SCIENCE GRADE 4 Enrichment/Instructional Packet - ELEMENTARY SCIENCE Prince George's County Public Schools - PGCPS
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SCIENCE GRADE 4
Enrichment/Instructional Packet
ELEMENTARY SCIENCE
Prince George’s County Public Schools
Division of Academics
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
The teacher will not grade this packet.
Note To Administrators, Teachers, Students, and Parents/Guardians
The activities in this packet are designed to keep our students intellectually active and engaged in learning while
schools are closed due to precautionary measures regarding the Coronavirus. Schools will be closed Monday,
March 16 through Friday, March 27, 2020.
Students in Grade 4 that are promoted to Grade 5, will be administered the Grade 5 Maryland Integrated Science
Assessment (MISA) in the spring of 2021. The Next Generation Science Standards that can be assessed on
MISA include content taught from Grades 3, 4 and 5.
To support Grade 4 students, the items in this packet cover science content taught in Grade 3, to reinforce prior
learning and Grade 4 to support current learning.
Students can use their Science Dimensions student textbook, Science Dimensions student workbook, Discovery
Education Techbook™ and other science resources to help answer the items in this packet.
Suggested Daily Activity Page Numbers Suggested Questions and Items to
Schedule Complete Daily
Day 1 and Day 2 pp. 5 - 8 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Day 3 and Day 4 pp. 8 - 10 6, 7, 8, 9
Day 4 and Day 5 pp.10 - 12 10, 11, 12, 13
Day 6 and Day 7 pp. 12 - 14 14, 15, 16, 17
Day 8 and Day 9 pp. 15 - 19 18, 19, 20, 21
Day 10 and Day 11 pp. 19 - 21 22, 23, 24, 25
Day 12, Day 13 and Day 14 pp. 21 - 23 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
Day 15, Day 16 and Day 17 pp. 23 - 25 31, 32, 33, 34, 35
Day 18, Day 19, and Day 20 pp. 26 - 27 36, 37, 38, 39, 40
Day 21, Day 22 and Day 23 pp. 28 - 35 41, 42, 43, 44, 45
Day 24 and Day 25 Student Edition Science Dimensions Textbook pp. 167 - 171 (Physical Science)
Day 26 and Day 27 Student Edition Science Dimensions Textbook pp. 375 - 376 (Earth and Space Science)
Day 28 and Day 29 Student Edition Science Dimensions Textbook pp. 406-409 and 410 - 414
(Earth and Space Science)
Day 30 Student Edition Science Dimensions Textbook pp. 415 - 418 (Earth and Space Science)
Created March 2020 2
Students can access their Science Dimensions student textbook and Discovery EducationTechbook™ online through Clever by going to https://www.pgcps.org/students/. Below are screenshots to show the steps to access Clever on students are on the PGCPS Student Resources page. Step One: Click the “Login to Clever” box. Step Two: Click the “Log in With Activity Directory” box. Created March 2020 3
Step Three: Type in your user name and password. Step Four: After you have logged in, located the icons as shown below to access HMH Science Dimensions and Discovery Education Techbook™. HMH Science Dimensions Discovery Education Techbook™ Use the information below to answer Question #1. A student is making an electromagnet to conduct an investigation. She gathers two nails, a 5 cm long wire, a 10 cm long wire, a battery, and a box of paper clips. She starts by coiling the 5 cm wire around the nail and attaches Created March 2020 4
the ends of the wire to the battery. She records the number of paperclips it attracts on her lab sheet during each of
three trials. Next, she coils the 10 cm wire around the nail. She connects the ends of the wire to the battery. She
completes three trials with this second setup.
Number of Number of Paperclips Picked-Up
Wire Length Coils around
Nail Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
5 cm wire 10 4 7 5
10 cm wire 20 10 ? ?
1. What do you predict about the number of paperclips that will be picked-up in Trial 2 and Trial 3 for
the 10 cm wire? Provide evidence from the investigation to support your answer.
2. Think about the animal life cycle patterns. If a bird eats a mealworm beetle larva, which stage(s) of
Created March 2020 5metamorphosis will the mealworm beetle not complete?
Life Cycle of A Mealworm Beetle
Egg Larva Pupa Adult
A. Adult
B. Larva
C. Egg
D. Pupa
3. Electromagnets create a ________ field around a core. The battery, wire, and core cause the
________ current to flow, which magnetizes the metal.
A. compass, electricity
B. magnetic, electric
C. magnetic, compass
D. electric, energy
Created March 2020 6Read the passage below to answer Item #4.
