School Improvement in Maryland

Using the State Curriculum: Science, Grade 5

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 6.0 Environmental Science

Topic A. Natural Resources and Human Needs

Indicator 1. Recognize and explain how renewable and nonrenewable natural resources are used by humans in Maryland to meet basic needs.

Objective c. Describe how humans use nonrenewable natural resources, such as oil, coal, natural gas, minerals, including metals

Selected Response Item

Scientists estimate that Maryland contains more than 850 million tons of coal.

Coal is most commonly used to produce

  1. electricity
  2. medicine
  3. metals
  4. water
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_019.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item

Students are learning about the natural resources in Maryland. One group of students researches information about renewable natural resources in the state. The other group researches information about nonrenewable natural resources in the state. The resources the students investigate include plants, animals, soil, minerals, water, coal, and oil.

Which nonrenewable natural resource heats homes?

  1. sunlight
  2. aluminum
  3. natural gas
  4. ocean waves
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_032.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item

Use the information below to answer the following.

A Green Community

Many cities in the United States are developing “green communities.” A green community is intended to reduce the use of energy and consists of houses, apartments, and nearby businesses. Grocery stores, restaurants, and movie theaters are all within walking distance of the homes in the community. People travel shorter distances to their schools and jobs.

Many of the buildings in a green community are made of renewable and recycled materials. Solar energy keeps the buildings at a comfortable temperature. Natural landscape features, such as trees and plants, are carefully located to provide shade and to control temperatures. Community gardens allow residents to grow food and flowers.

People in green communities are using a nonrenewable resource when they

  1. heat their homes with wood
  2. wash vegetables before cooking
  3. drive gasoline-powered automobiles
  4. grow flowers in the community garden
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_119.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item

Use the information below to answer the following.

All natural resources on Earth are either renewable or nonrenewable. Whether a resource is renewable or nonrenewable depends on how fast or slow the resource is replaced. If the resource is used faster than it is replaced, then the resource will, in time, disappear.

Which activity shows the use of a nonrenewable natural resource?

  1. A group of people swims in a river.
  2. A construction crew builds an iron bridge.
  3. A farmer grows vegetables to sell at a local market.
  4. A person bakes a cake with electricity produced by a hydroelectric power plant.
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_108.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item

Use the information below to answer the following question.

The maps below show information about the air quality for one day in June, as reported from different air quality stations.

Question Image

Which nonrenewable resource is used by most cars and trucks?

  1. oil
  2. coal
  3. minerals
  4. sunlight
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_143.xml

Correct Answer:
A