Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
6th Grade Earth Science Unit 1 Checkpoint Assessment
56 pts total
Multiple Choice - 1 pt ea.
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____
1.
Look at this picture of a desk. Which of the following is an observation of this desk?
a.
The desk is made of wood.
The desk is heavy.
b.
c.
The desk has four legs.
d.
The desk belongs to Rafael.
____
2.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which of the following statements is a scientific fact?
Worms come to the surface of mud after a heavy rain because rain makes them happy.
Tomatoes taste good.
Earth’s atmosphere contains oxygen.
Birds are always hungry.
____
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
After testing, you find that your hypothesis is not true. What does this mean?
The experiment is a failure.
The results are useless.
The design of the experiment was bad.
The results may be useful, but further testing and redesign of the experiment may be needed.
____
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which of these units is used to show mass scientifically? 5.4.8.A.3:
Kilogram
Milliliter
Centimeter
Pound
____
5.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which of the following is the same measurement as 500 grams of water?
0.5 liters of water
5 liters of water
5 kilograms of water
5 milliliters of water
____
6.
If the force of gravity on Jupiter is about 6 times the force of gravity on Mars, would you weigh more on
Jupiter or Mars?
a.
You would weigh more on Mars.
b.
You would weigh more on Jupiter.
c.
You would weigh the same on both Mars and Jupiter.
d.
Your weight is always the same throughout the universe.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
____
7.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which of the following is a physical model?
A model airplane
A math equation
The theory of plate tectonics
A graph
____
8.
California uses various types of resources to create energy. Below is a data set of the energy resources in
California and their percentage of total energy use in the state for 1994.
Energy Resource
Coal
Geothermal
Hydroelectric
Nuclear
Petroleum
Natural Gas
Percent Use
1%
3%
5%
6%
51%
34%
What is the most appropriate type of graph to use for this data set?
a.
Line graph
Pie graph
b.
Bar graph
c.
d.
Experimental graph
____
9.
a.
b.
c.
d.
All matter consists of tiny particles known as:
elements.
compounds.
molecules.
atoms.
____
10.
a.
b.
c.
d.
From where does much of Earth’s internal heat energy come?
The sun
Volcanic eruptions
The core
Geysers
____
11.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Heat is caused by the:
size of atoms.
structure of atoms.
motion of atoms.
space between two or more atoms.
____
12.
a.
b.
c.
d.
At each stage in the process of making electricity at a power plant, some energy is lost as:
light.
radiation.
electricity.
heat.
____
13.
a.
b.
c.
d.
The most important source of Earth’s surface energy is:
volcanic eruptions.
geysers.
the sun.
the core.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
____
14.
a.
b.
c.
d.
A car that has rolled down a hill:
has less potential energy.
is more stable.
has given up energy.
All of the above
____
15.
a.
b.
c.
d.
The atoms in solids can:
vibrate in place.
move freely about.
vibrate and move freely about.
vibrate and move freely about, but not at the same time.
____
16.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Conduction, convection, and radiation are all examples of ways in which heat is:
created.
destroyed.
transferred.
reused.
____
17.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Heat is transferred from:
warm objects to cool objects.
cool objects to warm objects.
fast objects to slow objects.
slow objects to fast objects.
____
18.
a.
b.
c.
d.
As the atoms that make up air increase speed and gain energy, they tend to:
rise together.
sink together.
move sideways together.
remain in the same place.
____
19.
The long arrows in the model above show that:
a.
these atoms have a faster speed than the atoms with shorter arrows.
b.
the direction that the atoms are moving.
c.
these atoms have a slower speed than the atoms with shorter arrows.
d.
Both a and b
____
20.
a.
b.
c.
d.
The lifting force that causes an object to float is known as:
density.
buoyancy.
volume.
fluidity.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
____
21.
Material
Wood
Glass
Aluminum
Iron
Density
0.9 g/cm3
2.3 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3
7.8 g/cm3
A block has a mass of 78 grams and a volume of 10 cm3. Using the table above, what material is the block made
of?
Wood
a.
b.
Glass
c.
Aluminum
Iron
d.
____
22.
If the force of gravity on the Moon is less than the force of gravity on Earth, how would your weight on
the Moon compare to your weight on Earth?
It would be greater.
a.
b.
It would be less.
c.
It would be the same.
You can’t tell without the numbers.
d.
____
23.
a.
b.
c.
d.
How does the density of a thin copper wire compare to a copper ring?
