A Natural Satellite
Directions: Use the following information to answer numbers 1 through 5.
William was learning about the Earth-Moon-Sun system. He made the diagram below showing Earth’s
yearly orbit around the Sun and the Moon’s monthly orbit around Earth. He also showed Earth’s daily
spin on its axis and how that axis tilted about 23°.
William knew that, when viewed from Earth, the Moon appeared quite differently than in the diagram
above. He decided to record the phases of the Moon (how the Mon appears to be lit up) during the
month of July. He observed a new Moon (no part of the Moon appears to lit up) on July 2 as recorded
in the chart below. He recorded how the Moon appeared every night from July 2 to July 9. His next
recording was July 16 when he saw a full Moon (the Moon appears completely lit up).
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A Natural Satellite
1 Which phenomena are caused by the 23° tilt of Earth’s axis?
o A. Day and night
o B. Lunar eclipses
o C. Seasons
o D. Tides
2 Ancient civilizations, such as the Mayan Indians, were able to accurately predict the phases of the
Moon. What enabled them to do this?
o A. They had access to modern technology.
o B. There was less pollution so the air was very clear.
o C. They made consistent observations over a long period of time.
o D. They had a better view of the night sky because there were no lights.
3 William looked at videos of a moonwalk. He noticed that astronauts easily carried very heavy lifesupport systems. How could they do this?
o A. Astronauts are stronger on the Moon.
o B. Astronauts use jetpacks on the Moon.
o C. Life-support systems are less dense on the Moon.
o D. The weight of everything is less on the Moon.
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A Natural Satellite
4 Look at the Recorded Phases of the Moon in July.

Explain why the Moon appears different on July 2 and July 16.

In your explanation, discuss the relative positions of the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun on
July 2 and July 16.
Use words, labeled pictures, and/or labeled diagrams in your response.
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A Natural Satellite
5 William wondered if he could explain solar eclipses using his Earth-Moon-Sun diagram.

Using his diagram in the space below, describe how a solar eclipse occurs.

Explain why a solar eclipse does not occur every month.
Use words, labeled pictures, and/or labeled diagrams in your response.
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Cloud in the Bottle
Directions: Use the following information to answer questions 6 through 9.
Mary was at a science museum. She saw a demonstration of a cloud forming in a bottle. A large glass
bottle was one-fourth filled with hot water. A smoking match was dropped inside the bottle (Diagram
#1). The bottle was quickly covered with a metal pan filled with ice (Diagram #2). Mary observed a
cloud form at the top of the bottle (Diagram #3).
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Cloud in the Bottle
6 What part of cloud formation does the ice in the pan represent?
o A. Cold air in the atmosphere
o B. Fog on the hills above rivers
o C. Clouds that are already above the ocean
o D. Glaciers above lakes and in the mountains
7 What part of cloud formation does the smoke from the match represent?
o A. Fog in the air
o B. Clouds in the sky
o C. Particles in the air
o D. Condensation in the air
8 While leaving the science museum, Mary noticed that tiny water droplets covered the cold boulders
in front of the museum. During the demonstration in the museum, she noticed tiny water droplets
forming on the sides of the glass bottle. Which one of the following describes both observations?
o A. Water vapor in the air condenses on cool surfaces.
o B. Water vapor in the air evaporates from cool surfaces.
o C. Water vapor in the air dissolves the surface of cool objects.
o D. Water vapor in the air is attracted to the surface of cool objects.
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Cloud in the Bottle
9 When Mary went home, she and her parents tried to repeat the demonstration that she saw at the
museum. She took a large plastic jar and filled it one-fourth full of hot water. She stretched plastic
wrap over the top of the jar and placed some ice cubes on it. Mary was surprised that she did not
see any cloud form inside the bottle.

What are two differences between Mary’s home demonstration and the science museum
demonstration that could explain why no cloud formed?

