Download Benchmark Modules: Science Grade 4 and more Schemes and Mind Maps Earth Sciences in PDF only on Docsity!
The tables that follow are designed to provide information about the content of each benchmark
modular assessment by grade and subject. In the table you will find the name of the benchmark
module, a brief description of the skills the module assesses, the names of each test form (e.g. A, B,
C, etc.), and the number of test items on each form.
Benchmark Modules: Science Grade 4
Test Name What This Test Measures Form Number of Items Benchmark Module: Science Grade 4 – Earth Science Standard 1 This test measures the student’s ability to describe the relationship between heat energy, evaporation, and condensation of water on Earth and to describe the water cycle.
A 12
B 11
C 11
Benchmark Module: Science Grade 4 – Earth Science Standard 2 This test measures the student’s ability to observe, measure, and record the basic elements of weather; interpret recorded weather data for simple patterns; and evaluate weather predictions based on observational data.
A 19
B 18
C 18
Benchmark Module: Science Grade 4 – Earth Science Standard 3 This test measures the student’s ability to identify basic properties of minerals and rocks, explain how the processes of weathering and erosion change and move materials that become soil, and observe the basic components of soil and relate the components to plant growth.
A 18
B 18
C 18
Benchmark Module: Science Grade 4 – Earth Science Standard 4 This test measures the student’s ability to describe Utah fossils and explain how they were formed and to explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
A 12
B 12
Benchmark Module: Science Grade 4 – Life Science Standard 1 This test measures the student’s ability to describe the physical characteristics of Utah’s wetlands, forests, and deserts; identify common plants and animals found in Utah environments; use a simple scheme to classify Utah plants and animals; and observe and record the behavior of Utah animals.
A 17
B 19
C 19
Benchmark Modules: Science Grade 5
Test Name What This Test Measures Form Number of Items Benchmark Module: Science Grade 5 – Chemistry Standard 1 This test measures the student’s ability to describe that matter is neither created nor destroyed (even though it may undergo a change), evaluate evidence that indicates a physical change has occurred, and investigate evidence for changes in matter that occur during a chemical reaction.
A 16
B 17
C 17
Benchmark Module: Science Grade 5 – Earth Science Standard 2 This test measures the student’s ability to describe how weathering and erosion change Earth’s surface; explain how volcanoes, earthquakes, and uplift affect Earth’s surface; and relate the building up and breaking down of Earth’s surface over time to the various physical land features.
A 16
B 16
C 15
Benchmark Module: Science Grade 5 – Physics Standard 3 This test measures the student’s ability to investigate and compare the behavior of magnetism using magnets and to describe how the magnetic field of Earth and a magnet are similar.
A 13
B 13
C 13
Benchmark Module: Science Grade 5 – Physics Standard 4 This test measures the student’s ability to describe the behavior of static electricity in nature and everyday occurrences, as well as analyze the behavior of current electricity.
A 14
B 14
C 14
Benchmark Module: Science Grade 5 – Life Science Standard 5 This test measures the student’s ability to use supporting evidence to show that traits are transferred from a parent organism to its offspring, as well as describe how some characteristics could give a species a survival advantage in a particular environment.
A 13
B 13
C 13
Benchmark Modules: Earth Science
Test Name What This Test Measures Form Number of Items Benchmark Module: Science – Earth Science Standard 1 This test measures the student’s ability to describe both the big bang theory of universe formation and the nebular theory of solar system formation (and evidence supporting them), as well as analyze Earth as part of the solar system, which is part of the Milky Way galaxy.
A 13
B 13
C 13
Benchmark Module: Science – Earth Science Standard 2 This test measures the student’s ability to evaluate the source of Earth’s internal heat and the evidence of Earth’s internal structure, describe the development of the current theory of plate tectonics and the evidence that supports this theory, and demonstrate how the motion of tectonic plates affects Earth and living things.
A 12
B 12
C 12
Benchmark Module: Science – Earth Science Standard 3 This test measures the student’s ability to relate how energy from the sun drives atmospheric processes and how atmospheric currents transport matter and transfer energy, describe elements of weather and the factors that cause them to vary from day to day, and examine the natural and human-caused processes that cause Earth’s climate to change over intervals of time ranging from decades to millennia.
A 16
B 15
C 15
Benchmark Module: Science – Earth Science Standard 4 This test measures the student’s ability to characterize the water cycle in terms of its reservoirs, water movement among reservoirs, and how water has been recycled throughout time; analyze the characteristics and importance of freshwater found on Earth’s surface (and its effect on living systems); and analyze the physical, chemical, and biological dynamics of the oceans and the flow of energy through the oceans.
A 12
B 12
C 12
Benchmark Module: Science – Earth Science Standard 5 This test measures the student’s ability to characterize Earth as a changing and complex system of interacting spheres, describe how humans depend on Earth’s resources, and indicate how natural hazards pose risks to humans.
A 15
B 14
Benchmark Modules: Life Sciences
Test Name What This Test Measures Form Number of Items Benchmark Module: Science – Life Science Standard 1 This test measures the student’s ability to summarize how energy flows through an ecosystem, explain relationships between matter cycles and organisms, and describe how interactions among organisms and their environment help shape ecosystems.
A 14
B 14
Benchmark Module: Science – Life Science Standard 2 This test measures the student’s ability to describe the fundamental chemistry of living cells and the flow of energy and matter in cellular function, as well as investigate the structure and function of cells and cell parts.
A 12
B 11
C 11
Benchmark Module: Science – Life Science Standard 3 This test measures the student’s ability to describe the structure and function of organs, as well as describe the relationship between structure and function of organ systems in plants and animals
A 10
B 11
C 10
Benchmark Module: Science – Life Science Standard 4 This test measures the student’s ability to compare sexual and asexual reproduction, predict and interpret patterns of inheritance in sexually reproducing organisms, and explain how the structure and replication of DNA are essential to heredity and protein synthesis.
A 11
B 10
C 11
Benchmark Module: Science – Life Science Standard 5 This test measures the student’s ability to relate principles of evolution to biological diversity, cite evidence for changes in populations over time (and use concepts of evolution to explain these changes), and classify organisms into a hierarchy of groups based on similarities that reflect their evolutionary relationships.
A 13
B 13
C 13