It is higher.
It is lower
It is the same.
You can’t tell without the numbers.
____
24.
a.
b.
c.
d.
If an object with a density of 2.0 g/cm3 is placed in a fluid with a density of 1.9 g/cm3, the object will:
float.
sink.
have neutral buoyancy.
dissolve in the fluid.
Matching - 1 pt ea.
Juan’s class project looked at fishing data for a local lake. They wanted to do a scientific study of the lake. Match each
statement with its part in the scientific process. Use each answer only once.
a. observation
d. data
b. question
e. conclusion
c. hypothesis
____ 25.
____ 26.
____ 27.
____ 28.
____ 29.
Increased fishing in the lake causes the average bass size to decrease.
The average size of bass caught from the lake is 1 cm smaller than it was 20 years ago.
The number of fishermen fishing at the lake in 2006 is two times the number in 1986.
Why are bass caught in the lake smaller now than they were 20 years ago?
The number of fishermen fishing at the lake doubled in 20 years so increased fishing may be causing the average
bass size to decrease.
Short Answer
30. How are mass and weight different from each other? - 2 pts.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
You create an experiment to see what happens to the temperature of a 1-liter container of water when you put it in the
freezer for 5 hours. You check the temperature of the water with a thermometer every 30 minutes for 5 hours. After 10
hours, you have a data set that looks like this:
Time (hours)
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
Temp (°C)
23
19
9
6
4
2
0
0
0
31.
Describe the system, the variables, the control variable, the independent variable, and the dependent variable of this
experiment. - 10 pts
32.
Draw a line graph above of the data set of the temperature of the water across time on the axes provided, making sure
your graph has all the proper parts (title, labels with units, data points, best fit curve). 5 pts
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
Essay
Figure 4-1
The figure shows that large cities such as Los Angeles usually have higher daytime temperatures than the nearby
countryside.
33. Describe how heat energy is spread by radiation, conduction, and convection in the city shown in Figure 4-1. 6 pts
34. Why do you think the city shown in Figure 4-1 has a higher daytime temperature than the surrounding countryside? 2 pts
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
6th Grade Earth Science Unit 1 Checkpoint Assessment KEY
56 pts total
Multiple Choice - 1 pt ea.
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
__C__
1.
Look at this picture of a desk. Which of the following is an observation of this desk?
a.
The desk is made of wood.
The desk is heavy.
b.
c.
The desk has four legs.
d.
The desk belongs to Rafael.
__C__
2.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which of the following statements is a scientific fact?
Worms come to the surface of mud after a heavy rain because rain makes them happy.
Tomatoes taste good.
Earth’s atmosphere contains oxygen.
Birds are always hungry.
__D__
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
After testing, you find that your hypothesis is not true. What does this mean?
The experiment is a failure.
The results are useless.
The design of the experiment was bad.
The results may be useful, but further testing and redesign of the experiment may be needed.
__A__
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which of these units is used to show mass scientifically?
Kilogram
Milliliter
Centimeter
Pound
__A__
5.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which of the following is the same measurement as 500 grams of water?
0.5 liters of water
5 liters of water
5 kilograms of water
5 milliliters of water
__B__
6.
If the force of gravity on Jupiter is about 6 times the force of gravity on Mars, would you weigh more on
Jupiter or Mars?
a.
You would weigh more on Mars.
b.
You would weigh more on Jupiter.
c.
You would weigh the same on both Mars and Jupiter.
d.
Your weight is always the same throughout the universe.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
__A__
7.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which of the following is a physical model?
A model airplane
A math equation
The theory of plate tectonics
A graph
__B__
8.
California uses various types of resources to create energy. Below is a data set of the energy resources in
California and their percentage of total energy use in the state for 1994.
Energy Resource
Coal
Geothermal
Hydroelectric
Nuclear
Petroleum
Natural Gas
Percent Use
1%
3%
5%
6%
51%
34%
What is the most appropriate type of graph to use for this data set?
a.
Line graph
Pie graph
b.
Bar graph
c.
d.
Experimental graph
__D__
9.
a.
b.
c.
d.
All matter consists of tiny particles known as:
elements.
compounds.
molecules.
atoms.
__C__
10.
a.
b.
c.
d.
From where does much of Earth’s internal heat energy come?
The sun
Volcanic eruptions
The core
Geysers
__C__
11.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Heat is caused by the:
size of atoms.
structure of atoms.
motion of atoms.
space between two or more atoms.
