GRADE 5
Science
Administered May 2022
RELEASED
Copyright © 2022, Texas Education Agency. All rights reserved. Reproduction of all or portions of this work is prohibited without express
written permission from the Texas Education Agency.
®
STAAR
State of Texas
Assessments of
Academic Readiness
GRADE 5
Science
Administered May 2022
RELEASED
Copyright © 2022, Texas Education Agency. All rights reserved. Reproduction of all or portions of this work is prohibited without express
written permission from the Texas Education Agency.
Science
Page 3
SCIENCE
Science
Page 4
DIRECTIONS
Read each question carefully. Determine the best answer to the
question from the four answer choices provided. Then fill in the answer
on your answer document.
25738_2
1 Which circuit shown will produce light when the switch is closed?
A
Bulb Switch
Battery
C
Bulb Switch
Battery
B
Bulb Switch
Battery
D
Bulb Switch
Battery
25577_4
2 Which statement best explains why the sun appears to move
across the sky during the day?
F The Earth is closest to the sun in the winter.
G The Earth is revolving around the sun.
H The Earth is tilted at 23.5 degrees.
J The Earth is rotating on its axis.
Science
Page 5
25529_2
3 A student is looking directly at a lit nightlight through two different
cardboard tubes as shown.
Bent tube Straight tube
Through which tube, if any, will the light be seen and why?
A The bent tube only because the light bounces off the sides of the
tube and travels through the tube to the student’s eye
B The straight tube only because the light travels in a straight line
directly to the student’s eye
C Both tubes because light travels equally well along straight and
curved paths
D Neither tube because both tubes absorb all of the light
Science
Page 6
25707_4
4 A student places objects in a bucket of water to determine if they
will float.
Object
Toothpick
Plastic paper clip
Penny
Cork
Metal spoon
Vegetable oil
Which set of items is less dense than water?
F Plastic paper clip, penny, and cork
G Toothpick, metal spoon, and plastic paper clip
H Metal spoon, vegetable oil, and penny
J Toothpick, cork, and vegetable oil
Science
Page 7
25700_3
5 A food chain is shown.
Which role do the grasses have in the food chain?
A They decompose small organisms to produce energy.
B They prevent the food chain from containing too many
carnivores.
C They capture the energy from the sun and are food for
consumers.
D They break down dead organisms into simpler substances.
Science
Page 8
25821_2
6 A diagram of different sections of land is shown.
Sea
Section Z
Land
Section X
Section Y
Which action is most likely happening in Section Y in the diagram?
F Wind and rain compacting rock into larger pieces
G Water carrying rocky material to a new location
H Chemicals in water gluing sediments to each other
J Pressure causing layers of sediment to form over time
Science
Page 9
25406_4
7 A student uses the setup shown to investigate ways to speed up
evaporation.
Evaporation Investigation
Fan
Wet
sponge
Wet
sponge
Lamp
Which forms of energy are being compared in the student’s
investigation?
A
Light energy and electrical
energy
C
Light energy and thermal
energy
B
Mechanical energy and
electrical energy
D
Mechanical energy and thermal
energy
Science
Page 10
25856_3
8 A gardener plants seeds in the garden. After the flower stage, the
fruits and vegetables grow. A table of how many days are needed
for some plants to be ready for harvest is shown.
Plant Days to Sprout Days until Ready for Harvest
Green beans
6 50–70
Watermelon
4–5
80–100
Cucumber
2–5 55–65
Pumpkin
3–4
85–120
Which statement is supported by the data shown in the table?
F Pumpkins take the most time to sprout and to be ready for
harvesting.
G Green bean seeds sprout faster because they are smaller than
other seeds.
H Cucumbers are ready for harvest in less time than watermelons.
J Watermelon seeds take longer to sprout because watermelon
plants produce large fruits.
25867_2
9 Students make a solar system model on the playground. The school
building represents the sun. They label round objects for each
planet.
Which planet should they place at the greatest distance from the
school building?
A Jupiter
B Neptune
C Mercury
D Saturn
Science
Page 11
25590_3
10 Students observe a gerbil in a cage. They write their observations
as shown.
• It twitches its whiskers.
• It burrows in the bedding.
• It drinks water from a metal tube.
• It walks on four legs.
Which of these observations is most likely a learned behavior?
F Twitching its whiskers
G Burrowing in the bedding
H Drinking water from a metal tube
J Walking on four legs
25289_4
11 A student plans to make a chart that describes each process in the
water cycle. Which sentence should the student use to describe the
process of condensation?
A Water flows downhill.
B Liquid water turns into water vapor.
C Polar ice turns into liquid water.
D Water vapor collects to form droplets.
Science
Page 12
25755_3
12 Students study barracudas. They gather some observations of
barracudas. A barracuda is shown.
Barracuda
© iStock.com/robertdewit66
Which observation describes barracudas interacting with the living
elements of their ecosystem?
F Barracudas can travel quickly using surface ocean currents.
G Barracudas live around hard structures such as oil rigs and
jetties.
H Barracudas are predators of other fish.