Solutions for Elephants
Elephants in zoos need a lot of foot care. The zookeepers need a stool for the elephants to kneel on while their
toenails are trimmed. Elephants can weigh up to 13,000 pounds, so it must be strong. However, it must be
lightweight enough that a zookeeper can move it around. You may use concrete, steel, wood, or plastic for the
stool; although, you may add small amounts of other materials for additional parts. Adapted from Discovery
Education Techbook
4. What shapes will you use in your stool? What materials will you use to build your stool? Explain how
you will put these materials together to meet the needs of the zookeepers and elephants?
Created March 2020 75. A company is making plans for a skyscraper. They consider adding extra support to the structure
using stronger materials. Which constraints might the company experience by doing this? Select
all that apply.
A. Safety of the building
B. Cost of the materials
C. Durability of the skyscraper
D. Time it will take to build
6. While in school Ramon draws the life cycles of a frog and a turtle. After school, Ramon finds a
bird’s egg in the park.
Frog
Turtle
Bird’s Eggs → _____?_____ → _____?_____
Use evidence to explain whether the bird’s life cycle is more like the turtle or frog life cycle. Explain what
stages of the life cycle the bird is likely to enter next. Explain why it is necessary for birds to lay eggs.
Created March 2020 8Life Cycle of a Cicada and a Ladybug
7. Compare and contrast the reproduction and death stage of a cicada and ladybug. Use specific
examples from the text to demonstrate how they are similar and different in each stage.
8. Peacocks are male birds with long brightly colored tail feathers. The color of the tail feathers can
be blue, green, purple, yellow and gold. Why might these characteristics stay in the peacock
population?
Created March 2020 9A. Long tail feathers help peacocks find more food.
B. Males with the largest, brightest feathers attract more mates.
C. Brightly colored tail feathers prevent the peacock from flying.
D. Brightly colored feathers warn predators that peacocks are poisonous.
Use the information below to answer Items #9 and #10.
Layla is reading about inherited traits passed from animal parents to their offspring. She recorded in the
table the traits from two sets of cows. She then described the offspring.
9. The offspring for the cows in Set A would likely inherit a __________ tail and black __________.
A. spots, black
B. black, horns
C. brown, spots
D. white, horns
10. The offspring for the cows in Set B would likely inherit a white fur with __________ spots.
A. black
B. white
C. brown
D. horns
11. What traits of a Eastern Bluebird help it to survive? Select all that apply.
Created March 2020 10A. Female bluebirds like to chirp.
B. Bluebirds are common in backyards.
C. Bluebirds use the empty holes woodpeckers have left to build their nests, since they are safe and
already made.
D. Young bluebirds born late in the year always stay with their parents longer throughout the winter.
12. A scientist finds many more light brown lizards in the desert compared to green lizards. What is
the best reason the scientist saw light brown lizards?
Light Brown Lizard Green Lizard
A. Light brown lizards have trouble finding mates.
B. Green lizards are eaten more than brown lizards.
C. Green lizards are typically poisonous which helps them survive longer in the desert.
D. Light brown lizards are able to camouflage and survive in the desert, so they then can reproduce.
Read the passage below to answer Item #13.
Beavers
Created March 2020 11Beavers are mammals that have an important role in nature. Beavers have two key characteristics: long, sharp teeth
and a flat, wide tail. They use their teeth to gnaw down trees of all sizes for food and for building things. They use their
tails to swim, but that’s not all! If a beaver smells or sees danger nearby, it will warn the other beavers. It slaps its tail
on the water surface as a loud warning. Beavers live in ponds and lakes in some parts of North America and in some
parts of Europe and Asia. They are pretty hard to find today because they were nearly hunted to extinction. Beavers
were prized for their pelts, which people used to make fur coats and hats. A pelt is the skin of a dead animal with hair
or fur on it. Adapted from Readworks.org
13. Choose the statements below from the text that describe the characteristics a beaver has that
helps it survive within its habitat? Select all that apply.
A. “They use their tails to swim, but that’s not all!”
B. “Beavers live in ponds and lakes in some parts of North America and in some parts of Europe and
Asia.”
