8th Grade Winter Benchmark

Last updated about 2 years ago

15 questions

1

Library

8th Grade Winter Benchmark

Last updated about 2 years ago

15 questions

1

Which is the most likely weather condition that will occur at the location where the two air
masses meet?

1

Raquel thinks that the current that carries the most energy is located at the area labeled A. Is
this an accurate statement? Explain.

1

Below is a picture of the rock strata of a mountain.

1

What can you infer about the layers in this picture?

A group of students is developing a model that shows how geoscience processes gradually change Earth’s surface. The group comes up with the following drawing.

1

How can this model help the students explain how geoscience processes shape Earth's surface?

Examine the diagram below. At one time, these layers were found in the same area of land. Yet they have weathered very differently, with one location having more layers than the other location.

1

Explain what has happened to cause the layers in these locations to weather differently and how this provides evidence that Earth’s surface has changed over time.

The first watermelons cultivated many years ago (3000 BCE) were very different from today’s watermelons grown by farmers in many places and climates all over the world.
The data table compares how watermelons today compare to the oldest known watermelons.

1

Which of the following statements explains why modern watermelons differ from those grown in ancient times?

1

Freckles are a dominant trait. Brianna has freckles, but her husband, Emilio, does not. They calculate the chances that their children will have freckles by completing a Punnett square.

What is the probability that each child will have freckles?

Mutations are structural changes to genes that may affect proteins. Some mutations are beneficial, meaning that they help the organism. Some mutations are harmful because they reduce the organism’s ability to survive or reproduce. Other mutations neither help nor harm the organism. These are called neutral mutations

1

Which of these mutations would be considered neutral?

Below is an image of a family tree (first generation) showing a group of mice. A dark gray mouse and a white mouse had four offspring, some had white fur, while others had dark gray fur. Use the image below to help you answer the following questions.

1

Which of the following descriptions about the parents is most likely true?

One of the white offspring (from the first generation in the introductory text) mated with an unrelated white mouse. Below is a family tree (second generation) showing these parents and their offspring. The parents’ genotypes are also shown in this image.

1

Which is the most likely weather condition that will occur at the location where the two air
masses meet?

1

Raquel thinks that the current that carries the most energy is located at the area labeled A. Is
this an accurate statement? Explain.

Below is a picture of the rock strata of a mountain.

1

What can you infer about the layers in this picture?

A group of students is developing a model that shows how geoscience processes gradually change Earth’s surface. The group comes up with the following drawing.

1

How can this model help the students explain how geoscience processes shape Earth's surface?

Examine the diagram below. At one time, these layers were found in the same area of land. Yet they have weathered very differently, with one location having more layers than the other location.

1

Explain what has happened to cause the layers in these locations to weather differently and how this provides evidence that Earth’s surface has changed over time.

The first watermelons cultivated many years ago (3000 BCE) were very different from today’s watermelons grown by farmers in many places and climates all over the world.
The data table compares how watermelons today compare to the oldest known watermelons.

1

Which of the following statements explains why modern watermelons differ from those grown in ancient times?

Freckles are a dominant trait. Brianna has freckles, but her husband, Emilio, does not. They calculate the chances that their children will have freckles by completing a Punnett square.

What is the probability that each child will have freckles?

Mutations are structural changes to genes that may affect proteins. Some mutations are beneficial, meaning that they help the organism. Some mutations are harmful because they reduce the organism’s ability to survive or reproduce. Other mutations neither help nor harm the organism. These are called neutral mutations

1

Which of these mutations would be considered neutral?

Below is an image of a family tree (first generation) showing a group of mice. A dark gray mouse and a white mouse had four offspring, some had white fur, while others had dark gray fur. Use the image below to help you answer the following questions.

1

Which of the following descriptions about the parents is most likely true?

One of the white offspring (from the first generation in the introductory text) mated with an unrelated white mouse. Below is a family tree (second generation) showing these parents and their offspring. The parents’ genotypes are also shown in this image.

1

Which best describes the light gray mouse’s genotype for the fur color trait?

1

Explain your reasoning.

B a hot, windy day

C a nice, sunny day

D a cloudy, rainy day

B Yes - this current is closest to the equator and therefore receives a lot of energy from the cold
current that comes from the poles.

C No - this current is closest to the equator, and therefore loses a lot of energy to the sun.

D No - this current is closest to the equator, and therefore loses a lot of energy to the water.

Which of the following is the correct relationship between energy, sun, and the air?

Which location, Florida or Alaska, gets more energy from the sun? Explain.

You want to live in a city in Florida where the temperatures are relatively stable. Would you
choose a coastal city or one inland, one that is away from any water body? Explain.

