Student Learning Objective

Science Assessment
Grade 7

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

 Student Learning Objective
Science Assessment
7th Grade

1. Scientists perform experiments to test hypotheses. How do scientists try to remain objective during
experiments?

A. Scientists analyze all results.

B. Scientists use safety precautions.
C. Scientists conduct experiments once.
D. Scientists change at least two variables.

Use the information below to answer Number 2.

In a lab study, eight bean plants are grown from seeds in individual containers. After a few leaves are visible on
each plant, the plants are separated into two groups. One group is placed in a room that gets sunlight, and the
other group is placed in a dark room. All of the plants receive the same amount of water daily. After two weeks,
the plants are observed.

2. All of the plants in this investigation were bean plants because

A. the plants were all the same color.
B. plant type was not a tested variable.
C. each plant received the same amount of sunlight.
D. a different amount of water was not used for each plant.

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

3. When conducting an experiment, which of the following is generally true?
A. It is unsafe to conduct a large number of experimental trials.
B. The number of trials conducted does not affect the validity of the results.
C. Conducting a large number of experimental trials makes the results more reliable.
D. Performing a smaller number of experimental trials makes the results more reliable.

Use the information below to answer Number 4.

Container Type of Oil Fan Speed

L None 1
M Canola 2
N Corn 3
O Olive 4

Students investigated producing waves on the surface water in a container. The students filled four identical
containers with the same amount of water. Five milliliters of oil was added to three of the four containers. An
electric fan was used to produce wind across the surface of the water in each container. The fan had four
speeds; 1 was the slowest speed and 4 was the fastest.

4. Which statement best describes an error the students made in this investigation?
A. The students did not use a control.
B. The students changed more than one variable.
C. The students used the same amount of water.
D. The students used an electric fan instead of natural wind.

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

Use the graph below to answer Number 5.

The number of organisms an environment can support depends on the availability of environmental resources.
Changes in the mule deer population in Nevada from the years 1900-2000 are shown in the graph below.

5. During which years did the mule deer population most likely experienced the greatest decrease of
environmental resources?

A. 1930-1950
B. 1956-1960
C. 1960-1970
D. 1976-1980

Use the information below to answer Number 6.

The data table below shows information collected from four water samples.

Water Sample Percentage of Algae Growth Dissolved Oxygen

Nitrogen After 30 Days (milligrams per
(%) (grams) liter)
Control sample 0 2.2 7.0
X 10 10.5 6.2
Y 15 12.3 4.5
Z 18 16.5 3.2

6. Which of the following relationships is reflected by the data above?

A. When nitrogen increases, algae growth increases.
B. When nitrogen decreases, algae growth increases.
C. When nitrogen increases, dissolved oxygen increases.
D. When nitrogen decreases, dissolved oxygen decreases.

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

7. A group of students plans to build a model of a local pond habitat. Which model best represents an
environment similar to a pond?

A. A sealed plastic bottle containing insects and algae from a pond

B. A classroom aquarium containing plants and animals bought from a pet store
C. A small plastic outdoor pool containing fresh water, native plants, and native animals
D. A classroom aquarium containing fresh water, non-native plants, and non-native animals

Use the data table below to answer Number 8.

Day Planted Total Growth by May 10

Green pot May 1 3 cm
Red pot May 1 4 cm
Blue pot May 2 2 cm
Yellow pot May 4 4 cm

Mr. Smiths students planted pinto beans during a four-day span. The plant was given the same amount of water
and sunlight. The students measured the growth of the plants each day and collected the data on May 10th.

8. Which plant in different colored pots demonstrated the highest daily growth, given the plants age during the
observation period?

A. green pot
B. red pot
C. blue pot
D. yellow pot

9. The cells of multicellular organisms are

A. smaller than those of unicellular organisms.
B. simpler than those of unicellular organisms.
C. specialized to perform different tasks.
D. not dependent on one another.

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

Use the food web below to answer question Number 10.

Partial Forest Food Web

The movement of energy and matter through some organisms in a forest ecosystem is shown in this food web.

10. Which two organisms in the food web above share the most similar way of getting and utilizing its energy?
A. The mouse and the deer.
B. The grass and the red oak.
C. The tick and the caterpillar.
D. The blue jay and the cedar waxing.

11. Which of the following statements about cells is NOT true?

A. Cells are building blocks of living things.
B. Cells can be seen without the use of microscope.
C. Cells carry out the basic functions of living things.
D. Some organisms are only made up of only one cell.

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

 Use the information below to answer Number 12.

This diagram shows that one of the organelles present in both plant and animal cell is the cell membrane.

12. Which statement BEST describes why the cell membrane is often called selectively permeable?
A. It will only allow water to pass into and out of the cell freely.
B. It selects only nutrients to allow into and out of the cell freely.
C. It will allow some substances to move in and out freely but not others.
D. It selects only harmful substances, and will not allow them to enter the cell.

Use the information below to answer Number 13.

Organisms that have physical features common to both plants and animals are difficult to classify. The diagram
below shows physical features of a euglena.

13. Which euglena feature caused some scientists to classify the euglena as a plant?

A. Chloroplast
B. flagellum
C. eyespot
D. nucleus

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

14. Organisms have complex structures that support growth and survival. What is the most basic structure of
an organism that supports growth and survival?
A. Cell
B. Tissue
C. Organ
D. Organ System

Use the information and diagrams below to answer Number 15.

Astrammina rara is a unicellular organism that is several millimeters long. This organism lives on the ocean
floor of Antarctica in an area called Explorer's Cove. Astrammina rara builds a shell by cementing grains of
sand from the ocean floor together. The organism either absorbs nutrients from the water or eats other
organisms on the ocean floor. The offspring of Astrammina rara have genes identical to the parent. Below is a
diagram of an Astrammina rara and a map showing where the organism lives.

15. Which of the following reasons best explains why Astrammina rara builds a shell?
A. to grind food
B. to attract a mate
C. to absorb sunlight
D. to blend with the ocean floor

16. What would be the result if a plant cell had chloroplast but lacked mitochondria? The cell would be
A. Able to make food and it would have the usable energy to survive.
B. Able to make food but unable to convert the food into usable energy.
C. Unable to make food and without food for energy it would die.
D. Unable to make food but could obtain usable energy from the environment.

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

 Use the Dichotomous Key of Chlorophyll-Containing Organisms to answer Number 17.

# 1. a. This organism is not a plant. (Algae)

b. This organism is a plant. (Go to step 2)
# 2. a. This plant does not have vascular tissue. (Go to step 3)
b. This plant has vascular tissue. (Go to step 4)
# 3. a. This plant's spore-producing capsule opens by splitting lengthwise. (Liverworts)
b. This plant's spore-producing capsule releases spore through the tip of the capsule. (Mosses)
# 4. a. This plant does not produce seeds. (Go to step 5)
b. This plant produces seeds. (Go to step 7)
# 5. a. This plant has hollow stems containing silica. (Horsetails)
b. This plant does not have hollow stems containing silica. (Go to step 6)
# 6. a. This plant produces on the underside of its fronds. (Ferns)
b. This plant produces spores in cone like tips. (Club mosses)
# 7. a. This plant does not produce flowers. (Gymnosperms)
b. This plant produces flowers. (Angiosperms)

17. Based on its characteristics, the plant called club moss is not a true moss. Examine the dichotomous key
above. Which of the following sentences adequately defines a club moss?

A. Club mosses are nonvascular plants that release spores from their cone like tips.
B. Club mosses are plant-like organisms that have chlorophyll and are nonvascular.
C. Club mosses are plants that reproduce using seeds that grow in cone like structures.
D. A club moss is a vascular plant that does not produce seeds, but does produce spores in cone like tips.

18. Which of the following is a small particle that is the building block of all matter?
A. Atom
B. Mixture
C. Molecule
D. Compound

19. The Periodic Table of the Elements is arranged so that elements with similar characteristics are in the same
column. Which element is a highly reactive metal like Cesium?

A. Silver (Ag)
B. Helium (He)
C. Lithium (Li )
D. Chlorine (Cl )

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

20. When Chemical X is added to a certain liquid, and then heated, the chemical breaks into Substances Y and Z.
It is not possible to break Substances Y and Z into simpler particles. Which statement is best supported by
this evidence?

A. Chemical X is an element.
B. Chemical X is soluble in water.
C. Substances Y and Z are elements.
D. Substances Y and Z are compound.

Use the diagram below to answer Number 21.

21. The diagrams above show the models of the atom that were proposed and used at different times in the last
200 years. Why has the model of the atom changed so often over the years?

A. because the old models were wrong and todays model is right.
B. because better microscopes and cameras took better pictures of the atoms.
C. because each new model used evidence that had not been available before.
D. because scientists in the 18th and 19th centuries didnt know about atoms, but scientists today do.

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

Use the diagram to answer Number 22.

22. Which diagram above shows a compound?

A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D

Use the following information to answer Number 23.

Its a hot summer day. Youre thirsty and you yell to your mom, Mom, Im thirsty! She replies, Make some
lemonade, the mix is in the pantry. You ask your mom, How do you make lemonade? She replies, Just
thoroughly mix the sugar packet and some water. The sugar (C 6 H 12 O 6 ) used in the lemonade packet is a
substance made up of the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

23. Which statement best describes the structure of sugar?

A. Sugar can only be mixed with water.
B. Sugar is composed of different molecules.
C. Sugar is composed of different elements that you can mix in the kitchen.
D. Sugar is a compound composed of different elements that are chemically combined.

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

Use the information below to answer Number 24.