C. “They use their teeth to gnaw down trees of all sizes for food and for building things.”
D. “A pelt is the skin of a dead animal with hair or fur on it.”
Use the information below to answer Question #14
Digging for Fossils
Layers of soil can build up over time and form layers of rock. Different layers of rock may have different kinds of
fossils depending on what the area was like at the time when the rock layer formed. Jane is digging for fossils. The
Created March 2020 12diagram shows the fossils she found in different rock layers.
14. Which type of organism did Jane find that was the oldest?
15. Flowers of the same type look very similar, but some can have brighter colors than others. Which
of these statements best describes how this could help the flowers?
A. Brighter flowers help protect them from predators.
B. Lighter colored flowers help the plant spread its roots and absorb water.
C. Brighter flowers help the plant gather sunlight, which produces more food.
D. Brighter flowers attract more bees, helping the plant to pollinate and reproduce.
Use the picture below to answer Question #16
Created March 2020 1316. Which nonliving factor most likely controls why the plants are only growing in water and not on the
grass in this environment?
A. air
B. birds
C. shade
D. soil
Read the passage to answer Question #17.
Dianna the Hunter
Image of an Orca/Killer Whale
A group of scientists are watching an orca called Dianna. Orcas are also known as Killer Whales. Dianna is also
the name of a roman goddess known as “the hunter”. Dianna led her pod to work together to make a wave to wash
seals off a shelf of ice- so they could eat them. A pod is a group of orcas. Scientists think Dianna is about 40 years
old and the daughter of an orca named Riptide. Dianna and the other orcas use echolocation to find food and
communicate with each other during hunts. Boats and submarines can also “see” underwater in a similar way,
using sonar, which also uses sound waves. Dianna is bigger than many females in her pod, which may help her
travel long distances and protect her young. Dianna and her pond are often seen in the Pacific ocean south and
east of Alaska. Adapted from Discovery Education Techbook
17. How do traits (characteristics and behaviors) help orcas (killer whales) survive? Provide evidence
from the text.
Created March 2020 14Use the chart below to answer Item #18.
A student was studying bears, and created a chart about the Florida black bear and Polar bear.
18. Polar bears have a thick layer of ______ to keep them warm in their arctic environment. Florida black bears
_________ because of their environmental change, which polar bears do not.
Created March 2020 15A. repellent, underfur
B. polar, underfur
C. water, repellent
D. fur, hibernate
Read the information below to answer the Item #19
Animals have characteristics that help them live in a habitat.
Arctic Hare in Snow Desert Jackrabbit in the Desert
Arctic Hares look a lot like rabbits, but they are much Deserts are very dry places. They get almost no rain.
bigger. They have fur that is gray and brown in the summer Jackrabbits have long ears. Their ears help them get rid of
and white in the winter. Arctic hares have long ears with a body heat and stay cool in the desert. Jackrabbits are
little bit of black at the tips. Arctic hares live in the tundra in herbivores. This means that they only eat plants.
Canada and Greenland. A tundra is a cold area that has no Jackrabbits like to eat grass, bark, roots, twigs, and leaves.
trees. Tundras stay frozen most of the year. They also live They even eat prickly cacti and desert shrubs! Jackrabbits
in the Arctic, which is the area around the North can eat more than one pound of food each day.
19. Provide evidence from the text to identify ways arctic hares and desert jackrabbits are different based
on their environment.
Read the passage below to answer Question #20.
