SCIENCE GRADES 3-5 - Samples to Success - Sample items

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda

Sample items provide insight into how students engage with different texts, tasks, and classroom contexts, explaining the kinds of opportunities needed for success. The document clarifies how proficiency is determined using ISA item points, including items that require brief written responses. It also describes cluster-based stimuli: multiple-choice questions plus a written response. Examples span Earth and Space Science, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences, each with tables/figures and question sets aligned to learning goals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Earth and Space Science

Temperature and elevation relationship

Fossil fuels and global temperature trend

Water cycle and energy from the sun

Average monthly precipitation comparison

Life Sciences

Wolf pup behaviors and group living benefits

Bird nests and population growth rate

Meerkat group defense against snakes

Inherited traits of fish and matching offspring

Physical Sciences

Spotlight lighting and star location for best visibility

SCIENCE GRADES 3-5 Samples to Success Sample items provide valuable insight into how students engage with different texts, tasks, and contexts, highlighting the types of opportunities they need for success in the classroom. These items offer a shared reference point for understanding proficiency expectations, complementing the assessment's role in measuring learning. By analyzing items alongside performance data, educators can gain a deeper understanding of students' strengths and areas for growth. Students thrive in environments rich with diverse materials, challenges that vary in task type, and multiple avenues for demonstrating understanding. High-quality instruction, aligned with the learning goals, is the most effective way to support students' growth and prepare them for success. The items featured below are representative of those found on the ISA. The distinction between a student scoring proficient and above proficient on the ISA is primarily determined by the total points earned on all items, including those that require a brief written response. The ISA assesses content in clusters where a single stimulus or related stimuli are provided and then followed by a series of multiple-choice items and a single written response item. The samples below represent a single item taken from a larger cluster of items to illustrate the different types of stimuli with which students interact. Earth and Space Science Below Proficient Approaching Proficient Proficient Above Proficient A class was studying how temperature and elevation are related. Which area in the picture is the coldest? A. Area 1 B. Area 2 C. Area 3 D. Area 4 Students learn the use of fossil fuels has increased over time. Burning fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide. Table 1 shows the global surface temperatures from 1960 to 2020. The global surface temperature is measured in degrees Celsius (ºC) . Table 1. Change in Temperature Over Time | Year | Temperature (ºC) | | --- | --- | | 1960 | 11.1 | | 1980 | 11.6 | | 2000 | 12.1 | | 2020 | 13.2 | Using the information, which statement describes what happened to the temperature from 1960 to 2020? A. The temperature increased then decreased. B. The temperature did not change. C. The temperature decreased. D. The temperature increased. The diagram shows how water is recycled in a lake ecosystem. Which stage is most directly caused by energy from the sun? A. Condensation B. Evaporation C. Precipitation D. Surface runoff Green City was comparing the average monthly precipitation from 2011 to 2015 and 2016 to 2020. The data are in Figure 1. Figure 1. Average Monthly Precipitation Using Figure 1, which season hada decrease in average precipitation for all three months? A. Spring B. Summer C. Fall D. Winter Life Sciences Below Proficient Approaching Proficient Proficient Above Proficient Students are studying animal behavior. Wolves usually live in groups called packs. Table 1 shows when wolf pups learn the behaviors needed to survive. Table 1. Wolf Pups Behaviors | Age (weeks) | Learned Behaviors | | --- | --- | | 3 – 7 | -Playing with other pups
-Wrestling with other pups | | 8 – 16 | -Eating prey from adults
-Watching adults hunt | | 17 – 51 | -Traveling with adults
-Hunting with adults | Using the information, how do wolf pups benefit from living in a group? A. They learn to play from adults. B. They learn to hunt from adults. C. They learn to eat from other pups. D. They learn to travel from other pups. Students are studying the nests of two types of birds. They observed 10 nests of each bird. Table 1 shows the number of nests with surviving baby birds. Using the information, which bird’s population will increase faster and why? A. Robin because each nest has three eggs B. Robin because they have more nests with surviving baby birds C. Cardinal because each nest has three eggs D. Cardinal because they have more nests

FAQs

How does the ISA determine whether a student is proficient or above proficient?

It relies primarily on the total points earned across all items in the assessment, including items requiring a brief written response.

What is the structure of an ISA cluster shown in the samples?

Each cluster provides one stimulus (or related stimuli) and then follows it with multiple-choice items and a single written response item.

What do the science examples include besides the questions?

They include classroom scenarios supported by data tables and figures, such as temperature tables, precipitation figures, and animal behavior datasets.

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda