Science
What to know
Elementary science spans physical, life, Earth/space, and engineering content plus scientific practices. In physical science, know states of matter, properties of materials, forces and motion, energy transfer, and simple circuits. In life science, know the needs of organisms, life cycles, inheritance basics, food chains/webs, and ecosystems. In Earth/space, know the water cycle, weather vs. climate, rocks and soil, the Sun-Earth-Moon system, and seasons caused by Earth's tilt. In engineering, know the design cycle: define a problem, design, build, test, and improve. Understand inquiry practices: asking questions, planning investigations, using tools, collecting and analyzing data, and constructing explanations with evidence. Recognize that models represent phenomena and have limits.
Traps
Questions confuse weather (short-term) with climate (long-term), or claim seasons are caused by distance from the Sun rather than axial tilt. Another trap: treating a hypothesis as a guess rather than a testable prediction, or labeling an observation as an inference. Watch for food chain direction errors-arrows show energy flow toward the consumer. Distractors often describe a demonstration (teacher-led) when the stem asks for student inquiry.
Rule of thumb
Ask: is this a testable question with measurable variables? Worked example: "Which surface melts ice fastest-metal, wood, or plastic?" is testable because the independent variable (surface material) and dependent variable (melt time) are defined and other factors (ice size, room temperature) can be controlled. A question like "Is metal nicer than wood?" is not testable because "nicer" is not measurable.