School Improvement in Maryland

Using the State Curriculum: Science, Grade 4

Skills and Processes | Earth/Space | Life | Chemistry | Physics | Environmental

Public Release Items: Public release items have appeared on MSA forms and then are released for public viewing and use. Releasing items is one step to ensuring that schools, districts, and other stakeholders understand how the content standards are assessed on the MSA.

Standard 4.0 Chemistry

Topic A. Structure of Matter

Indicator 1. Provide evidence to support the fact that matter has observable and measurable properties

Objective b. Describe and compare the physical properties of samples of matter.

Selected Response Item

Use the passage 'Making a Splash on Mars' to answer the following.

A physical property of ice is

  1. hardness
  2. flexibility
  3. attraction by magnets
  4. good conduction of electricity
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_4_040.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item

Flexibility is a physical property of some matter.

Which of these materials best demonstrates the property of flexibility?

  1. a mirror
  2. a pencil
  3. a metal wire
  4. a telephone pole
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_4_047.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item

A student wants to build an electric buzzer. The diagram below shows the buzzer design.

Question Image

When the button is pushed, the two ovals connect and the electrical current from the battery flows through the circuit, producing a sound.

What material should be used to make the ovals?

  1. glass
  2. metal
  3. rubber
  4. wood
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_4_062.xml

Correct Answer:
B