__D__
12.
a.
b.
c.
d.
At each stage in the process of making electricity at a power plant, some energy is lost as:
light.
radiation.
electricity.
heat.
__C__
13.
a.
b.
c.
d.
The most important source of Earth’s surface energy is:
volcanic eruptions.
geysers.
the sun.
the core.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
__D__
14.
a.
b.
c.
d.
A car that has rolled down a hill:
has less potential energy.
is more stable.
has given up energy.
All of the above
__A__
15.
a.
b.
c.
d.
The atoms in solids can:
vibrate in place.
move freely about.
vibrate and move freely about.
vibrate and move freely about, but not at the same time.
__C__
16.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Conduction, convection, and radiation are all examples of ways in which heat is:
created.
destroyed.
transferred.
reused.
__A__
17.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Heat is transferred from:
warm objects to cool objects.
cool objects to warm objects.
fast objects to slow objects.
slow objects to fast objects.
__A__
18.
a.
b.
c.
d.
As the atoms that make up air increase speed and gain energy, they tend to:
rise together.
sink together.
move sideways together.
remain in the same place.
__D__
19.
The long arrows in the model above show that:
a.
these atoms have a faster speed than the atoms with shorter arrows.
b.
the direction that the atoms are moving.
c.
these atoms have a slower speed than the atoms with shorter arrows.
d.
Both a and b
__B__
20.
a.
b.
c.
d.
The lifting force that causes an object to float is known as:
density.
buoyancy.
volume.
fluidity.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
__D__
21.
Material
Wood
Glass
Aluminum
Iron
Density
0.9 g/cm3
2.3 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3
7.8 g/cm3
A block has a mass of 78 grams and a volume of 10 cm3. Using the table above, what material is the block made
of?
Wood
a.
b.
Glass
c.
Aluminum
Iron
d.
__B__
22.
If the force of gravity on the Moon is less than the force of gravity on Earth, how would your weight on
the Moon compare to your weight on Earth?
It would be greater.
a.
b.
It would be less.
c.
It would be the same.
You can’t tell without the numbers.
d.
__C__
23.
a.
b.
c.
d.
How does the density of a thin copper wire compare to a copper ring?
It is higher.
It is lower
It is the same.
You can’t tell without the numbers.
__B__
24.
a.
b.
c.
d.
If an object with a density of 2.0 g/cm3 is placed in a fluid with a density of 1.9 g/cm3, the object will:
float.
sink.
have neutral buoyancy.
dissolve in the fluid.
Matching - 1 pt ea.
Juan’s class project looked at fishing data for a local lake. They wanted to do a scientific study of the lake. Match each
statement with its part in the scientific process. Use each answer only once.
a. Observation
d. Data
b. Question
e. Conclusion
c. Hypothesis
__C__
__A__
__D__
__B__
__E__
25.
Increased fishing in the lake causes the average bass size to decrease.
26.
The average size of bass caught from the lake is 1 cm smaller than it was 20 years ago.
27.
The number of fishermen fishing at the lake in 2006 is two times the number in 1986.
28.
Why are bass caught in the lake smaller now than they were 20 years ago?
29.
The number of fishermen fishing at the lake doubled in 20 years so increased fishing may be causing the
average bass size to decrease.
Short Answer
30. How are mass and weight different from each other? - 2 pts.
Mass is a measure of the amount of matter contained in an object. Weight is a measure of mass and the force of
gravity.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
You create an experiment to see what happens to the temperature of a 1-liter container of water when you put it in the
freezer for 4 hours. You check the temperature of the water with a thermometer every 30 minutes for 4 hours. After 8
hours, you have a data set that looks like this:
31.
Time (hours)
Temp (°C)
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
23
19
9
6
4
2
0
0
0
Describe the system, the variables, the control variable, the independent variable, and the dependent variable of this
experiment. - 10 pts
The system includes the freezer, the 1-liter container of water, temperature, and time.
The variables include the mass or volume of water, temperature of the freezer, temperature of the water, and time.
The control variable is the mass or volume of the water and the temperature of the freezer.
The independent variable is the time.
The dependent variable is the temperature of the water.
32.
Draw a line graph above of the data set of the temperature of the water across time on the axes provided, making sure
your graph has all the proper parts (title, labels with units, data points, best fit curve). 5 pts
1 pt - Title
1 pt - X axis labeled correctly with unit
1 pt - Y axis labeled correctly with unit
1 pt -Data Points plotted correctly
1 pt -Line drawn fits data
See above for example graph.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
Essay
Figure 4-1
The figure shows that large cities such as Los Angeles usually have higher daytime temperatures than the nearby
countryside.
