D.The salt was destroyed by the water.
Explanation: Dissolving is when a solid breaks apart into particles small enough to spread evenly among the particles of a liquid. The salt particles spread among the water particles, which is why the salt seems to disappear but the water still tastes salty.

About the New Jersey NJSLA Science Grade 5 Exam

The New Jersey Student Learning Assessments — Science (NJSLA-S) Grade 5 assessment measures proficiency on the 2014 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science (three-dimensional: Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices, and Crosscutting Concepts). It covers matter and its interactions, forces, energy, organisms and ecosystems, Earth's systems and place in the universe, and Earth and human activity. It is administered online through the New Jersey Assessments Portal (Cambium Assessment, Inc.) each spring in four 45-minute fixed-form units, in English only. This 100-question practice bank uses four-option MCQs as an English-language study adaptation.

Assessment

Four 45-minute fixed-form units (180 minutes total) with selected-response, multi-select, technology-enhanced items, and phenomena-based item clusters aligned to the three-dimensional NJSLS-Science (DCI, SEP, CCC). Delivered online through the New Jersey Assessments Portal (Cambium Assessment, Inc.). A scientific calculator is embedded. This local bank contains 100 English four-option practice MCQs.

Time Limit

Science 180 minutes (four 45-minute units)

Passing Score

No pass/fail mark. Four performance levels are reported (Level 1 through Level 4).

Exam Fee

No fee to students (New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE))

New Jersey NJSLA Science Grade 5 Exam Content Outline

NJSLS-Science 5-PS1

Matter and Its Interactions

Particles, conservation of matter, and material properties.

NJSLS-Science 5-PS2

Forces and Interactions

Earth's gravitational force directed down.

NJSLS-Science 5-PS3

Energy

Energy from the Sun in food and energy transfer.

NJSLS-Science 5-LS1 and 5-LS2

Organisms and Ecosystems

Plant growth from air and water; matter movement among organisms.

NJSLS-Science 5-ESS1 and 5-ESS2

Earth's Place and Systems

Stars, daily/seasonal patterns, water reservoirs, and Earth-sphere interactions.

NJSLS-Science 5-ESS3 and 3-5-ETS1

Earth and Human Activity / Engineering

Protecting resources and engineering design solutions.

How to Pass the New Jersey NJSLA Science Grade 5 Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: No pass/fail mark. Four performance levels are reported (Level 1 through Level 4).
  • Assessment: Four 45-minute fixed-form units (180 minutes total) with selected-response, multi-select, technology-enhanced items, and phenomena-based item clusters aligned to the three-dimensional NJSLS-Science (DCI, SEP, CCC). Delivered online through the New Jersey Assessments Portal (Cambium Assessment, Inc.). A scientific calculator is embedded. This local bank contains 100 English four-option practice MCQs.
  • Time limit: Science 180 minutes (four 45-minute units)
  • Exam fee: No fee to students

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

New Jersey NJSLA Science Grade 5 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Track matter and energy through a food web to keep conservation rules straight.
2Tie a science fact back to a phenomenon before memorizing it.
3Distinguish an observation (what you sense) from an inference (what you conclude).
4Name the Earth sphere (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere) each part of a system belongs to.
5When designing a fair test, change only one variable and keep the rest the same.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NJSLA Science Grade 5 test?

It is the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments — Science assessment for Grade 5, administered online through the New Jersey Assessments Portal (Cambium Assessment, Inc.) each spring in four 45-minute fixed-form units (180 minutes total) with selected-response, multi-select, technology-enhanced items, and phenomena-based item clusters.

Is the NJSLA Science test adaptive?

No. NJSLA Science is a fixed-form (non-adaptive) assessment. Only the NJSLA-Adaptive ELA and Mathematics assessments are computer-adaptive.

Is a calculator allowed on the NJSLA Science Grade 5 test?

Yes. Students have access to a scientific calculator embedded in the testing platform.

What standards does the NJSLA Science Grade 5 test cover?

It covers the 2014 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science, organized three-dimensionally across Disciplinary Core Ideas (Matter, Forces, Energy, Organisms/Ecosystems, Earth's Systems, Earth and Human Activity), Science and Engineering Practices, and Crosscutting Concepts.

Is this practice bank affiliated with NJDOE?

No. This is an independent study resource aligned to the public NJSLS-Science. It uses four-option MCQs as a study adaptation; it is not an official NJSLA-Science product or phenomena-cluster format simulation.