Iowa Assessments
Grades 3‐5
Domains and Cognitive Levels
Explained
Reading
Reading Domains & Standards
Key Ideas
• Identify central ideas and their
support
• Synthesize or summarize
information
• Connect or extend ideas
Explicit Meaning
• Recognize stated information
• Understand stated information
Implicit Meaning
• Draw conclusions or make
inferences
• Discern traits, feelings, or motives
• Make predictions
Author’s Craft
• Understand text features,
structures, style, or tone
• Identify purpose or viewpoint;
distinguish fact from opinion
• Understand literary devices and
elements
• Interpret nonliteral language
Vocabulary
• Use context to determine
meaning
Reading
Domain
Level 12 Total Items Level 13 Total Items Level 14 Total Items
Key Ideas
11
9
9
Explicit Meaning
9
10
11
Implicit Meaning
10
11
9
Author’s Craft
9
10
13
Vocabulary
5
5
4
Total
44
45
46
Cognitive Levels of
Items Above
Level 12 Total Items
Level 13 Total Items
Level 14 Total
Items
Essential
Competencies
9
10
10
Conceptual
Understanding
27
28
28
Extended Reasoning
8
7
8
Cognitive Levels
•
Essential Competencies
 Recognize or identify basic information
Cognitive Levels
• Conceptual Understanding
 Use more complex thought processes in
interpreting text, determining important
ideas, or reading between the lines
Cognitive Levels
• Extended Reasoning
 Use critical thinking in judging, evaluating,
or analyzing text or in integrating ideas
within and beyond the text
Core (Informational Text): Craft & Structure (#4, grades 5 and up)
“Determine the meaning of general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases in a text . . .”
Vocabulary: Use context to determine meaning
Cognitive Level: Conceptual Understanding

Bright lights shine all night in cities, making it easy
to work and travel after dark. But unnecessary light at
night can be a form of pollution.
As cities have become more brightly lit, stars have
become less visible. The nighttime glow of large cities
can make the dimmer stars hard to see, even from
uninhabited areas many miles from the cities. A truly
dark night sky has become as hard to find as unspoiled
wilderness. Astronomers now must put their
telescopes on islands or high mountains.
Light pollution also affects animals. Newly
hatched sea turtles normally make their way from the
beach to the safety of the ocean by heading for the
natural light reflected on the water. Bright lights on
the land, however, can disorient the baby turtles,
leading them away from the ocean.
Some cities are trying to reduce light pollution.
Covering outdoor lights with shades that direct light
downward and turning off unneeded lights are two
small ways to help bring back a darker night sky.
1 In the line marked with , what
does “disorient” mean?
A Hide
B Comfort
C Weaken
D Confuse
Core (Informational Text): Key Ideas & Details (#2, grade 6)
“Determine a central idea of a text . . .”
Key Ideas: Identify central ideas and their support
Cognitive Level: Conceptual Understanding

Bright lights shine all night in cities, making it easy
to work and travel after dark. But unnecessary light at
night can be a form of pollution.
As cities have become more brightly lit, stars have
become less visible. The nighttime glow of large cities
can make the dimmer stars hard to see, even from
uninhabited areas many miles from the cities. A truly
dark night sky has become as hard to find as unspoiled
wilderness. Astronomers now must put their
telescopes on islands or high mountains.
Light pollution also affects animals. Newly
hatched sea turtles normally make their way from the
beach to the safety of the ocean by heading for the
natural light reflected on the water. Bright lights on
the land, however, can disorient the baby turtles,
leading them away from the ocean.
Some cities are trying to reduce light pollution.
Covering outdoor lights with shades that direct light
downward and turning off unneeded lights are two
small ways to help bring back a darker night sky.
2 Which sentence states the main
idea of this passage?
J As cities grow, they use more
electricity for lighting.
K Many animals take cues from
the light around them.
L Turning off lights at night is a
good way to save energy.
M Large amounts of nighttime
light can have unwanted
effects.
Core (Informational Text): Craft & Structure (#5, grade 7)
“Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text . . .”
Author’s Craft: Understand text features, structures, style, or tone
Cognitive Level: Extended Reasoning
Bright lights shine all night in cities, making it easy
to work and travel after dark. But unnecessary light at
night can be a form of pollution.
As cities have become more brightly lit, stars have
become less visible. The nighttime glow of large cities
can make the dimmer stars hard to see, even from
uninhabited areas many miles from the cities. A truly
dark night sky has become as hard to find as unspoiled
wilderness. Astronomers now must put their
telescopes on islands or high mountains.
Light pollution also affects animals. Newly
hatched sea turtles normally make their way from the
beach to the safety of the ocean by heading for the
natural light reflected on the water. Bright lights on
 the land, however, can disorient the baby turtles,
leading them away from the ocean.