33. Describe how heat energy is spread by radiation, conduction, and convection in the city shown in Figure 4-1. 6 pts
5.2.6.C.3:
Energy from the sun reaches the ground in the city as radiant energy. Conduction spreads heat energy between the
ground and anything in direct contact with the ground, such as buildings, cars, or people. As the ground in the city
warms up, the air in the city also gains heat energy. Heat is spread by convection as the warm air rises.
34. Why do you think the city shown in Figure 4-1 has a higher daytime temperature than the surrounding countryside? 2 pts
Cities tend to reach higher temperatures because the ground is mostly covered over with dark colored asphalt streets.
The darker colored asphalt absorbs more radiant energy from the sun than the unpaved ground in the countryside.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
6th Grade Earth Science Unit 1 Checkpoint Assessment - 56 pts total
Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
C
C
D
A
A
B
A
B
D
C
C
D
C
D
A
C
A
A
D
B
D
B
C
B
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
intermediate
intermediate
advanced
basic
advanced
advanced
basic
intermediate
basic
basic
basic
basic
intermediate
advanced
basic
basic
intermediate
intermediate
advanced
basic
intermediate
intermediate
intermediate
advanced
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
section 1.2
section 1.3
section 1.3
section 2.1
section 2.1
section 2.2
section 2.3
section 2.4
section 3.1
section 3.1
section 3.1
section 3.1
section 3.1
section 3.1
section 3.2
section 3.2
section 3.2
section 3.2
section 3.2
section 3.3
section 3.3
section 3.3
section 3.3
section 3.3
NJCCCS: 5.1.4.B.1
NJCCCS: 5.1.4.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.1.8.B.1
NJCCCS: 5.4.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.1.8.A.2
NJCCCS: 5.4.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.1.8.A.2
NJCCCS: 5.1.12.D.2
NJCCCS: 5.2.8.A.1
NJCCCS: 5.4.8.D.1
NJCCCS: 5.2.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.3.12.B.2
NJCCCS: 5.2.8.C.1
NJCCCS: 5.2.8.D.1
NJCCCS: 5.2.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.2.6.C.3
NJCCCS: 5.2.4.C.3
NJCCCS: 5.2.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.2.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.2.6.E.4
NJCCCS: 5.2.6.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.4.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.2.6.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.2.6.A.2
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
PTS:
1
1
1
1
1
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
DIF:
advanced
advanced
advanced
advanced
advanced
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
REF:
section 1.1
section 1.1
section 1.3
section 1.3
section 1.3
NJCCCS: 5.1.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.1.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.1.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.1.8.A.3
NJCCCS: 5.1.8.A.3
MATCHING
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
ANS:
C
A
D
B
E
SHORT ANSWER
30. ANS:
Mass is a measure of the amount of matter contained in an object. Weight is a measure of mass and the force of gravity.
PTS: 2
DIF: basic
REF: section 2.2
31. ANS:
The system includes the freezer, the 1-liter container of water, temperature, and time.
NJCCCS: 5.4.8.A.3
The variables include the mass or volume of water, temperature of the freezer, temperature of the water, and time.
Name: __________________________________ Class: ______________ Date:_____________________
The control variable is the mass or volume of the water and the temperature of the freezer.
The independent variable is the time.
The dependent variable is the temperature of the water.
PTS: 10
DIF: advanced
REF: section 2.3
NJCCCS: 5.1.8.B.2
32. ANS:
PTS: 5
DIF: advanced
NJCCCS: 5.1.12.D.2
ESSAY
33. ANS:
Energy from the sun reaches the ground in the city as radiant energy. Conduction spreads heat energy between the ground
and anything in direct contact with the ground, such as buildings, cars, or people. As the ground in the city warms up, the
air in the city also gains heat energy. Heat is spread by convection as the warm air rises.
PTS: 6
DIF: advanced
REF: section 3.2
NJCCCS: 5.2.6.C.3
34. ANS:
Cities tend to reach higher temperatures because the ground is mostly covered over with dark colored asphalt streets. The
darker colored asphalt absorbs more radiant energy from the sun than the unpaved ground in the countryside.
PTS: 2
DIF: advanced
REF: section 3.2
NJCCCS: 5.1.8.A.3