How do the currents off the coast of Florida and Alaska compare?

The rock layers at the top of the mountain are the oldest.

The rock strata can provide an absolute time scale of Earth's history.

The rock strata can be used to understand relative dates in Earth's history.

The rock layers in the mountain are made out of materials that are the same age. 

The model shows that an increase in precipitation leads to a decrease in the amount of movement of glaciers.

The model shows that when glaciers move, they can leave marks in different structures, such as land or mountains.

The model shows that melting glaciers do not have to move, since they are constantly being refreshed with more snow.

The model shows how global climate determines whether glaciers will move or melt, which affects the way landforms are shaped.

Over time, farmers chose to plant the seeds of big, sweet, and soft watermelons.

People in the past preferred to grow smaller, harder watermelons with less sugar.

The watermelons that people grew in ancient times needed less water and soil nutrients.

Over time, animals chose to eat the biggest, sweetest, and softest watermelons and spread the seeds.

75%

A

B

C

A and C

Their gene combinations for the fur color trait are the same.

Their gene combinations for the fur color trait are different.

Their gene combinations for the fur color trait depend solely on the environment.

Their gene combinations for the fur color trait do not affect their offspring.

Which best describes the light gray mouse’s genotype for the fur color trait?

A1A1A2

A2

A1A2

A1A1

8th Grade Winter Benchmark

8th Grade Winter Benchmark

Which is the most likely weather condition that will occur at the location where the two airmasses meet?

Raquel thinks that the current that carries the most energy is located at the area labeled A. Isthis an accurate statement? Explain.

What can you infer about the layers in this picture?

How can this model help the students explain how geoscience processes shape Earth's surface?

Explain what has happened to cause the layers in these locations to weather differently and how this provides evidence that Earth’s surface has changed over time.

Which of the following statements explains why modern watermelons differ from those grown in ancient times?

Freckles are a dominant trait. Brianna has freckles, but her husband, Emilio, does not. They calculate the chances that their children will have freckles by completing a Punnett square.What is the probability that each child will have freckles?

Which of these mutations would be considered neutral?

Which of the following descriptions about the parents is most likely true?

Which is the most likely weather condition that will occur at the location where the two airmasses meet?

Raquel thinks that the current that carries the most energy is located at the area labeled A. Isthis an accurate statement? Explain.

Which of the following is the correct relationship between energy, sun, and the air?

Which location, Florida or Alaska, gets more energy from the sun? Explain.

You want to live in a city in Florida where the temperatures are relatively stable. Would youchoose a coastal city or one inland, one that is away from any water body? Explain.

How do the currents off the coast of Florida and Alaska compare?

What can you infer about the layers in this picture?

How can this model help the students explain how geoscience processes shape Earth's surface?

Explain what has happened to cause the layers in these locations to weather differently and how this provides evidence that Earth’s surface has changed over time.

Which of the following statements explains why modern watermelons differ from those grown in ancient times?

Freckles are a dominant trait. Brianna has freckles, but her husband, Emilio, does not. They calculate the chances that their children will have freckles by completing a Punnett square.What is the probability that each child will have freckles?

Which of these mutations would be considered neutral?

Which of the following descriptions about the parents is most likely true?

Which best describes the light gray mouse’s genotype for the fur color trait?

Explain your reasoning.

Which of the following is the correct relationship between energy, sun, and the air?

Which location, Florida or Alaska, gets more energy from the sun? Explain.

You want to live in a city in Florida where the temperatures are relatively stable. Would youchoose a coastal city or one inland, one that is away from any water body? Explain.

How do the currents off the coast of Florida and Alaska compare?

Explain your reasoning.

Which is the most likely weather condition that will occur at the location where the two air
masses meet?

Raquel thinks that the current that carries the most energy is located at the area labeled A. Is
this an accurate statement? Explain.

Freckles are a dominant trait. Brianna has freckles, but her husband, Emilio, does not. They calculate the chances that their children will have freckles by completing a Punnett square.

What is the probability that each child will have freckles?

Which is the most likely weather condition that will occur at the location where the two air
masses meet?

Raquel thinks that the current that carries the most energy is located at the area labeled A. Is
this an accurate statement? Explain.

You want to live in a city in Florida where the temperatures are relatively stable. Would you
choose a coastal city or one inland, one that is away from any water body? Explain.

Freckles are a dominant trait. Brianna has freckles, but her husband, Emilio, does not. They calculate the chances that their children will have freckles by completing a Punnett square.

What is the probability that each child will have freckles?

You want to live in a city in Florida where the temperatures are relatively stable. Would you
choose a coastal city or one inland, one that is away from any water body? Explain.