J Barracudas tend to live in warm waters.
Science
Page 13
25987_2
13 Examples of objects that use different types of energy to perform
their functions are shown.
Example 2Example 1Example 3Example 4
Wind turbines
spinning
Campfire
burning
Hammer hitting
a nail
Wrecking ball breaking
down a building
Which examples use mechanical energy to perform their functions?
A Examples 1, 2, and 4 C Examples 1 and 2 only
B Examples 1, 3, and 4 D Examples 3 and 4 only
Science
Page 14
25863_1
14 A picture of a rock is shown.
George F. Mobley/National Geographic Creative
Which process most likely caused the crack in the rock?
F Water freezing and thawing in the rock
G Wind blowing particles against the rock
H Water moving and dropping the rock
J Glaciers scraping over the surface of the rock
Science
Page 15
25690_3
15 The foot of a hawk and the foot of a chicken are shown.
Hawk Chicken
The difference between the shapes of their feet is most likely
associated with the —
A predators that hunt them
B climate in which they live
C way they get their food
D distance they can fly
Science
Page 16
25887_3
16 A student is classifying objects. Answering which question will
provide the best evidence that an object is a metal?
F What is its mass?
G What is its physical state?
H Does it conduct thermal energy?
J How quickly does it dissolve in water?
25967_2
17 Two box turtles live in an area in a zoo’s reptile house. Zoo visitors
made a list of observations of the turtles. The list is shown.
1. Sliding into a small pond
2. Eating a strawberry
3. Digging a hole in the sandy soil
4. Climbing onto a flat rock
5. Holding an earthworm in its mouth
6. Walking across the area
Which observations best describe how box turtles interact with
living parts of their environment?
A Observation 4 and observation 6
B Observation 2 and observation 5
C Observation 1 and observation 5
D Observation 3 and observation 4
Science
Page 17
24945_4
18 A student pours 14 grams of sugar into a jar filled with
500 milliliters of water. The student thoroughly stirs the sugar and
water to make a solution.
Which change most likely occurs to the sugar when it is added to
the water?
F The sugar breaks down to form a new substance in the solution.
G The sugar changes water into a new substance in the solution.
H The sugar floats on the surface of the water in the solution.
J The sugar completely dissolves in the solution.
Science
Page 18
25056_3
19 The student is observing part of a plant with a microscope.
© Darren Baker/Dreamstime.com
Which statement describes a behavior of light in the microscope?
A Light travels through the microscope lens without changing
direction.
B Moving in straight lines causes light to increase in brightness.
C Light refracts through the lens of the microscope.
D Moving in straight lines keeps light from reflecting.
Science
Page 19
25868_1
20 A student lists resources that can be used to produce electricity.
The list is shown.
• Wind
• Coal
• Natural gas
• Water power
• Petroleum
Which of the resources are renewable resources?
F Wind, water power
G Wind, coal, and natural gas
H Coal, water power, and petroleum
J Coal, natural gas, water power, and petroleum
Science
Page 20
25588_3
21 Butterflies have very long, tubelike tongues. Hummingbirds have
very long tongues.
© iStock.com/Wildnerdpix
© iStock.com/njtalor
Which statement best describes why butterflies and hummingbirds
both have long tongues?
A Butterflies and hummingbirds both migrate.
B Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to brightly colored
flowers.
C Butterflies and hummingbirds eat the same food.
D Butterflies and hummingbirds have the same predators.
Science
Page 21
25988_1
22 A food web of a grassland ecosystem is shown.
Rabbits Hawks
Mice
Grasses
Grasshoppers
Lizards
Snakes
Which organisms rely on the same food source?
F Snakes and hawks H Mice and snakes
G Rabbits and lizards J Grasshoppers and lizards
25937_2
23 Students conduct an investigation with breakfast cereal. The first
four steps of the students’ investigation are in the table shown.
Breakfast Cereal Investigation
1. Grind 50 grams of cereal into a fine powder.
2. Stir the cereal powder into 500 milliliters of
warm water.
3. Hold a magnet against the side of the beaker at
the 250-milliliter mark.
4. Stir the mixture for three minutes.
The students are trying to determine the presence of which
substance in the cereal?
A Sugar C Salt
B Iron D Wheat
Science
Page 22
25043_1
24 A group of students is building the circuit represented in the
diagram.
Switch MBulb
X
Switch
K
Buzzer
What object can be used at Position X for the buzzer to sound when
Switch K is closed?
F A power source H Another bulb
G An insulated wire J Another switch
Science
Page 23
25819_4
25 Some characteristics of the tundra are described.
• Long winters with temperatures at − 34 °C
• Less than 25 centimeters of precipitation each year
• Thin layer of topsoil covers the frozen ground
• Some types of plants found there are mosses, grasses, small
shrubs, and trees
Based on this description, which pair of animals is LEAST likely to
live in the tundra?
A
C
B D
Science
Page 24
25232_4
26 A student makes the model shown with objects representing the
sun, Earth, and the moon to use in a class demonstration.
Sun Light
Earth
Moon
Which action should the student do with the objects to demonstrate
a complete day-night cycle of Earth?
