3rd Grade Science

2008 Released Test

1. A student holds a model of Earth that can rotate on a stick. Another student shines a flashlight on the model as it turns. This model is MOST likely used to show --

A. High and low tides

B. Seasons changing

C. Day and nightD. Phases of the

moon

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2. Which of these dissolve in water?

A. Sand grainsB. Sugar cubesC. Plastic strawsD. Wooden spoons

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3. Which will have a bad effect on the air people breathe?

A. B.

C. D.

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4. A kazoo is a toy that makes a sound when a person hums into it. Sound comes out of the kazoo because it--

A. Is shinyB. Can floatC. Is plasticD. Can vibrate

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5. Most plants begin their life cycle as -

A. LeavesB. FlowersC. RootsD. seeds

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6. Which of these is the BEST title for the picture? A. How Magnets

AttractB. Using the Sense of

TouchC. How to Measure

DistanceD. Using a Magnetic

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7. Students grew some seeds in a plastic bag. They then took a picture each day to have a record of growth. Which

of these is probably the first picture the students took?A.

B.

C.

D.

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8. Where will a sidewalk feel hottest on a warm, clear day?

A. Under a picnic tableB. In direct sunlightC. Under a puddleD. In the shade

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9. Which is one way the young male cardinal will change as it grows up?

A. It will grow more toes.

B. Its tail feathers will become shorter.

C. It will grow a pointed crest.

D. Its beak will become long and narrow.

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10. Which of these contains the coldest water?

Picture

Choice 1

Picture

Choice 2

Picture

Choice 3

Picture

Choice 4

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A.

B.

C.

D.

11. These living things are in a pond food chain. Which of these are producers?

Algae

Dragonflies

Frogs

Snake

s

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A. AlgaeB. DragonfliesC. FrogsD. Snakes

12. Which animal looked MOST like its parents when it hatched?

Picture

Choice 1

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Choice 2

Picture

Choice 3

Picture

Choice 4

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A.

B.

C.

D.

13. On her vacation, Mrs. Smith saw a snake. The snake was a solid color and had dark rings around its head. Which is MOST like the snake Mrs. Smith saw?

Picture

Choice 1

Picture

Choice 2

Picture

Choice 3

Picture

Choice 4

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A.

B.

C.D.

14. Which of these is the BEST reason to study weather?

To be prepared fo

r sto

rms

To learn

how fossi

ls are ...

To see ch

anging p

hases o

...

To find way

s for a

nimals

..

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A. To be prepared for storms

B. To learn how fossils are formed

C. To see changing phases of the Moon

D. To find ways for animals to live longer

15. Based on the chart, which pickle will MOST likely taste sweeter?

Dill

pickles

Zesty

pickles

Candied pickles

Pickled peppers

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A. Dill picklesB. Zesty picklesC. Candied

picklesD. Pickled

peppers

16. Which of these is MOST likely a behavior of tame animals that is different from wild animals?

Moving to

a warm

er cli..

.

Eating out o

f the hands .

.

Hunting f

or their

own food

Stayin

g away f

rom people

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A. Moving to a warmer climate in winter

B. Eating out of the hands of humans

C. Hunting for their own food

D. Staying away from people

17. An ice cube placed in sunlight melts quickly. Which BEST explains this event?

The Sun is

far away

The Sun m

akes heat

The ice cu

be is a

solid

.

The ice cu

be looks c

lear.

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A. The Sun is far awayB. The Sun makes heatC. The ice cube is a

solid.D. The ice cube looks

clear.

18. Which picture shows objects with shapes MOST alike?

Picture

Choice 1

Picture

Choice 2

Picture

Choice 3

Picture

Choice 4

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A.

B.

C.

D.

19. A student looks at a leaf and writes down how it looks. Which of these BEST matches the left the student looked at?

Picture

Choice 1

Picture

Choice 2

Picture

Choice 3

Picture

Choice 4

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A.

B.

C.

D.

20. Which of these is an example of something being recycled?

Taking g

lass bottles t

o a ...

Usin

g the sa

me foil t

o cov..

Wra

pping glasse

s with

...

Carrying lu

nch to

school...

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A. Taking glass bottles to a place that makes them into new bottles

B. Using the same foil to cover food several times

C. Wrapping glasses with newspaper to put them in a moving box

D. Carrying lunch to school every day in the same plastic bag.

21. Which of these is MOST likely made from only one material?

A pencil

A bicycle

A paper c

lip

A pair of s

hoes

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A. A pencilB. A bicycleC. A paper clipD. A pair of shoes

22. A sign that an apple tree is going to start growing apples is when the tree has -

Roots

Seeds

Leaves

flowers

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A. RootsB. SeedsC. LeavesD. flowers

23. Which picture BEST shows a learned behavior in a dog?

Picture

Choice 1

Picture

Choice 2

Picture

Choice 3

Picture

Choice 4

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A. B.

