3-5
Scientific Inquiry
Students develop scientific habits of mind as they use
the processes of scientific inquiry to ask valid
questions and to gather and analyze information.
They understand how to develop hypotheses and
make predictions. They are able to reflect on
scientific practices as they develop plans of action to
create and evaluate a variety of conclusions. Students
are also able to demonstrate the ability to
communicate their findings to others.
104
Benchmark A
Use appropriate instruments safely to
observe, measure and collect data when
conducting a scientific investigation.
105
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Comprehension
Question: It is important to practice safety in the science lab. Which one of these
science experiments would you need to wear eye goggles to complete?
A. Watering plants with different amounts to compare their growth.
B. Comparing two different ramps to see which makes a car roll faster.
C. Mixing chemicals to determine what type of reaction they have.
D. Measuring the amount of temperature change in a cup of sand during the day.
Rubric:
Answer: C: Mixing chemicals to determine what type of reaction they have.
106
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Comprehension
Question:
What tool would be needed to figure out how much space a science book takes
A. Metric ruler
B. Balance Scale
C. Graduated Cylinder
D. Thermometer
Rubric:
Answer: A
107
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Comprehension
Question:
Which of the following tools would be used to most easily separate iron filings from
sand?
A. filter
B. funnel
C. tweezers
D. magnet
Rubric:
Answer: D
108
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Comprehension
Question:
What mass is indicated on the triple beam balance?
A. 135.5g
B. 35.0g
C. 35.5g
D. 5.5g
Rubric:
Answer: C
109
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Knowledge
Question: Which one of these tools would you use to determine at what temperature a
cube of ice would melt.
A. timer
B. balance
C. spring scale
D. thermometer
Rubric:
Answer: D. Thermometer
110
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Comprehension
Question:
According to the thermometers, which water sample has reached the boiling point?
A. Water Sample A
B. Water Sample B
C. Water sample C
D. Water sample D
Rubric:
Answer: D
111
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Multiple choice
Bloom: Comprehension
Question: Mrs. Smith gave each of her students a meter stick and told them to measure
their partner’s height. What is one safety rule they would need to follow while using the
meter sticks?
A. Keep from waving the meter sticks in the air.
B. Wear gloves when using the meter sticks.
C. Wear sunglasses when using the meter sticks.
D. Wash your hands after using the meter sticks.
Rubric:
Answer: A. Keep from waving the meter sticks in the air.
112
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Comprehension
Question: When measuring the weight of a heavy object, the safest way to do that is to:
A. drop it onto the scale.
B. have someone help you lift it onto the scale.
C. throw it to your partner and have him/her push it onto the scale.
D. use a book to push it onto the scale.
Rubric:
Answer: B. have someone help you lift it onto the scale.
113
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Short Answer
Bloom: Analysis
Question: Why would someone place an object under a microscope? Please give
examples.
Rubric:
Student explained that microscopes are used to examine the small details of something
and gave an example
Student explained that microscopes are used to examine the small details of something.
Student failed to attempt the question.
114
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Extended Response
Bloom: Synthesis and Evaluation
Question: Mass is measured in ounces or grams. It is a measure of the amount of
material an object contains which causes it to have weight when there is gravity. Which
tools would you use and how would you use them to determine which of two items have
a greater mass? Given detailed explanations and provide support for your choices.
Rubric:
Student chose an appropriate tool and method and gave a detailed explanation of what
he/she would do. The student supported the choices with evidence.
Student included 3 of the 4 required elements.
Student included 2 of the 4 required elements.
Student included 1 of the 4 required elements.
Student failed to attempt the question.
115
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Multiple choice
Bloom: Comprehension
Question: Which of the following would be safe to do during a lab activity?
A. Running in the classroom
B. Leaving a water spill on the floor
C. Touching hot surfaces
D. Following lab rules
Rubric:
Answer: D. Following lab rules
116
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Extended Response
Bloom: Analysis
Question: Mr. James’s fourth grade class was learning about the weather. To help their
studies, they created their own school weather station. Two students, Mary and Chris,
were assigned to read and write down the temperature each day. The readings they took
are shown in the table below. Each student read the thermometer and wrote down the
temperature reading at three different times during the day. Look at the graph and
answer the following questions.
What was Chris’ temperature reading for Tuesday at noon? What was Mary’s
temperature reading for Tuesday at noon? Even though Chris and Mary read the same
thermometer at the same time on the same day, their readings are different. What are two
ways you explain the difference?
Rubric:
Student responds correctly with all four criteria.
Student responds correctly with 3 of the 4 criteria.
Student responds correctly with 2 of the 4 criteria.
Student responds correctly with 1 of the 4 criteria.
Students responds with 0 of the 4 criteria.
