6th grade Science practice sheet
New York State Learning Standards · from Gradelings · Name: ______________________
Question 1
A ball is thrown to you. Put the steps in order as your nervous system helps you catch it.
- 🧠Your brain decides to catch it
- Motor nerves carry signals to your arm muscles
- 👀Your eyes see the ball coming
- 🙌Your hands close around the ball
- Sensory nerves send the message to your brain
Your eyes see the ball coming → Sensory nerves send the message to your brain → Your brain decides to catch it → Motor nerves carry signals to your arm muscles → Your hands close around the ball
Hint: Messages travel from your senses to your brain, the brain decides, and then messages travel out to your muscles.
Question 2
In salt water, which is a solute?
🧪- salt water
- salt
- water
salt
Hint: The solute is what dissolves (usually the smaller amount). The solvent does the dissolving (usually the larger amount). Together they make the solution.
Question 3
Which part of the eye is colored?
- the iris
- the lens
- the pupil
- the retina
the iris
Hint: The iris controls how much light gets in.
Question 4
Ribosomes in a cell make…
- water
- sugar
- light
- proteins
proteins
Hint: Tiny protein factories.
Question 5
Heat moving by flowing liquids or gases is…
- reflection
- radiation
- convection
- conduction
convection
Hint: Warm air rises.
Question 6
How does oiling a bicycle chain help efficiency?
- Less friction means less energy lost as heat.
- More friction means more energy is useful.
- The chain gets heavier.
- The energy disappears.
Less friction means less energy lost as heat.
Hint: Lubricants reduce friction.
Question 7
When a cold front passes New York in summer, the weather often…
- turns stormy, then cooler and drier
- turns to snow
- gets hotter and more humid for weeks
- stays exactly the same
turns stormy, then cooler and drier
Hint: Cold air pushes under warm air.
Question 8
Ocean currents affect climate by…
- carrying heat around the world
- making mountains
- stopping wind
- making the moon move
carrying heat around the world
Hint: Water stores and moves heat.
Question 9
Asexual reproduction needs…
- no parents
- one parent
- two parents
- three parents
one parent
Hint: One organism makes copies.
Question 10
Which question defines a clear problem?
- Who is tallest?
- Is this fun?
- How can we keep a phone safe if dropped 2 m?
- What color is nice?
How can we keep a phone safe if dropped 2 m?
Hint: Specific and testable.
Answer key
- 1. Your eyes see the ball coming → Sensory nerves send the message to your brain → Your brain decides to catch it → Motor nerves carry signals to your arm muscles → Your hands close around the ball (Body Systems)
- 2. salt (Mixtures & Solutions)
- 3. the iris (Our Senses)
- 4. proteins (Cells: Life's Building Blocks)
- 5. convection (Thermal Energy & Insulation)
- 6. Less friction means less energy lost as heat. (Work, Energy & Efficiency)
- 7. turns stormy, then cooler and drier (Weather Systems)
- 8. carrying heat around the world (Climate & Climate Change)
- 9. one parent (Growing & Reproducing)
- 10. How can we keep a phone safe if dropped 2 m? (Engineering Design)
Want more than 10 questions?
In Gradelings the questions change every time and adjust to your child, with hints and kind feedback. See all science units.