100+ Free Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) Science Grade 5 Practice Questions
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Key Facts: Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) Science Grade 5 Exam
Vermont Agency of Education (AOE)
State Administrator
Vermont AOE Assessment Framework
Free for Vermont public school students.
Exam Fee
Vermont State Policy
1750
Scale score marking Level 3 proficiency
VTCAP Score Interpretation Guide, Spring 2026
35 (adaptive, 64 points)
Operational items on the real test
VTCAP Test Specifications, Spring 2026
100 Practice Questions
Question Count
OpenExamPrep Practice Bank
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
State Standards
Vermont Science Standards
Spring Annually (March–May)
Testing Window
VTCAP Testing Calendar
Physical, Life, Earth/Space, Engineering
Assessment Domains
VTCAP Science Blueprint
Cognia Online Platform
Testing Platform
Vermont AOE Assessment Vendor
Master the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for Vermont VTCAP Grade 5 Science with 100 practice questions covering matter properties, chemical reactions, gravitational forces, ecosystems, food webs, Earth systems, star patterns, and engineering design.
Sample Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) Science Grade 5 Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) 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 stirs 10 grams of white sugar into a glass of warm water. After one minute, the sugar can no longer be seen, but the water tastes sweet. Which statement best explains what happened to the sugar?
2A student places an ice cube inside a sealed zip-top plastic bag and measures its mass on a balance. The total mass is 50 grams. After the ice cube completely melts into liquid water, what will the balance show?
3A student wants to test four different objects to see which one is attracted to a magnet. Which object will be pulled toward the magnet?
4A student builds a simple electric circuit with a battery and a light bulb. Which object placed between the wire ends will complete the circuit and cause the bulb to light up?
5When baking soda powder is added to a beaker of vinegar, bubbles immediately begin to form and rise to the surface. What does the formation of gas bubbles indicate?
6A student drops an apple while standing in a Vermont orchard. In which direction does Earth's gravitational force pull the falling apple?
7A rabbit eats clover leaves in a pasture, and later a red fox eats the rabbit. Where did the energy stored in the clover originally come from?
8A student mixes 15 grams of table salt into 100 grams of pure water in a beaker. What is the total mass of the saltwater solution after the salt dissolves completely?
9A student places a metal spoon and a wooden spoon into a bowl of hot soup. After two minutes, the handle of the metal spoon feels hot, but the wooden handle does not. Why?
10A student weighs a deflated basketball on a digital balance and finds it has a mass of 570 grams. After pumping air into the ball until it is firm, the balance reads 578 grams. What does this experiment prove?
About the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) Science Grade 5 Exam
The Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) Grade 5 Science assessment measures student proficiency in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) adopted by Vermont. Please note: This 100-question practice bank is an English-language multiple-choice question (MCQ) study adaptation created by OpenExamPrep to help 5th-grade students practice core Vermont science standards.
Assessment
The official VTCAP Grade 5 Science test is computer-adaptive and reports three indicators: Practices and Crosscutting Concepts in Physical Sciences (40% of points), Life Sciences (30%) and Earth and Space Sciences (30%). Items are grouped into phenomenon-based clusters, each aligned to at least two NGSS dimensions, and three are human-scored open responses. Engineering design (3-5-ETS1) items are assessed but reported inside whichever science domain matches the design problem's context rather than as a separate category. Our practice bank provides 100 multiple-choice items at easy (30%), medium (50%) and hard (20%) difficulty; it does not reproduce the adaptive engine, the multi-part cluster items, or the open-ended responses.
Time Limit
Untimed; scheduling estimate is two sessions totalling about 140-150 minutes
Passing Score
Not pass/fail. Grade 5 science scale score ranges are Level 1 (1500-1686), Level 2 (1687-1749), Level 3 (1750-1808) and Level 4 (1809-2000); 1750 and above (Level 3+) indicates grade-level proficiency.
Exam Fee
Free for Vermont public school students. (Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) in partnership with Cognia)
Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) Science Grade 5 Exam Content Outline
Physical Science
Questions covering Grade 5 NGSS standards in physical science (matter, particles, gravity, energy).
Life Science
Questions covering Grade 5 NGSS standards in life science (plant matter, food webs, ecosystem energy).
Earth And Space Science
Questions covering Grade 5 NGSS standards in earth and space science (stars, sun-shadows, earth spheres, water distribution, human impact).
Engineering Design
Questions covering 3-5-ETS1 engineering design standards (defining problems, testing prototypes, criteria/constraints).
How to Pass the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) Science Grade 5 Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Not pass/fail. Grade 5 science scale score ranges are Level 1 (1500-1686), Level 2 (1687-1749), Level 3 (1750-1808) and Level 4 (1809-2000); 1750 and above (Level 3+) indicates grade-level proficiency.
- Assessment: The official VTCAP Grade 5 Science test is computer-adaptive and reports three indicators: Practices and Crosscutting Concepts in Physical Sciences (40% of points), Life Sciences (30%) and Earth and Space Sciences (30%). Items are grouped into phenomenon-based clusters, each aligned to at least two NGSS dimensions, and three are human-scored open responses. Engineering design (3-5-ETS1) items are assessed but reported inside whichever science domain matches the design problem's context rather than as a separate category. Our practice bank provides 100 multiple-choice items at easy (30%), medium (50%) and hard (20%) difficulty; it does not reproduce the adaptive engine, the multi-part cluster items, or the open-ended responses.
- Time limit: Untimed; scheduling estimate is two sessions totalling about 140-150 minutes
- Exam fee: Free for Vermont public school 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
Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) Science Grade 5 Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the VTCAP Science Grade 5 assessment?
The VTCAP Grade 5 Science assessment is Vermont's annual state assessment administered to evaluate student mastery of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) across Physical, Life, Earth & Space Sciences, and Engineering Design.
What standards are tested on the Grade 5 VTCAP Science exam?
The test assesses 5th-grade NGSS standards including 5-PS1 (Matter & Its Interactions), 5-PS2 (Motion & Stability / Gravity), 5-PS3 (Energy), 5-LS1 (From Molecules to Organisms), 5-LS2 (Ecosystems), 5-ESS1 (Earth's Place in the Universe), 5-ESS2 (Earth's Systems), 5-ESS3 (Earth & Human Activity), and 3-5-ETS1 (Engineering Design).
How are VTCAP Science scores categorized?
On a 1500-2000 scale in four performance levels describing emerging (Level 1), partial (Level 2), satisfactory (Level 3) and thorough (Level 4) understanding of all three NGSS dimensions. For Grade 5 science, Level 3 begins at 1750 and Level 4 at 1809.
Is the Grade 5 science test limited to fifth-grade standards?
No. VTCAP science is a grade-band test: the Grade 5 assessment may draw on any of the NGSS performance expectations for grades 3, 4 and 5.
What languages is the VTCAP science test available in?
For the 2025-2026 testing cycle the VTCAP mathematics and science assessments are available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish and Swahili as computer-based fixed-form translations, in addition to English. No other translated forms are offered.
Are these practice questions identical to the official VTCAP test?
No. This practice bank is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation created by OpenExamPrep to help students practice and review concepts aligned with Vermont NGSS frameworks.
How is the VTCAP Science Grade 5 exam administered?
The VTCAP Science assessment is administered online via the Cognia testing platform in school settings during the spring testing window.
Who must take the VTCAP Science Grade 5 test?
All Grade 5 students enrolled in Vermont public schools participate in the annual VTCAP Science assessment.