Explain how each difference could have changed the result of the demonstration.
Difference #1:
How did this difference change the results?
Difference #2:
How did this difference change the results?
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Forest Succession
Directions: Use the following information to answer questions 10 through 14.
Occasionally, a fire will destroy a forest, burning down trees and pushing wildlife out of their forest
homes. However, the forest will grow back. Eventually, through the process of forest succession as
shown below, short grasses and flowers begin to grow and animals make new homes.
Over time, shrubs and trees begin to grow. The forest returns to a lush habitat for the wildlife listed in
the chart below.
Forest Wildlife
Ground-dwelling
Worms, beetles
Reptiles and amphibians
American toads, wood frogs, snakes, Eastern box turtles
Small animals
Squirrels, chipmunks
Medium to large animals
Opossums, raccoons, white-tailed deer, black bears
Airborne
Butterflies, moths, bees, wild turkeys, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles
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Forest Succession
10 Why do plants that were not common in the dense forest grow abundantly after the fire?
o A. The plants survived after the fire.
o B. The plants did not exist before the fire.
o C. The plants have competition from other plants now.
o D. The plants get more sunlight than before the fire.
11 As a forest revives after a fire, why would large animals appear around the same time as small
trees?
o A. Small trees are good for climbing.
o B. The shrubs hide their food sources.
o C. They dig their caves before the big trees grow in.
o D. They can find food and shelter in the small trees.
12 Why are insects and small rodents, like mice, the first to come back to an area recovering from a
fire?
o A. They live in and under shrubs.
o B. They fertilize the soil for trees.
o C. They are food for larger wildlife.
o D. They feed on grasses and flowers.
13 What organisms in the forest ecosystem are producers?
o A. Deer and bears
o B. Grasses and flowers
o C. Worms and insects
o D. Squirrels and chipmunks
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Forest Succession
14 A power company owns part of a forest that was destroyed by a fire. The forest could take decades
to rebuild on its own. The company’s department of environmental studies suggests planting new
trees to help the forest rebuild.
Using the information in the scenario:
 Explain how planting trees could benefit the natural ecosystem.
 Explain how planting trees could harm the natural ecosystem.
Explanation of how planting trees could benefit the natural ecosystem:
Explanation of how planting trees could harm the natural ecosystem:
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15
Look at the two groups of organisms in the chart below:
Group A
snake
lizard
rabbit
Group B
seaweed
fish
whale
The organisms are separated into the two groups based on what characteristic?
o A. Type of habitat
o B. Number of body parts
o C. Type of reproduction
o D. Role in community
16 Some scientists have suggested that the Moon was formed when a large body struck Earth and
broke off a piece of Earth billions of years ago.
Which observation would best support this suggestion?
o A. The rocks of the Moon are older than Earth rocks.
o B. The Earth has freestanding water, but the Moon does not.
o C. The Earth and the Moon are gravitationally locked together.
o D. The chemical composition of Moon rocks is similar to Earth rocks.
17 Michael claims he can use the bands on a woolly caterpillar to predict winter. He says long black
bands mean a hard winter, and short black bands mean a mild winter. Last week he found three
woolly caterpillars with long black bands.
Which of the following do his observations show?
o A. Evidence that his claim is correct
o B. Evidence that his claim is wrong
o C. Proof that there is going to be a hard winter
o D. Neither proof nor disproof for his claim
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Lunar Eclipse Stand Alone Item
18 Sometimes we answer scientific questions by setting up investigations in natural systems or by
investigating models of natural systems. Sometimes we investigate both.
Read the scientific question, “What causes an eclipse of the Moon?”
 How would you investigate the Earth-Moon-Sun system? Would you use direct observations, a
model or both?
 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of your method of investigation.
Use words, labeled pictures, and/or labeled diagrams in your response.
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Coastal Ecosystem Food Web Stand Alone Item
19 The picture below shows a food web in a costal ecosystem. The arrows point from the organism
that is eaten to the organism that eats it. Imagine that pollution dramatically reduced the seaweed
population.


Choose four animals from the Coastal Ecosystem Food Web and predict the effect of the
reduction of the amount of seaweed on the populations of each of the animals.
Explain each prediction using the information from this food web diagram.
Chiton
Note: Organisms not
drawn to scale
Animal:
Prediction with explanation:
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Coastal Ecosystem Food Web Stand Alone Item
Additional work space.
Animal:
Prediction with explanation:
Animal:
Prediction with explanation:
Animal:
Prediction with explanation:
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