F Move the moon around Earth once
G Spin the sun in a circle once
H Move Earth around the sun once
J Spin Earth in a circle once
Science
Page 25
25745_2
27 Scientists have uncovered palm plant fossils in Alaska, the
northern-most state of the United States. Modern-day palm plants
grow in tropical climates. A picture of a palm fossil that measures
almost one meter across is shown.
This discovery suggests to scientists that this area in Alaska once
was —
A covered with an ocean
B warmer than it is now
C populated by polar bears
D changed by earthquakes
25882_1
28 Which Texas land formation is correctly paired with the force that
made the land formation?
F A canyon at Palo Duro Canyon State Park was formed by a river.
G A sand dune at Monahans Sandhills State Park was formed by
an earthquake.
H A delta at the end of the Guadalupe River was formed by wind.
J A rock formation with layers on Mustang Island was formed by
ice.
Science
Page 26
25223_1
29 A group of students at a park used a collecting net to capture
several insects. The teacher transferred the insects to small
terrariums that allowed the students to observe the insects before
releasing them outside.
Each of the following characteristics is likely an inherited trait
EXCEPT —
A a fly’s missing antenna
B a butterfly’s black-and-yellow stripes
C a dragonfly’s two sets of wings
D a beetle’s green spots
Science
Page 27
25294_2
30 A group of students wants to build a desert garden at school. They
need soil that allows water to drain away easily for the desert
plants in this garden. The students test different soils to determine
how much water passes through and how much water remains in
each soil as shown in the table.
Student Investigation of Soils
Soil Type
Initial
Volume of
Water
(mL)
Volume of Water
That Went Through
the Soil After
5 Minutes (mL)
Volume of Water
Remaining in the
Soil After
5 Minutes (mL)
Sand 200 175 25
Clay 200 115 85
Silt 200 150 50
Gravel 200 190 10
Based on the table, which types of soils are best to use to build the
garden?
F Clay and sand
G Sand and gravel
H Gravel and silt
J Silt and clay
Science
Page 28
25479_1
31 A student poured equal amounts of water and cooking oil into a jar.
The student placed a lid on the jar and shook the mixture for five
seconds and then let the jar sit for ten minutes. The results of this
investigation are shown.
Immediately after shaking
Water
Cooking oil
Ten minutes after shaking
Cooking oil
Water
Which conclusion best compares a property of cooking oil and
water shown in this investigation?
A Cooking oil is less dense than water.
B Water is less dense than cooking oil.
C Water dissolves in cooking oil.
D Cooking oil dissolves in water.
Science
Page 29
25784_1
32 Many of America’s large oil fields are found underground at the
Permian Basin in West Texas. An area of the Permian Basin is
shown.
© iStock.com/FerrizFrame
How did these oil fields form?
F Dead plants and animals were buried for millions of years.
G Plants were eaten by consumers that left fossilized remains.
H Heat caused underground rocks to undergo chemical changes.
J Rocks at the surface of Earth melted and then solidified.
Science
Page 30
25904_2
33 Students build a balloon-rocket car using a balloon, a straw, a
water bottle, and some tape. When the straw is released by a
student, the air from the balloon comes out. A diagram of the car is
shown.
Which statement best describes the motion of the car when the
straw is released?
A The car will move away from the wall in the same direction as
the air that is leaving the balloon.
B The car will move toward the wall because of the force of the air
from the straw.
C The car will move fast because the straw gets light as the air is
released.
D The car will not move because the air escapes from the balloon.
GO ON
Science
Page 31
25290_4
34 Students observe some objects on a lab tray. The students will
classify the objects based on physical properties common to all of
the objects.
Copper
penny
Iron
filings
Tin can
lid
Based on their common properties, how should these objects be
classified?
F
Insulate thermal
energy
Bendable
Attract to
magnets
H
Conduct
electrical energy
Bendable
Soluble in
water
G
Soluble in
water
Attract to
magnets
Conduct thermal
energy
J
Conduct thermal
energy
Conduct
electrical energy
Not soluble
in water
Science
Page 32
25744_2
35 Crested floating heart is a non-native plant that now grows in
Texas. This plant grows very fast and can spread over the entire
surface of a pond or lake.
Which effect will most likely occur when crested floating heart
covers a lake?
A Small fish will have fewer places to hide from predators.
B Less sunlight will reach the plants that grow underwater.
C Several new trees will grow along the lake shore.
D Deer will have to find another source of water.
25641_3
36 Students conduct experiments to investigate friction. Which
experiment will best test the effect of friction on objects?
F Drop two balls from the same height at the same time
G Roll two marbles on the carpet from the same starting point at
the same time and with the same amount of force
H Roll three marbles across three different surfaces from the same
starting point at the same time and with the same amount of
force
J Release two balls from the top of a ramp at the same time
BE SURE YOU HAVE RECORDED ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS
ON THE ANSWER DOCUMENT.
STAAR
GRADE 5
Science
May 2022
5
STAAR
GRADE 5
Science
May 2022