Bring in the Beavers
Created March 2020 16It was the fifth straight day of heavy rain in the town of Leith. If it kept on pouring for much longer, the river would swell with rainwater and flood the town. All the citizens of Leith would have to flee their homes and find safety on higher ground. Anna and her parents stayed glued to the television set, nervously listening to the weather reports. For now, the weatherman said, the situation was still safe, but helicopters were ready to lift people away at any moment if the rain did not stop soon. Anna felt her palms grow sweaty as she saw the frightened expressions on her parents’ faces. Her parents never looked scared. They were used to the rain, since Leith was located in the rainy country of Scotland, but it had never, ever poured like this before. The town had cancelled school in case of a sudden emergency, so all Anna could do was try to read her favorite detective stories and hope for the rain to stop. Luckily, it did. When she awoke the next morning the skies were sunny and clear. It was a miracle. They had been spared from a terrible natural disaster. Everybody in Leith breathed a great sigh of relief, but they knew they had to take action. Nobody wanted to face this flooding danger again. The day after the downpour stopped, the Mayor of Leith called a town meeting. Anna went along with her parents to find out more. She really did not want all her books and toys, and her pet dog Noodles, to get washed away in a flood. At the meeting, the Mayor presented three experts who had different ideas about solving the problem. One man suggested they build a concrete dam upstream to block the river’s path. With such a big dam, the river would never overflow into Leith, even in heavy rain. Another lady suggested building a different structure, a high stone wall all around Leith to stop flood water from getting in. The last speaker, a small, slender man with a heavy Scottish accent, had what seemed to be the craziest idea of all. “You see,” he said, “if we just bring some beavers back into our landscape, we might be able to kiss our problem goodbye. About 400 years ago, there were thousands of beavers roaming around the Scottish countryside. Our ancestors killed most of them off because they enjoyed hunting them for their warm fur. What our ancestors didn’t realize was that we need to keep beavers alive for our own safety. The beaver builds dams in the rivers out of sticks, mud, and leaves. These dams are strong enough to stop a river from flooding in heavy rain. If we bring the beavers back, we can solve our problem by working with nature.” After the three experts spoke, the Mayor asked the citizens of the town to think for a week and then vote for the best plan. Anna’s father said, “That last guy is crazy. He thinks he can solve the flooding problem with beavers? Really, how silly.” Anna’s mother looked very thoughtful. “You know, Fred,” she said. “It’s worth a try. What harm can it do? If workmen build just one concrete dam or a stone wall, it won’t be as useful as several dams built by the beavers. And besides, beavers are very cute, and they build beautiful dams out of things they find in the forest. Concrete dams are not nearly as beautiful.” There was much whispering and discussing all over town until the final vote was cast. Anna secretly hoped that the beaver plan would win. She had always wanted to see a beaver in real life. Since Leith was in the countryside, and everyone in town loved nature and animals, Anna suspected that the rest of the town might be on her side. When the vote finally came in, Anna was proven right. They would bring in the beavers! Over the next two years, scientists brought beavers in from other parts of Scotland, and set them free upstream and in the countryside around Leith. Everyone noticed a difference. It rained and rained, but the river did not even come close to overflowing because of three dams the busy beavers had already made. For her fourth grade field trip, Anna’s teacher brought her class into the countryside to see the beavers at work. They watched in awe as the furry creatures hurried back and forth from the dam carrying twigs and bark in their claws. Beavers almost seemed like furry, cute little people. Before they left, Anna and her classmates shouted out a loud “thank you” to their animal friends for saving their town. Adapted from Readworks.org Created March 2020 17
20. How was their problem solved and what impacts do you think it would have on the plants and animals that
live in and around the river through the town of Leith?
Use the reading passage below to answer Item #21.
A Little about Ants
leaf-cutting ant
There are lots of different kinds of ants: carpenter ants, leaf-cutter ants, sweet ants, fire ants, and many more.
They are different colors, too. They can be red, or brown, or black. Some are very, very small, and some are rather
big. Whatever their differences, though, all ants are social creatures. They live in large groups called colonies.
Some ant colonies are big and have millions of ants. There are different types of ants in the colony, and they each
have different jobs. The queen lays eggs. Soldier ants protect the queen and the colony. They also gather food
and attack other colonies if they need new nesting space. Worker ants take care of babies, look for food, and build
ant homes (anthills or mounds). Soldier and worker ants are female. Male ants’ only job is to mate with the queen
in order to produce eggs, which hatch into baby ants.
Created March 2020 18Ants are busy little insects. It’s easy to see them moving quickly here and there. Sometimes you can see them
carrying a small piece of something, or dragging part of a leaf somewhere. Sometimes you even see two ants
helping each other carry the same crumb. But where are they going and what are they doing? Ants may seem to
be just running around, but they are actually important parts of their ecosystem, their world under our feet.
One thing ants do to help their ecosystem is to keep soil healthy. By constantly digging through the soil, they
create spaces in it. Soil needs space inside it for air and water. Without air and water in soil, the tiny creatures that
live in soil would not survive.
Ants also help bring nutrients to soil. When they bring food particles to their nests, they add nutrients to soil
because they don’t eat everything they bring. Their leftovers stay in the soil and break down into nutrients for other
creatures living in the soil. Adapted from Readworks.org
21. Explain how ants help bring nutrients to the soil and worker ants help their ecosystem. Support your
answer with evidence from the text.
Sheldon rolled a ball down three different ramps. Each ramp is a different height. He measured how far the ball
rolled each time. His measurements are on the table.
Created March 2020 1922. What pattern do the measurements show?
A. The higher the ramp, the faster the ball rolls.
B. The higher the ramp, the farther the ball rolls.
C. The higher the ramp, the less distance the ball rolls.
D. The ramp height does not affect how far the ball rolls.
Use the pictures below to answer Question #23.
The pictures below show how a seesaw moves.
Created March 2020 20Left Side of Seesaw Right Side of Seesaw
Down Up
Left Side of Seesaw Right Side of Seesaw
Up Down
23. What is the pattern of movement of the seesaw?
A. Both sides stay at equal heights.
B. The left side goes up when the right goes up.
C. The left goes up when the right goes down.
D. The left goes down when the right goes down.
The picture below shows an adult and a child sitting in a swing.
Created March 2020 2124. Two boys are standing behind each person and they are about to use the same force to push the adult and
the child. Which describes what will happen?
A. The child will move faster.
B. The parent will move faster.
C. The parent will swing backward.
D. The child will change directions.
25. Which of these is an example of group behavior?
A. birds build nests
B. rabbits dig holes
C. squirrels collect nuts
D. swans fly to warmer areas in winter
26. How do cell phones receive decoded information over long distances?
A. They receive digitized information and change it to voice.
B. They receive voice and change it to digitized information.
C. They receive digitized information and change it to Morse code.
D. They receive Morse code and change it to digitized information.
27. Jessica is holding a ball in her hand and then she drops the ball. Which energy transformation is
happening?
Created March 2020 22A. stored energy to motion energy
B. stored energy to sound energy
C. magnetic energy to stored energy
D. electrical energy to motion energy
28. What energy transfer occurs in a solar panel?
A. Heat is transferred to the panel when it is connected to an electrical source.
B. Electrical energy is transferred to the panel when it is connected with an electrical source.
C. Energy is transferred to the panel when light waves from the sun are absorbed by the panel.
D. Mechanical energy is transferred to the panel when waves from the sun push against the panel
and move it.
29. Which sentence correctly compares Morse and binary codes?
A. Morse code is used by cell phones, and binary code is used by computers.
B. Morse code and binary code cannot be used to send messages short distances.
C. Morse code and binary code use patterns to represent letters in a written message.
D. Morse code can only be sent with sound, and binary code can only be sent with electricity.
30. In which forms is energy transferred when a television is turned on?
A. heat and light only
B. sound and light only
Created March 2020 23C. heat, sound, and electricity only
D. heat, sound, light, and electricity
31. Examine the circuits in the diagram below. Select the circuit that will cause the bulb to light up.
A B C
A. Circuit A
B. Circuit B
C. Circuit C
D. none of the above
Use the information and diagram of the train set below to answer Item #32.
Elaine has a train set. Her train has a lamp and a whistle. The train runs on batteries. Elaine notices
that on one part of the track the train goes slower. On the other part of the track the train goes
faster.
32. Elaine claims the train has more energy on one part of the track. Provide evidence from the diagram
above that supports her claim.
Created March 2020 2433. Roberto makes an electric circuit that has a switch as one of its parts. The diagram shows the circuit
that he makes.
What would happen to the light bulb if Roberto changed the switch from closed to open?
A. It would be duller.
B. It would be brighter.
C. It would stop glowing.
D. It would start glowing.
34. Kayla boils a pot of water. What will happen when she sticks a metal spoon that is at room temperature
into the boiling water?
Created March 2020 25A. Heat energy from the boiling water will cause the spoon to dissolve.
B. Heat energy from the water will flow to the metal spoon, causing the spoon to increase in
temperature.
C. The metal spoon will soak up the boiling water, causing the spoon to increase in temperature.
D. Heat energy from the metal spoon will flow into the water, causing the spoon to decrease in
temperature.
Use the image below to answer Question #35
Diagram of a Wave
35. What is the measurement from the straight line to the top of the wave?
A. its pitch
B. its speed
C. its vibration
D. its amplitude
36. Every night, Sarah and her friend Jessica wave to each other from their kitchen windows. The
arrow below points to their two windows. Sarah wishes she and Jessica could talk to each other, but
Created March 2020 26parents do not allow them to use their cell phones after 8:00 p.m. If Sarah made a sound loud enough for
Jessica to hear, it might wake up their parents and neighbors. What would be the fastest, easiest way for
Sarah and Jessica to get messages to each other at night without using their cell phones and bothering
their parents or neighbors?
A. Use Morse code to send messages by playing drums.
B. Send smoke signals to each other using lit candles.
C. Write large messages on dry erase boards and hold them out the windows.
D. Shine flashlights toward each other and use Morse code.
37. The diagram shows a wave pattern. What part of a wave is represented by B?
A. crest
B. trough
C. amplitude
D. wavelength
38. The model represents sound from a drum. What does the model show?
Drum
Created March 2020 27A. only the amplitude of the waves
B. only the wavelength of the waves
C. the amplitude and wavelength of the waves
D. the waves traveling in air, water, and glass
39. Alonzo has a battery-operated toy car. When he turns the toy car on, it moves across the floor. Which
energy transformation happens in the toy car?
A. sound energy to stored energy to electrical energy
B. electrical energy to stored energy to motion energy
C. motion energy to electrical energy to sound energy
D. stored energy to electrical energy to motion energy
40. Jacob noticed that when he opened his bedroom door, the door hit the wall. He decided to design
something to absorb the energy of the door so that it does not damage the wall. Which solution would
be best?
A. a spring
B. a pencil
C. a glass
D. a fork
41. A student is studying models of waves with different pitches.
Created March 2020 28Echoing waves with a lower pitch than the original sound wave suggest that the object is moving
away from the source. A dolphin produces a sound wave as shown below.
Which model best shows an echoing wave for an object moving towards the dolphin?
Created March 2020 29Forces
Everyone knows that kicking a soccer ball causes it to roll across the grass. But what makes this happen? What is required
to make the ball move faster? What’s the difference, in other words, between passing the soccer ball to a teammate and
shooting for the goal?
Kicking a ball may seem simple, but physicists spent years trying to figure out why objects move the way they do. What
they discovered is that kicking a soccer ball requires applying force to the surface of the ball. The greater the force, the
faster the ball will go, and the further it will travel. How much force you apply to the ball, that is, will often determine
whether you score a goal or not.
The combination of force and distance equals what is called “work.” In this case, we don’t mean the noun form of work, like
a job. We are talking about work as a verb, as a form of action. Work can be taking out the trash or cleaning dishes in your
house. Furniture movers work by carrying chairs and tables out of one apartment and into another. If the first apartment is
on the second floor and the second apartment is on the fourth floor, carrying the furniture into the second apartment will
require about twice as much work as the first.
Keep in mind that force and work are not the same things as energy. Energy comes in several forms. But the best way to
understand it is as something that creates the ability to do work. When someone says, “I don’t have any energy,” what do
they usually mean? Often, they mean they don’t have the strength or motivation to work.
Without energy, it is hard to play soccer or lift furniture. In fact, it may even be difficult to get out of bed. Energy is what
allows us to do work. The more energy we have, the more work we can do.
Mathematicians use the following simple equation to define the meaning of work: force x distance = work. The heavier an
object is, in other words, the more force it exerts in the form of gravity. Picking an anvil up off the ground requires more
energy than picking up a feather. If you’re interested in building muscles, though, keep in mind that lifting heavier things will
make you stronger over time. And the stronger you are, the more likely you are to win at soccer. Adapted from 2013
ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.
Created March 2020 3042. Imagine three different soccer players shooting at the goal. Player A has a lightweight ball and is close
to the goal, Player B has a heavy ball and is close to the goal, and Player C has a heavy ball and is far
from the goal. Which player will need the most energy to score a goal, and which player will need the
least energy? Support your answer using your background knowledge and the text.
Created March 2020 31Magnetism
Has anyone ever told you that you have a magnetic personality? Well, if someone ever says that to you, thank him or her.
It is a compliment. Having a magnetic personality means that people are drawn to you, just like how some metal objects
may be drawn to magnets.
Magnetism is the force that electric currents exert on other electric currents. This force can be created by the motion of
electrons in the atoms of certain materials, which are called magnets. Certain rocks and minerals are natural magnets.
Magnetism may also be produced when an electric current flows through a coil of wire around a piece of metal,
magnetizing the metal. The coil of wire and the metal together are called an electromagnet. In either case, magnetism can
cause an attraction or a repulsion of two magnets. It may pull them together or push them apart.
Some objects have magnetic fields, which are magnetic forces near or around them. The earth has a magnetic field. So do
many of the planets in our solar system, as well as some of their moons. The sun also has a magnetic field. Some
scientists think that the earth’s magnetic field pushes away the sun's solar wind. For living things, some animals might
naturally be able to detect the earth’s magnetic field. For example, some scientists believe that dolphins and pigeons can
sense the earth’s magnetism. They use the earth’s magnetism to find their way when traveling, especially for long
distances. Adapted from 2013 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.
43. What are two ways that magnetism is created? Use your background knowledge and evidence from the
text to support your answer.
Created March 2020 32Natural Disasters
Some disasters cannot be stopped. These disasters include earthquakes and tornadoes. Tornadoes ruin whatever is in
their path. They can destroy houses and other buildings. Earthquakes have a wider range of intensity—some are so small
that no one even notices them, except for the people checking earthquake monitoring equipment. Others have leveled
cities. It is very hard to deal with these disasters, and it can take a very long time for life to get back to normal. Because
earthquakes and tornadoes are forces of nature, people have to deal with them as they come. The time or intensity of an
earthquake cannot usually be predicted. Tornadoes form when the right conditions are met, so a warning would be given
once the conditions are detected. But there is still very little time to get ready once a tornado warning is issued. That’s why
planning for disaster ahead of time is so important. With proper preparation, we can minimize the disaster’s impact.
Earthquakes cannot be reliably predicted. While volcanic activity sometimes triggers earthquakes, many other earthquakes
happen without warning. Fortunately, we do know the areas where earthquakes are most likely to occur. The people who
live in these places, such as California, Japan, or Italy, know what to do when the ground begins to shake. If they are
indoors, they will get away from windows and exterior walls and take cover under a desk or table. If there is no desk
around, they can stand against an interior wall, that is, a wall whose other side is not the outside of the building. It is
important to take cover in an area that is safe from potential falling objects, such as wall decor, appliances, or furniture. As
you can see, people who live in an earthquake territory need to be very aware of their surroundings.
If people are outside during an earthquake, it is best to get into an open spot. They should get away from buildings, power
lines, and anything else that may fall and hurt them. Electrical lines which have already fallen are also dangerous—they
may be capable of electrocuting people!
Earthquakes can be incredibly destructive, even if they do not last very long. The majority last less than a minute, but there
are often aftershocks—smaller earthquakes that occur minutes or hours after the first one. Of course, it all depends on the
size of the quake; most are small and don’t have much impact. But the big ones can wreak havoc, especially if the area is
not prepared. In places where earthquakes often strike, there are strict codes for buildings with the goal that earthquakes
would not cause serious damage. These buildings must be built in such a way that they likely would not fall apart as a
result of a big quake. Places like Japan and California have much stricter building codes than places without such a high
earthquake risk.
Knowing what to do when earthquakes happen usually saves lives. The same goes for tornadoes. While some places get
tornadoes more than others, it is not easy to predict them. There may be warnings that they will happen, but tornadoes
cannot be predicted in the same way rainstorms can, days before they happen.
In order to be safe when a tornado does strike, people must already know where they will find shelter. Families and
schools must have tornado drills and discuss where to go once a tornado has been spotted. The best place to go to is a
basement. If there is no basement, then people should go into hallways or rooms with no windows on the ground floor.
Tornadoes can be strong enough to break windows, which can injure anyone nearby. Even after finding shelter in a
basement or windowless room, people should cover themselves with a mattress or other padding in case the tornado
damages the ceiling and debris falls through. People who are outdoors when a tornado hits should seek shelter in a
building. If that isn’t possible, they must lie flat on low ground away from vehicles, trees, or anything else the tornado might
Created March 2020 33fling about. As with an earthquake, it is important to protect one’s head and neck by covering them with one’s arms. One of
the worst places to be during a tornado is in a car, truck, or bus, because those can easily be thrown around, or simply hit
with other flying debris. Tornadoes are very powerful and can even move trailer homes. Anyone in a mobile home during a
tornado should leave and seek shelter elsewhere immediately.
