MTTC Elementary Education – SCIENCE Questions and Answers 2023

MTTC Elementary Education – SCIENCE Questions and Answers 2023 A fourth-grade teacher is assessing students' use of the inquiry process during a unit on electricity and magnetism. Which of the following assessments would be most effective for this purpose? A. observing the students and taking notes while they are engaged in investigations B. having the students answer open-response questions at the end of the unit C. filling in a K-W-L chart with the students at the beginning and the end of the unit D. giving the students a multiple-choice test after every investigation and experiment A A third-grade teacher is considering using an activity that she found on the Internet for her science class. However, when she looks up information for the materials used in the activity, she finds that one material is labeled "caustic." It would be wise for the teacher not to use this activity because caustic materials can: A. cause a severe allergic reaction in individuals who are genetically susceptible B. rapidly combust if they are exposed to heat or a spark C. cause chemical burns if they come into contact with the skin or the eyes D. emit toxic vapors that affect the individual's nervous system if inhaled C A researcher is trying to determine why hemlock trees in a certain area are dying in large numbers while other species of trees are unaffected. Which of the following is a testable hypothesis that could help determine the cause of the hemlocks' decline in the area? A. The ability of hemlocks to compete with other trees that make up the forest cover in the area has declined over time. B. A pest that infests hemlock trees but does not attack other tree species has recently spread into the area from forests outside the area. C. The relationship between hemlock trees and other organisms that make up the biotic community in the area has changed over time D. Global climate change has led to changes in the ecology of the area that are affecting the continued survival of hemlock trees. B Which of the following would be the most effective way to test the hypothesis below using plants that are susceptible to aphid infestations? Hypothesis: Aphids are more likely to attack plants that are experiencing environmental stress than plants that are growing in a less stressful environment. A. Place 10 pairs of pots containing the plants at random locations in the garden. Water one pot in each pair adequately and the other pot only when the plant is beginning to wilt. Count and compare the number of aphids that attack each plant. B. Measure the height of 20 of the plants growing in the wild. Count the number of aphids that are present on each plant and determine if more aphids are found on shorter plants than taller plants. C. Plant 10 of the plants in an area of the garden that has full sun, good soil, and adequate moisture. Plant 10 more plans in another area that is shady, dry, and has poor soil. Count and compare the number of aphids that attack each plant. D. Locate 20 of the plants that are growing in the wild. Place 10 aphids on each plant. Return in several weeks and count the number of aphids that are present on each plant. Compare the physical characteristics of each plant. A A scientist would need both a graduated cylinder partially filled with water and an electronic scale to determine the: A. mass of a rock sample B. surface area of a flight feather C. volume of a plant oil sample D. density of a bone D The headline in a newsletter says "Common Garden Herb Fights Cancer." The article goes on to say that a study showed that 3000 subscribers to a health magazine who regularly used a common herb to flavor their dishes had 30% less stomach cancer than the general population. Which of the following best explains why the article in the newsletter is misleading? A. The study only looked at the incidence of stomach cancer in the study group and not other types of cancer, such as lung cancer B. The use of the herb was not limited to the individuals in the study group, but was likely common in the general population C. The sample size was too small to allow a statistical analysis of the correlation between the use of the herb and the lower incidence of cancer D. The individuals in the study group may have shared some other factor that lowered their risk of stomach cancer D Which of the following is the primary environmental problem associated with using nuclear power to generate electricity? A. emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming B. the production of hazardous waste that requires long-term storage C. release of airborne pollutants that cause acid rain D. the discharge of heavy metals into waterways B A sixth-grade class is studying the geologic time periods, and discussing the extinction of dinosaurs and other animal and plant species at the end of the Cretaceous period. The teacher has the students read current theories about possible causes of the extinction, and then has them list some reasons why they support a particular theory. This activity is most effective for helping students: A. understand the ways in which science, technology, and society interact B. make connections among the different domains of science C. apply analysis and reflection to better comprehend scientific ideas D. assess their knowledge and skills related to earth science C Read the passage below; then answer the question that follows. In 1980 Luis and Walter Alvarez discovered that a layer of sediments found all over the