C. D.

24. While a sailor was out fishing, he got lost at sea. Which object would help him direct the boat back to shore?

Rope

Magn

etic compass

Blanket

Measu

ring t

ape

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A. Rope B. Magnetic compassC. BlanketD. Measuring tape

25. Which two senses would BEST help a person measure hair length?

Taste and sm

ell

Touch and si

ght

Sight a

nd hearing

Smell a

nd hearing

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A. Taste and smellB. Touch and sightC. Sight and hearingD. Smell and hearing

26. Which of these is MOST flexible?

Broom handle

Wooden ru

ler

Drin

king stra

w

Sewing n

eedle

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A. Broom handleB. Wooden rulerC. Drinking strawD. Sewing needle

27. After winter, which of these will MOST likely make a tree start to bud?

More

wind

Fewer c

louds in th

e sky

Less

rainfall

More

hours of d

aylight

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A. More windB. Fewer clouds

in the skyC. Less rainfallD. More hours

of daylight

28. The picture shows a balance. One side of the balance holds an empty balloon. The other side holds the same kind of balloon full of air. Which of these is shown by the balance?

Air is

solid

.

Air has h

eat.

Air has m

ass.

Air is

energy.

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A. Air is solid.B. Air has heat.C. Air has mass.D. Air is energy.

29. Which thing near this house will wash away the MOST during a heavy rain?

Grav

el driv

eway

Dirt

pile

Stepping st

ones

Soil u

nder gra

ss

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A. Gravel driveway

B. Dirt pileC. Stepping

stonesD. Soil under

grass

30. For a plant to stay alive indoors, where does it need to be placed?

In a dry

area

In a dark

room

On a plant s

tand

Near a

sunny place

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A. In a dry areaB. In a dark roomC. On a plant standD. Near a sunny place

31. Which of these is an example of a lever?

Picture

Choice 1

Picture

Choice 2

Picture

Choice 3

Picture

Choice 4

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A.B.

C.

D.

32. Students want to know how big the leaves of an oak tree are. The BEST way to measure the size of the leaves is to -

Read a story

Use

a ruler

Cut up so

me leaves

Use

a magn

ifying g

lass

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A. Read a storyB. Use a rulerC. Cut up some leavesD. Use a magnifying

glass

33. Soil is important to a forest because the soil -

Store

s sunlig

ht in th

e le...

Attracts

inse

cts th

at eat ..

.

Provides n

utrients

to th

e...

Warm

s the ai

r aro

und th...

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A. Stores sunlight in the leaves

B. Attracts insects that eat leaves

C. Provides nutrients to the trees

D. Warms the air around the trees

34. A student is asked to bring something that feels rough to class. Which would be BEST for him to bring?

Pillow

Marb

le

Sandpaper

Trading Card

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A. PillowB. MarbleC. SandpaperD. Trading Card

35. A black bear eats many different things, including grasses, roots, and berries. It also eats insects, fish, and other small

animals. Which of these BEST describes a black bear?

Omnivore

Carnivore

Herb

ivore

Produce

r

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A. OmnivoreB. CarnivoreC. HerbivoreD. Producer

36. About how wide is this pinecone?

1 inch

2 inch

es

3 inch

es

4 inch

es

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A. 1 inchB. 2 inchesC. 3 inchesD. 4 inches

37. Which of the following is one nonliving part in the habitat of a bluebird?

Inse

cts th

ey eat

Air th

ey breath

e

Hawks

that e

at them

Plants th

ey use fo

r nests

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A. Insects they eat

B. Air they breathe

C. Hawks that eat them

D. Plants they use for nests

38. Ice Cubes are an example of which form of water?

Gas

Liquid

Solid

Natu

ral

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A. GasB. LiquidC. SolidD. Natural

39. Martina only washes her sweater after she has worn it several times. Martina is helping the environment by -

Wasti

ng wate

r

Reusing w

ater

Recycli

ng wate

r

Conserving w

ater

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A. Wasting waterB. Reusing waterC. Recycling waterD. Conserving water

40. Which graph shows the correct type and number of fish in the fish tank?

Picture

Choice 1

Picture

Choice 2

Picture

Choice 3

Picture

Choice 4

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A.

B.

C.

D.