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 5.0 Physics

Topic C. Electricity and Magnetism

Indicator 2. Investigate and provide evidence that electricity requires a closed loop in order to produce measurable effects.

Objective c. Describe and compare the path of electricity (circuit) within this system that caused the light to light or the buzzer to sound to those that do not affect the light or buzzer.

Selected Response Item

Use the diagram below to answer the following.

Question Image

Which statement best describes the circuits in the diagram?

  1. Only the light bulb in Circuit 1 is lit.
  2. Only the light bulb in Circuit 2 is lit.
  3. Both light bulbs are lit.
  4. Neither light bulb is lit.
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_4_009.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item

A circuit made of wires, a light bulb, a switch, and a battery is shown below.

What change is needed for the light bulb to glow?

  1. Point 2 needs the switch opened.
  2. Point 1 needs a connection across the space.
  3. Point 3 needs a connection across the space.
  4. Point 4 needs to connect the wire to the bottom of the bulb.
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_4_029.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item

Two circuits are shown below. The light bulb of Circuit 1 does not glow. The light bulb of Circuit 2 glows.

Which statement best explains why the light bulb of Circuit 1 does not glow?

  1. Circuit 1 is an open circuit.
  2. Circuit 1 is a closed circuit.
  3. The positive terminal of Circuit 1 is connected to the battery.
  4. The negative terminal of Circuit 1 is connected to the battery.
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_4_035.xml

Correct Answer:
A
Resources for Objective 5.C.2.c:
Clarifications | Lesson Seeds | PUBLIC RELEASE ITEMS |