Just as places with earthquakes have special building codes, places plagued by tornadoes often have building codes
designed to protect buildings from strong winds. People can also build extra-strong safe rooms to weather the storm in. But
often nothing can stop this natural disaster from doing a lot of damage. Although scientists are trying to find better ways to
predict these two natural disasters, it is still very hard to know exactly when they will hit and how much damage they will
do. In the meantime, people must always be aware that an earthquake or tornado can happen without warning. The
important thing is to be prepared and take precautions to stay safe from harm. Buildings can be restored, but lives cannot.
Adapted from 2013 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.
44. What is the purpose of the walls that Mr. Wade's class is building? Use your background knowledge and
evidence from the article to support your answer. Can preparation help people stay safe from dangerous
events? Use evidence from both texts to support your argument. NGSS Performance Expectation:
Created March 2020 34Amusement Park Motion
Whiz! Bing! Thump! Ding ding ding ding ding!
When they’re jumbled up together, the sounds at an amusement park can become a roar. At the arcade, there is booming
music and the sound of quarters clinking into slots. Two girls jump in unison as they compete in a dance game.
Underneath it all, there is the rustling of prize tickets being folded up and jammed into pockets. At the amusement park,
there is noise everywhere. And where there is noise, there is motion.
On a hot summer day, some children hide out from the sun inside the cool, dark bumper car arena. One grinning boy is
behind the wheel of a bright blue car with a thick, black bumper. He’s too young to drive a real car, but here, he can speed
around the track. The boy sets his sights on a long-haired girl in a green car. She’s sitting still, caught in something of a
bumper car traffic jam. Then he slams his car into hers. The collision stops his car in its tracks, but it sends her car sailing
away from his. In the crash, his car’s momentum shifts to her car. They both laugh.
Elsewhere on the track, two other cars careen toward each other. When they crash, both bumper cars reverse course.
They bounce backward, away from the point of impact. One driver’s head is knocked sideways, but these mini crashes are
all fun. No one is hurt and no one is crying.
In the arcade nearby, something similar is happening at the pool table. One player slams her stick into the white cue ball.
This sends the cue ball rolling quickly to the other end of the table, where it hits a striped ball. In an instant, the cue ball
stops moving. The striped ball takes on its momentum and sails into the pocket.
Her opponent isn’t having much luck at the pool table. He strikes the cue ball with the stick, but aims badly. The white ball
bounces off three edges of the pool table until it finally slows and comes to a stop.
At the air hockey table, the action of the game is happening almost too quickly to follow. One player moves to protect her
goal, but she’s not holding onto her air hockey pusher tightly, and it goes flying out of her hand when the puck hits it.
In the next room two boys are playing ping pong. One boy is new to the game and is losing. Every time he hits the ball, he
swings the paddle with too much force. The tiny ball has very little mass, but the boy’s fast swing sends it off the table
entirely. In this case, the boy is giving the ball too much momentum. Momentum, the quantity of motion in a moving object,
is determined by an object’s mass and its velocity.
Most of the time, it’s against the rules to hit things. But at amusement parks, certain kinds of hitting are part of the fun. The
boy losing at ping pong doesn’t mind, because he’s enjoying hitting the ball as hard as he can. At the batting cage, a girl
wearing a helmet hits a baseball with so much force that it makes a loud “crack!”
Created March 2020 35In the arcade, a man has paid two quarters to see how many small plastic animals he can whack with a rubber mallet.
When he hits them, their heads sink back inside the machine. His daughter is sitting in front of another game. She’s
shooting small balls at stuffed monsters. If she hits one straight on, it falls over and she wins tickets.
At another game, players pay a dollar for the chance to hit some milk bottles with a ball. If they knock all the bottles over,
they win a huge stuffed animal. This game is very hard to win even if players throw the ball with a lot of force, because
some of the bottles are very heavy. Often, the heavy bottle wobbles but doesn’t fall over.
One boy doesn’t want to leave the amusement park, but he is exhausted. The batting cage, ping pong, and the milk bottle
game have left him with a very tired right arm. All the speed and crashes in the bumper car were fun, but they tired him out
as well. There’s only so much motion most people can enjoy in a day. Eventually, even the most energetic children run out
of momentum. It’s time for them to climb into bed and be still.
45. Use your background knowledge and evidence from the passage to explain:
● How is the momentum of an object determined?
● What happens every time one of the boys playing ping pong hits the ball?
● How could the boy playing ping pong keep from hitting the ball off the table?
Created March 2020 36You can also read