117
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - A
Question type: Short Answer
Bloom: Analysis
Question: Each day for 5 days, Sharon swims one lap in her swimming pool. The bar
graph below shows how much time it took for Sharon to swim each day. On which day
did she finish the fastest? What is a possible reason for this?
Rubric:
Student responds correctly to both criteria
Student responds correctly to one of the two criteria
Student does not respond correctly to either of the two criteria
118
Benchmark B
Organize and evaluate observations,
measurements and other data to formulate
inferences and conclusions.
119
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - B
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Application
Plant Growth
20
18
16
14
Day 1
12
Day 2
10
Day 3
8
Day 4
6
4
2
0
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
4
9
13
19
Series1
Question: The graph shows how much a plant grew over four days. According to the
graph, how many centimeters did the plant grow between Day 1 and Day 4?
A. 15 cm
B. 17 cm
C. 3 cm
D. 6 cm
Rubric:
Answer: A – 15cm
120
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - B
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: analysis
Question: Pat lives in a tall apartment building. She wonders if there is any difference in
temperature between the rain at the top of the building and the rain at street-level below.
Which method should Pat use?
A. Two thermometers and two places to hang the thermometers
B. Two thermometers, a puddle of water on the roof, and a puddle of water on the
street
C. Two thermometers and two Styrofoam containers to hold roof rainwater and
street-level rainwater
Rubric:
C
121
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - B
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Analysis
Question: A weather balloon records a temperature of 37 degrees F in the clouds above a
city. The air temperature in the city is 24 degrees F. If these clouds begin to lose water,
what will the city experience?
A. rain
B. snow
C. sleet
Rubric:
C
122
Benchmark C
Develop, design and safely conduct
scientific investigations and communicate
the results.
123
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - C
Question type: Short Answer
Bloom: Knowledge
Question: Identify three safety procedures we should follow when presented with an
unknown liquid.
Rubric:
Student identified that you should use safety goggles, waft instead of smell, and not taste
Student identified one or two of the above three.
Student did not attempt the question.
124
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - C
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Analysis
Question: Which of these would be the best way to find whether a softball will roll down
a hill faster than a basketball?
A. Determining which of the balls has the greater mass.
B. Observing the balls rolling down the same section of a hill at the same time.
C. Throwing the balls into the air at the same time to see which goes higher.
D. Dropping the balls from the same height and observing which hits the ground
first.
Rubric:
Answer: B. Observing the balls rolling down the same section of a hill at the same time.
125
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - C
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Analysis
Question:
All of the following are safe procedures to follow when heating chemicals in the science
lab, EXCEPT
A. Never heat a closed container
B. Wear proper eye protection
C. Don’t handle hot glassware with bare hands
D. Taste chemicals only when they have cooled
Rubric:
Answer: D
126
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - C
Question type: Multiple Choice
Bloom: Application
Question: Joe wants to find out which fertilizer will make plants grow the best. Which
of the following should Joe NOT use as part of his investigation?
A. roses, violets, and marigolds
B. put the plants in the same part of the room
C. use the same soil
D. use the same light source and amount of light
Rubric:
Answer: A. roses, violets, and marigolds
127
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - C
Question type: Extended Response
Bloom: Synthesis
Question: List the steps you would need to take in order to find out which plant (Plant A
or Plant B) would grow faster. Design an experiment plan complete with materials and
directions that another person could follow. Be sure to include a way for the
experimenter to record and share results.
Rubric:
Student directs that both plants need to have the same growing conditions. Student writes
step-by-step directions. Student provides instructions for recording and communicating
data.
Student has 3 of the 4 required elements.
Student has 1 of the 4 required elements.
Student failed to complete the question.
128
Grade band: 3-5
Subject: Science
Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry - C
Question type: Extended Response
Bloom: Synthesis
Question: Tom had three Hot Wheels cars. He did an experiment to see which one was
the fastest. He rolled each car down a ramp 10 times and timed them with a stopwatch.
The green car’s times (in seconds) were: 2.6, 3.1, 2.7, 3.0, 2.5, 3.5, 3.4, 2.7, 2.5, and 2.7.
The red car’s times (in seconds) were: 5.0, 4.9, 4.7, 4.5, 5.1, 4.9, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, and 5.0.
The yellow car’s times (in seconds) were: 3.8, 2.9, 3.5, 3.7, 3.6, 3.8, 5.5, 3.2, 3.9, and 4.0.
Make a graph to show the cars’ times. Which car is the fastest?
Rubric:
Student made a line graph that correctly shows the cars’ times. The axes are labeled.
There is a scale and a title. The student identified the fastest car.
Student had 3 of the 4 required elements.
Student had 2 of the 4 required elements.
Student had 1 of the 4 required elements.
Student failed to answer the question.
129