Some cities are trying to reduce light pollution.
Covering outdoor lights with shades that direct light
downward and turning off unneeded lights are two
small ways to help bring back a darker night sky.
3 How is the third paragraph
organized?
A It contrasts two different
ideas.
B It explains the solution to a
problem.
C It gives an example to
support its main point.
D It explains the history of a
current problem.
Math
Mathematics Domains & Standards
Number Sense and Operations
• Represent, compare and order numbers
• Describe and apply properties of numbers
• Classify numbers by divisibility
• Demonstrate ways of performing operations
• Use place value and write numbers in standard, expanded and exponential form
• Estimate and round real numbers
Algebraic Patterns and Connections
• Use and interpret operational and relational symbols
• Solve equations/inequalities
• Use expressions and equations to model situations
• Explore numerical patterns
• Apply functional relationships
Data Analysis, Probability and Statistics
• Apply probability concepts and counting rules
• Understand and apply measures of central tendency and variability
• Interpret data and make predictions
• Understand sampling
Mathematics Domains & Standards (cont.)
Geometry
• Identify, classify and compare geometric figures
• Describe geometric properties, patterns, and relationships
• Apply concepts of perimeter, area and volume
• Estimate geometric measurements
Measurement
• Measure length/distance, time, temperature, money, weight, mass and volume
• Estimate measurements with appropriate precision
• Identify and use appropriate units of measurement and measurement tools
• Understand and apply rate
Mathematics Domain and Cognitive Levels
Domain
Level 12 Total Items Level 13 Total Items Level 14 Total Items
Number Sense and
Operations
18
19
20
Algebraic Patterns and
Connections
11
12
13
Data Analysis,
Probability, and
Statistics
10
11
12
Geometry
13
14
15
Measurement
13
14
15
Total
65
70
75
Cognitive Levels of
Items Above
Level 12 Total Items Level 13 Total Items Level 14 Total Items
Essential
Competencies
7
6
7
Conceptual
Understanding
52
59
63
Extended Reasoning
6
5
5
Cognitive Levels
• Essential Competencies: students recall
information, facts, definitions; perform simple
one-step procedure
• Conceptual Understanding: students make
decisions of how to approach the problem;
specify and explain relationships between facts,
terms, properties, or operations; perform
multiple-step procedure
• Extended Reasoning: students use reasoning, use
planning, draw conclusions, or cite evidence to
solve a problem; develop a strategy to connect
and relate ideas to solve problems while using
multiple-step procedures and a variety of skills
Core: Ratios and Proportional Relationships – Understand ratio concepts and use
ratio reasoning to solve problems
Number Sense and Operations – Represent, order, and compare numbers
Cognitive Level – Essential competencies
1 Six out of 20 seats are empty. What percent of the
seats are empty?
A 6%
B 14%
C 30%
D 60%
Core: Functions – Use functions to model relationships between quantities
Algebraic Patterns and Connections – Use variable expressions and equations to
models situations
Cognitive Level – Extended reasoning
2 Which equation represents the relationship
between x and y?
A
B
C
D
y=x+5
y = 2x + 1
y = 2x + 5
y = 3x – 1
Core: Statistics and Probability – Investigate patterns of association in bivariate data
Data Analysis, Probability, and Statistics – Make predictions and interpret data
Cognitive Level – Extended reasoning
Use the scatter plot below to answer question 3.
3
According to the trend in the data, which weight of paper is most likely discarded by an 8person household?
A
4.5 pounds
B
12.5 pounds
C
25.0 pounds
D
50.0 pounds
Computation Domains
Domain
Level 12 Total Items Level 13 Total Items Level 14 Total Items
Compute with
Whole Numbers
10
8
3
Compute with
Fractions
11
12
10
Compute with
Decimals
9
11
14
Algebraic
Manipulations
0
0
5
Total
30
31
32
Cognitive levels are not defined within the mathematics computation tests.
Science
Science Domains & Standards
Life Science
• Organisms & their habitats
• Changes in organisms
• Interactions in an ecosystem
• Human body, health, & safety
Physical Science
• Types & properties of matter
• Forces & motion
• Forms of & changes in energy
• Physical & chemical changes
Earth & Space Science
• Structure of Earth
• Natural resources
• Climate & weather
• Natural events
• The universe
Scientific inquiry is embedded
throughout the assessment.
