- Session 1 (2hours)
- Part A Answer 17 multiple-choice questions
- Part B Answer 17 questions of mixed format
- Part C Answer 11 open response questions
- Session 2 (1 hour)
- Spend 15 minutes at each of three lab stations, performing various
scientific tasks
The Science test is designed to test students in five major skills areas of the New York Science Core Curriculum:
Standards
- Mathematical Analysis, Scientific Inquiry, and Technological Design (20-25%)
- Information Systems (0-5%)
- The Living Environment; The Physical Setting (65-75%)
- Interconnectedness: Common Themes (0-5%)
- Interdisciplinary Problem Solving (0-10%)
Focus on brushing up your science skills in biology, physical science, and earth & space science, and worry less about information systems.
Physical Science questions deal with the world around us. There are questions about electricity, eat, gravity, sunlight, evaporation, and how light waves travel. Having a basic understanding of all those items will help you do well on these problems, so don't worry about the exact scientific knowledge if you don't know it.
Biology questions test how well you know the traits and habits of animals and plants. Do you understand a basic food chain? If so, you'll do well in this section. Some common biology themes are photosynthesis, parts of a cell, and heredity.
There are only two objects you need to know in order to ace the earth and space science section: the earth, and the galaxy.
Earth Science questions talk about minerals, the composition of the soil, volcanoes, fossils, and other things that make up our little blue planet. Still, you don't need to be a vulcanologist to know that lava is hot, so be sure to use common sense whenever you can.
Strategies
- While there are precise scientific explanations for most of the questions, simply understanding the basic scientific principles and applying common sense will often work just as well.
- Answering a chart or graph question on the Science test is the same as answering a chart or graph question on the Math test.
The laboratory tasks will require you to apply scientific methods, such as collecting data about a rolling ball. If you learn to properly use a microscope, balanced scale, and ruler, it won't matter what the actual task is; you should do well.