In electrochemistry, reactions occur with the assistance of an electrical current that breaks down the reactants
and forms products. An example of one is listed below:

14 H+ (aq) + 2 Mn2+ (aq) + 5 NaBiO 3(s) 7 H 2 O (l) + 2 MnO 4 (aq) + 5 Bi3+ (aq) + 5 Na+ (aq)
Reactants Products

24. Which pair of products are composed of the smallest components of the products in the above reaction?
A. Bi and Na
B. Bi and MnO 4
C. H 2 O and Na
D. H 2 O and MnO 4

Use the information below to answer Number 25.

In class, students investigated patterns of elements in The Periodic Table of the Elements. Their teacher pointed
out a few properties of some common elements. Helium is the lightest inert gas in air. Potassium burns with a
purple flame. Gold and silver are dense metals. Table salt (sodium chloride) is a combination of two reactive
elements. Some properties of common elements are shown in the data table below.

Properties of Some Common Elements

Element Symbol Atomic Number State of Matter at
Room Temperature

Helium H 2 Gas

Chlorine Cl 17 Gas

Gold Au 79 Solid

Potassium K 19 Solid

Silver Ag 47 Solid

Sodium Na 11 Solid

25. Which of these elements is a highly reactive metal like sodium (Na)?
A. Silver (Ag)
B. Helium (He)
C. Chlorine (Cl)
D. Potassium (K)

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

26. Both living and non-living things can be broken down into elements which are pure substances because
A. substances can only be organic
B. living things are made of mixtures
C. carbon is an element in all-living things
D. elements are the smallest unit of matter

Read the following passage and then answer Numbers 27.

Scientists around the world are on a quest to find all the elements possible in the universe. Everything is made
of elements, so understanding elements is a way of understanding all the matter around us. Some of these
elements, hydrogen or oxygen for example, can be easily found on earth. Others, especially atoms that are
heavier than the Uranium atoms, are hard to study. They have to be made in the lab and, even then, usually
decay, or break down into other smaller atoms, right after theyre created.

Recently, a team of physicists from Russia and the United States created a never-before-seen super heavy
element in the laboratory. Right now, its known simply as element 117 or Ununseptium. The new element
was created when scientists bombarded atoms of Berkelium with atoms of Calcium. Berkelium is a heavy
element that does not occur in nature. The name for the new element is not official. A new element doesnt
receive an official name until more teams of scientists can also make it in the laboratory.
Source: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20100421/Note1.asp

27. What is the best reason to explain why a new element cannot be named immediately after it is created or
discovered?
A. The scientists must first check over the procedures that were used to create the element.
B. The material that was used to create the element was dangerous and proper safety precautions were not
taken.
C. The investigation must be able to be repeated many times successfully before accepting the results as
correct.
D. The scientist conducting the initial investigation was not careful in collecting and recording the data;
therefore, it must be repeated.

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017

 Performance Matters Answer Grid

Test Name (as it appears on test): Student Learning Objective

Course Name: Science

Grade(s): 7

Course Codes:

Performance Bands: Proficient: 50-69 Mastery: 70 and above

Answer Sheet Availability Begin date: 8/22/16 End date:

Item Type Answer Set Points Answer Standard

Number SR-CR ABCD, T/F, Y/N Possible (SR only) (one per item)
1 SR ABCD 1 A NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.3
2 SR ABCD 1 B NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.3
3 SR ABCD 1 C NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.3
4 SR ABCD 1 B NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.3
5 SR ABCD 1 C NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.4
6 SR ABCD 1 A NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.4
7 SR ABCD 1 C NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.2
8 SR ABCD 1 D NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.4
9 SR ABCD 1 C NGSS.SCI.MS-LS1-1
10 SR ABCD 1 D NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.2
11 SR ABCD 1 B NGSS.SCI.MS-LS1-1
12 SR ABCD 1 C NGSS.SCI.MS-LS1-2
13 SR ABCD 1 A NGSS.SCI.MS-LS1-2
14 SR ABCD 1 A NGSS.SCI.MS-LS1-1
15 SR ABCD 1 D NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.6
16 SR ABCD 1 B NGSS.SCI.MS-LS1-2
17 SR ABCD 1 C NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.2
18 SR ABCD 1 A NGSS.SCI.MS-PS1-1
19 SR ABCD 1 C NGSS.SCI.MS-PS1-2
20 SR ABCD 1 C NGSS.SCI.MS-PS1-2
21 SR ABCD 1 C NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.6
22 SR ABCD 1 D NGSS.SCI.MS-PS1-1
23 SR ABCD 1 D NGSS.SCI.MS-PS1-1
24 SR ABCD 1 A NGSS.SCI.MS-PS1-2
25 SR ABCD 1 D NGSS.SCI.MS-PS1-2
26 SR ABCD 1 D NGSS.SCI.MS-PS1-1
27 SR ABCD 1 C NGSS.SCI.SEP.6-8.6

SLO Science Assessment Grade 7 2016-2017