Science Item Distribution
Domain
Level 12 Total Items Level 13 Total Items Level 14 Total Items
Earth & Space
Science
14
14
13
Life Science
12
14
15
Physical Science
13
13
15
Total
39
41
43
Cognitive Levels of
Items Above
Level 12 Total Items Level 13 Total Items Level 14 Total Items
Essential
Competencies
14
12
17
Conceptual
Understanding
20
24
21
Extended
Reasoning
5
5
5
Cognitive Levels
Essential Competencies
• Identify basic scientific information such as
facts, definitions, terminology, principles,
concepts, and relationships
• Recognize fundamental components of
scientific investigations
Cognitive Levels
Conceptual Understanding
• Understand scientific concepts and apply
them to explain phenomena
• Analyze and interpret scientific information
• Make simple inferences, predictions, and
conclusions
• Formulate hypotheses
Cognitive Levels
Extended Reasoning
• Propose solutions to scientific problems
• Make in-depth inferences, predictions, and
conclusions
• Evaluate the appropriateness of scientific
findings, conclusions, and experimental
design
• Integrate ideas from various scientific
disciplines and phenomena
Sample Items
Directions: Use the information below and your knowledge of science to answer
questions 1 – 4.
A group of students designed an experiment to find out if water contracts or
expands when it freezes. Each pair of students poured a different volume of distilled
water into a plastic graduated cylinder, covered the cylinder with plastic wrap, and
placed the cylinder in a freezer overnight. The next day, the students determined the
change in volume in milliliters (mL). The students’ results are shown in the table
below.
Core – Understand and apply knowledge of elements, compounds, mixtures, and solutions based on the
nature of their physical and chemical properties; Learner formulates explanations from evidence
Physical Science – Types & properties of matter
Cognitive Level – Extended reasoning
A group of students designed an experiment to find out if water contracts or expands when
it freezes. Each pair of students poured a different volume of distilled water into a plastic
graduated cylinder, covered the cylinder with plastic wrap, and placed the cylinder in a freezer
overnight. The next day, the students determined the change in volume in milliliters (mL). The
students’ results are shown in the table below.
1
Which conclusion is supported by the students’ results?
A Water expands on freezing because its volume
increases.
B Water contracts on freezing because its volume
increases.
C Water expands on freezing because its volume
decreases.
D Water contracts on freezing because its volume
decreases.
Core – Understand and apply knowledge of physical and chemical changes and their relationship to the
conservation of matter and energy; Learner connects explanations to scientific knowledge
Physical Science – Types & properties of matter
Cognitive Level – Conceptual understanding
A group of students designed an experiment to find out if water contracts or expands when
it freezes. Each pair of students poured a different volume of distilled water into a plastic
graduated cylinder, covered the cylinder with plastic wrap, and placed the cylinder in a freezer
overnight. The next day, the students determined the change in volume in milliliters (mL). The
students’ results are shown in the table below.
2
When the students removed the cylinders from the
freezer to determine the change in volume, they
observed water droplets on the outside of the cylinders.
What process caused these water droplets?
A Evaporation
B Condensation
C Melting
D Boiling
Core – Understand and apply knowledge of elements, compounds, mixtures, and solutions based on the
nature of their physical and chemical properties; Learner gives priority to evidence in responding to questions
Physical Science – Types & properties of matter
Cognitive Level – Conceptual understanding
A group of students designed an experiment to find out if water contracts or expands when it
freezes. Each pair of students poured a different volume of distilled water into a plastic graduated
cylinder, covered the cylinder with plastic wrap, and placed the cylinder in a freezer overnight. The
next day, the students determined the change in volume in milliliters (mL). The students’ results are
shown in the table below.
3
Each student pair calculated the percent change in volume. The students’ results are shown
in the bar graph below.
If the actual value for volume change is 9.0%, which student pair was the most accurate?
A
1
B
2
C
3
D
4
Core – Understand and apply knowledge of physical and chemical changes and their relationship to the
conservation of matter and energy; Learner connects explanations to scientific knowledge
Physical Science – Types & properties of matter
Cognitive Level – Conceptual understanding
A group of students designed an experiment to find out if water contracts or expands when it
freezes. Each pair of students poured a different volume of distilled water into a plastic graduated
cylinder, covered the cylinder with plastic wrap, and placed the cylinder in a freezer overnight. The
next day, the students determined the change in volume in milliliters (mL). The students’ results are
shown in the table below.
4
On average, compared to the water molecules in the frozen samples, the water molecules
in the liquid samples were
A
farther apart and moving faster.
B
farther apart and moving slower.
C
closer together and moving faster.
D
closer together and moving slower.
Core – Understand and apply knowledge of the structure and processes of the Earth system and the processes
that change Earth and its surface
Earth Science – Natural resources
Cognitive Level – Essential competencies
5 Which type of alternative energy uses the heat
inside Earth to produce electricity?
A Wind energy
B Geothermal energy
C Nuclear energy
D Solar energy
Core – Understand and apply knowledge of the structure and processes of the Earth system and the processes
that change Earth and its surface
Earth Science– Natural events
Cognitive Level – Conceptual understanding
6 Which natural event do scientists predict using
earthquake activity?
A Tornado
B Drought
C Volcanic eruption
D Glacier formation