3rd Grade Science - Life Questions

On her vacation, Mrs. Smith saw a snake. The snake was a solid color and had dark rings around its head. Which is MOST like the snake Mrs. Smith saw?
(2008 test question)
Which of these belongs in the center?
(2007 test question)
1. Things that cover animal bodies
2. Things that make the animal smaller
3. Things that keep animal bodies cool
4. Things that help animal bodies get oxygen
Salamanders have a tail, smooth skin, and feet with no claws. Which of these animals is a salamander?
(2007 test question)
A rattlesnake belongs in which of the above groups?
(2007 test question)
1. Group 1
2. Group 2
3. Group 3
4. Group 4
Which of these birds MOST likely uses its beak to scoop up small fish for food?
(2010 test question)
Skunks spray a strong-smelling liquid to —
(2010 test question)
1. get rid of wastes
2. attract prey
3. defend themselves
4. help nearby plants grow
Camouflage MOST helps an animal with which of these life needs?
(2009 test question)
1. Finding shelter
2. Hiding from predators
3. Gathering enough food
4. Raising young
When it rains, some animals will —
(2010 test question)
1. hibernate for the season
2. migrate to warmer climates
3. change their body covering
4. move to seek shelter
A student looks at a leaf and writes down how it looks. Which of these BEST matches the leaf the student looked at?
(2008 test question)
This picture BEST shows how —
(2010 test question)
1. animals use plants for food
2. animals use plants for homes
3. plants get in the way of animals
4. plants keep animals warm in winter
A company plants trees on a bare hillside. Which of these is the BEST reason for planting the trees?
(2010 test question)
1. The trees provide oxygen for the soil.
2. The trees prevent soil from washing away.
3. The trees make shade for animals living there.
4. The trees cause animals to move to other places.
For a plant to stay alive indoors, where does it need to be placed?
(2008 test question)
1. In a dry area
2. In a dark room
3. On a plant stand
4. Near a sunny place
A plant is put in a pot of soil and placed under a table. The plant is given water every week, but it stops growing. The plant MOST likely needs —
(2009 test question)
1. more light
2. thicker soil
3. cleaner air
4. more space
What causes fewer plants to grow on the rocky side of the river?
(2009 test question)
1. There is not enough sunlight.
2. There is not enough soil.
3. There is not enough water.
4. There is not enough air.
These three plants are grouped together because all three —
(2007 test question)
1. need some shade
2. lose their leaves
3. are shrubs
4. have thorns
Which causes the GREATEST change in a grassy field over time?
(2009 test question)
1. The time of day
2. Amount of yearly rainfall
3. Number of birds nesting
4. Seasonal migration of animals
How are a tree and grass alike?
(2009 test question)
1. Both make wood.
2. Both have roots.
3. Both need moonlight.
4. Both have short lives.
What type of plant is MOST likely described?
(2009 test question)
1. A flowering plant
2. A pine tree
3. Grass
4. Cactus
After winter, which of these will MOST likely make a tree start to bud?
(2008 test question)
1. More wind
2. Fewer clouds in the sky
3. Less rainfall
4. More hours of daylight
A sign that an apple tree is going to start growing apples is when the tree has —
(2008 test question)
1. roots
2. seeds
3. leaves
4. flowers
In picture 4, what will take the place of the flowers in picture 3?
(2009 test question)
1. Buds
2. Fruit
3. Leaves
4. Roots
Most plants begin their life cycle as —
(2008 test question)
1. leaves
2. flowers
3. roots
4. seeds
Which of these trees stays green all year?
(2010 test question)
The seeds of an oak come from the —
(2007 test question)
1. fruit
2. leaf
3. root
4. stem
Which lists the correct order of changes that happen to a plant in spring?
(2010 test question)
1. Buds form, flowers open, fruits grow
2. Flowers die, fruits grow, buds form
3. Seeds drop, flowers open, buds form
4. Seeds drop, flowers die, fruits grow
Jake’s cats eat food from a can. The cats come running into the kitchen when they hear the electric can opener. Now, each time Jake’s mother opens a can of corn, the cats come running. This is an example of —
(2010 test question)
1. learned behavior
2. correct behavior
3. instinct
4. migration
Which picture BEST shows a learned behavior in a dog?
(2008 test question)
Which of these is MOST likely a behavior of tame animals that is different from wild animals?
(2008 test question)
1. Moving to a warmer climate in winter
2. Eating out of the hands of humans
3. Hunting for their own food
4. Staying away from people
Which animal looked MOST like its parents when it hatched?
(2008 test question)
Which is one way the young male cardinal will change as it grows up?
(2008 test question)
1. It will grow more toes.
2. Its tail feathers will become shorter.
3. It will grow a pointed crest.
4. Its beak will become long and narrow.
What are adult cardinals able to do that baby cardinals are unable to do?
(2007 test question)
1. Fly
2. Make noise
3. Breathe air
4. Sleep
Which of these is needed in all stages of the butterfly’s life cycle?
(2009 test question)
1. Wings
2. Eyes
3. Soil
4. Air
When a tadpole grows, its gills change into lungs. What does it now need to survive?
(2007 test question)
1. Air
2. Water
3. Soil
4. Fins
Which of the following is one nonliving part in the habitat of a bluebird?
(2008 test question)
1. Insects they eat
2. Air they breathe
3. Hawks that eat them
4. Plants they use for nests
Which of these is a nonliving part of a forest?
(2009 test question)
1. Tree
2. Soil
3. Worm
4. Mushroom
Which of these animals is BEST able to live in water?
(2009 test question)
This habitat is BEST for which type of pet?
(2007 test question)
1. Lizard
2. Butterfly
3. Fish
4. Bird
A wetland habitat can continue to support the birds and fish that live there if people — 2007
(2007 test question)
1. drain the water away
2. flood the highest parts of the land
3. leave the land alone
4. use the land for planting crops
This food chain is MOST likely to be found in what type of environment?
(2007 test question)
1. A stream
2. A marshland
3. An ocean
4. A forest
Which of these living things is a producer in a food chain?
(2007 test question)
The teeth of a carnivore are MOSTLY —
(2010 test question)
1. pointed
2. rounded
3. wide
4. flat
Mold is often found growing on old bread. In a food chain, mold is a —
(2010 test question)
1. decomposer
2. producer
3. consumer
4. scavenger
Based on the food chain, which of these is a carnivore?
(2009 test question)
1. Sun
2. Water plant
3. Mayfly nymph
4. Osprey
A dog gets the energy it needs to run from —
(2007 test question)
1. the air
2. the Sun
3. food
4. water
A black bear eats many different things, including grasses, roots, and berries. It also eats insects, fish, and other small animals. Which of these BEST describes a black bear?
(2008 test question)
1. Omnivore
2. Carnivore
3. Herbivore
4. Producer
These living things are in a pond food chain. Which of these are producers?
(2008 test question)
1. Algae
2. Dragonflies
3. Frogs
4. Snakes
Cows are farm animals that eat only plants. Which of these kinds of living things is a cow?
(2007 test question)
1. Decomposer
2. Herbivore
3. Carnivore
4. Producer