NB G6 Science
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Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
The Grade 6 Science assessment in New Brunswick is a provincial check of how well students understand the science curriculum taught during the Grade 6 year. It is written by students in the English-language and French-language school systems, usually near the end of the course, and results are used by teachers and schools to see which ideas students have grasped and which need more attention. It is not a pass-or-fail credential and it does not gate progression to Grade 7; think of it as a snapshot of learning, not a licence.
The assessment samples a broad curriculum: fair-test and inquiry skills, ecosystems and the ways organisms interact, structure and function in living things, properties of matter and changes of state, forces, motion and energy transfer, Earth's systems and cycles, the solar system, and the relationship between science, technology, society and the environment. Questions range from straightforward multiple choice to short and longer written responses and, in some years, a hands-on or performance component.
Good preparation is steady, not last-minute. Review class notes and lab work, practise explaining your reasoning in full sentences, and get comfortable reading data tables and simple graphs. Ask your teacher which units carry the most weight this year, and use the provincial education website for current details.
What you'll study
About NB G6 Science preparation
What is the format of the test?
Expect mostly multiple-choice questions plus short and extended written answers where you explain your thinking or interpret data. Some administrations include a hands-on or performance task in which you carry out a procedure and record results. Your teacher will tell you the exact format for your school year.
How long is the assessment, and how many questions are there?
Those details are set each year by the province and can change, so no fixed number is reliable. The New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development publishes the current specifications on its website. Ask your teacher, who receives the administration guide before the test window.
Do I need to pass it to move on to Grade 7?
No. The assessment is designed to show what students know and can do, and results inform teaching. It is not a pass-or-fail credential and does not decide your grade placement. Treat it as a chance to show your reasoning rather than something to fear.
Can I retake it if I do badly?
Provincial assessments are usually written once during the scheduled window, and there is generally no individual retake process. If you miss the session through illness or another excused reason, your school arranges any make-up sitting. Check with your teacher rather than assuming a second chance.
How hard is it, really?
Most students find it manageable if they have paid attention in class. Difficulty comes from the written explanations, not from obscure facts: you need to use evidence and scientific vocabulary. Questions are written for Grade 6 reading levels, so slow down and read each stem carefully.
What should I study first?
Start with the biggest units: ecosystems and organisms, matter and its properties, and forces and energy. Then review inquiry skills, since fair testing and interpreting graphs appear across every topic. Finish with Earth systems, space, and science-technology-society ideas, which carry fewer questions.
What mistakes cost students the most marks?
Three habits: answering from everyday intuition instead of evidence, writing one-word answers when an explanation is asked for, and skipping units like variables or energy transfer. Also common is misreading graphs or tables. Practise stating a claim, then the evidence, then the reasoning.
How should I prepare in the final weeks?
Rework old quizzes and lab sheets, and rewrite each wrong answer as a correct sentence. Practise two or three written explanations a day using data you are given. Sleep well the night before, bring required materials, and read all choices before selecting an answer.