world at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary contained a concentration of iridium hundreds of times greater than normal. Since iridium is very rare in the earth'c crust and is more common in certain types of asteroids, the Alvarez team suggested this was evidence of a catastrophic asteroid strike that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs and other Mesozoic lineages. This passage best illustrates how scientific progress often occurs as a result of the: A. recognition of biases in the interpretation of existing data B. development of new ideas in light of new data C. generation of new hypotheses from the falsification of an old hypothesis D. application of new methodologies to reinterpret existing data B A third-grade teacher provided students with cups of soil and bean seeds so that they could observe plant germination and growth. However, most of the students overwatered their seeds and they failed to germinate. In which of the following ways could the teacher use this experience to promote students' scientific analysis and reflection skills? A. sprouting the seeds in wet paper towels rather than soil so that students can better observe the germination process B. providing students with new soil and seeds and a measured amount of water to apply each day C. explaining to the class that wet soil conditions can kill the seed and encourage the growth of bacteria D. asking the class to brainstorm possible reasons for the failure of the seeds to germinate D Students in a fourth-grade class are studying animal adaptations under different environmental conditions. Which of the following strategies would be most effective for the teacher to use in order to help the students develop a deeper understanding of this topic? A. assigning students a particular habitat and having them create an imaginary animal with adaptations specific to that habitat B. having students read about species of animals that have adapted to live in a certain habitat C. allowing students to bring their pets into the classroom so that the class can observe them and identify their adaptations D. discussing ways in which humans have adapted to living in different types of climates A A second-grade class hatches painted lady butterfly eggs, raises them to adulthood, and then releases them outside. This activity is most effective for promoting the development of which of the following types of knowledge? A. how insects interact with their natural environment B. the life cycles and development of insects C. how insects obtain and use energy D. the physical characteristics that differentiate the orders of insects B During a unit on animals' food consumption, a third-grade teacher puts a cupful of pebbles and a cupful of shelled nuts and seeds into a sturdy plastic container and screws the lid on tight. She then asks each member of the class to shake the container vigorously ten times. After all the students have had a turn shaking the container, she pours out the contents and asks the class to describe what has happened. This exercise would be most effective for demonstrating: A. how birds grind up their food without having teeth B. why herbivore teeth are better suited for plant eating than carnivore teeth C. how cows and sheep digest tough plant material such as hay D. why small animals generally feed on soft insects rather than hard seeds A What is the primary function of the layered structure of the lamellae in fish gills? A. slowing the movement of water as it passes over the gills B. increasing the surface area available for the absorption of oxygen C. filtering out large particles that may damage the gills D. providing structural support to the gill arches B Plant height in a particular species of plant is determined by a single gene. Plants with two copies of the dominant form of the gene (HH) grow to be about 3 feet tall. Plants with two copies of the recessive form of the gene (hh) grow to be only 1 foot tall. Which of the following will be the most likely distribution of plant heights in 100 offspring of a cross between a 3-foot-tall HH plant and a 1-foot-tall hh plant? A. all of the offspring will be 2 feet tall B. half of the offspring will be 3 feet tall and half will be 1 foot tall C. all of the offspring will be 3 feet tall D. three-quarters of the offspring will be 3 feet tall and one-quarter will be 1 foot tall C the laying down of sediment carried by wind, water, or ice deposition A third-grade class has been studying the weather, including measuring the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and amount of rainfall every day. Which of the following strategies would be most effective for assessing the knowledge and skills of the students at the end of this weather unit? A. having each student use their collected weather data to explain the past weeks' weather in a written summary B. giving the students a written test in which they need to explain illustrations of various weather phenomenon and weather data C. giving the students an assignment to make their own weather measurement tools, and use them to collect weather data at home D. having the students verbally explain which weather factors are most important to measure every day, and how best to measure them A The highest tides usually occur during a full or new moon primarily because at that time the: A. sun, moon, and earth form a straight line B. earth/moon system is closest to the sun C. axis of the earth is pointed directly at the moon D. moon is closest to the earth's equator A