NGSA Science study plan

Build a one-page formula and units reference sheet covering speed, acceleration, force, work, power, density, and pressure, and use it to solve 15 mixed computation items without looking at notes.

Classify 20 everyday scenarios as examples of Newton's three laws, and justify each classification in one written sentence.

Distinguish kinetic from potential energy in 12 system descriptions, and calculate the missing quantity when two of the three values (mass, height or speed, energy) are given.

Draw and label free-body diagrams for 8 situations involving gravity, normal force, friction, and applied force, then state the net force direction for each.

Compare conduction, convection, and radiation by matching 15 heat-transfer scenarios to the correct mechanism and naming the direction of energy flow.

Model series and parallel circuits by predicting whether a bulb stays lit when one branch is removed, and explain the reasoning for 6 circuit diagrams you draw yourself.

Differentiate physical from chemical changes across 20 examples, citing evidence such as new substance formation, gas release, or reversibility.

Apply the law of conservation of mass by balancing 10 simple chemical equations and verifying atom counts on each side.

Label the major organelles on a hand-drawn cell diagram for both plant and animal cells, and state one function for each organelle.

Trace the path of a glucose molecule from food to ATP production, naming each stage of cellular respiration and where it occurs.

Contrast mitosis and meiosis on a comparison table covering purpose, number of divisions, and chromosome number in daughter cells.

Predict offspring genotype and phenotype ratios by completing 8 Punnett squares for monohybrid and dihybrid crosses.

Construct a food web from a given species list, then identify producers, consumers, and decomposers and predict the effect of removing one node.

Distinguish biotic from abiotic factors in 15 ecosystem descriptions and explain how each factor limits population size.

Sequence the processes of the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles and identify one human impact on each.

Compare natural selection, artificial selection, and genetic drift using three original examples, and explain how each changes allele frequencies.

Diagram the rock cycle and classify 15 rock samples or descriptions as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic with a stated reason.

Interpret a simplified weather map by identifying fronts, pressure systems, and the precipitation each is likely to produce.

Explain plate boundary types (divergent, convergent, transform) and match 10 geologic events such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building to the correct boundary.

Describe the life cycle of a star and place the Sun correctly within that sequence.

Analyze Earth's rotation, revolution, tilt, and moon phases by predicting seasonal daylight differences and phase visibility for 8 given dates.

Apply the engineering design cycle to a stated problem by writing a problem statement, two candidate solutions, and the criteria and constraints used to choose between them.

Evaluate a design trade-off by listing one benefit and one risk for 5 technologies such as renewable energy systems or water filtration.

Interpret a simple data table or graph to identify a trend and state one limitation of the data.

Design a controlled experiment for a given question by identifying the independent variable, dependent variable, and at least two constants, and write a testable hypothesis.

Distinguish observation from inference and identify sources of error in 10 short experiment scenarios.

Match 12 crosscutting concepts (patterns, cause and effect, scale, systems, energy and matter, structure and function, stability and change) to the science phenomena they best explain.

Construct and interpret a graph from a provided data set, then state one claim supported by the evidence and one alternative explanation.

Complete two full-length timed practice exams under test conditions and record section-by-section scores.

Rank your five weakest concepts from the error logs and re-teach each one by writing a short explanation and solving 5 new problems per concept.

Review your formula sheet, concept maps, and design brief to consolidate high-frequency facts across all domains.

Practice pacing by answering 60 mixed items in 60 minutes and noting where time was lost.