NGSA Science case studies
NGSA Science · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The NGSA Science assessment is a standards-based science exam that measures how well candidates can apply disciplinary core ideas, scientific and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts to realistic scenarios. It is designed for students or candidates who need to demonstrate readiness in science, whether for placement, graduation, or diagnostic purposes. The NGSA Science case studies are 5 cases and about 3,215 words.
1Which Cup Keeps the Cocoa Warm?
A Grade 6 team is choosing cups for a winter field trip and decides to test four options. Each cup is filled with 250 mL of water from the same kettle, and temperature is recorded at 0, 10, 20, and 30 minutes.
660 words, about 3 min2Algae, Oxygen, and a Pond Vote
Riverside Pond is about 60 m by 40 m and sits downhill from a lawn that was fertilized in late June. In early July, students estimate that algae cover roughly 70% of the pond surface.
639 words, about 3 min3Two Towns, One Fault, One Hospital
Ashville and Benton lie along the same fault system. A school seismograph in Ashville recorded an earthquake with the P wave arriving at 10:00:12 and the S wave at 10:00:24.
625 words, about 3 min4The Ramp That Does Not Fit
Students are designing a wheelchair ramp for the community center's side door. The door sill sits 0.90 m above the sidewalk, and the only available space is a straight run of 9.0 m along the wall.
683 words, about 3 min5Does Salt Make Water Boil Faster?
Maya's class is testing the popular claim that "adding salt makes water boil faster." Each trial uses 500 mL of water on the same hot plate, and students time how long it takes to reach a rolling boil. Trial A, no salt: cold tap water at 18 °C, boils in 4.0 minutes, final temperature 100 °C.
608 words, about 3 min