MTTC 124

Question 1

Which of the following demonstrations of phenomena is appropriate for anchoring a series of sixth-grade lessons about the relationships among particle motion, thermal energy, and phases of matter?
A. A snowbank in the school’s parking lot that has shrunk over several weeks
B. Creating an tracking observations of an interactive container of non-Newtonian fluid
C. A graduated cylinder filled with different liquids that were stirred but separated over time
D. Filling different balloons with various materials and recoding observations of the ballons’ inflation and deflation

Answer 1

A snowbank in the school’s parking lot that has shrunk over several weeks

Question 2

A fourth-grade teacher plans a unit of study on erosion and brings the students on a walk around the school to look for science in their everyday lives. Which of the following observations would make an anchoring phenomenon for this unit of study?
A. An animal den found under a tree
B. New pavement on the basketball court
C. Holes formed in the dirt under the swings
D. A dandelion growing in the crack of the sidewalk

Answer 2

Holes formed in the dirt under the swings

Question 3

A fifth-grade teacher considers various local phenomena for a unit of study that will be real and relevant to students, making it compelling to figure out. Which of the following phenomena should the teacher choose as an anchoring phenomenon?
A. A ball rolling down a track
B. A beehive outside the classroom
C. Collected garbage produced at lunchtime
D. Plants of various heights growing in the classroom

Answer 3

Collected garbage produced at lunchtime

Question 4

A fourth-grade class is in the middle of a unit about different forms of energy, such as motion, sound, light, and heat. As part of this unit, students investigate changes in energy that occur when objects collide. Which of the following questions is most appropriate to guide an investigation on the topic of collisions and changes in energy?
A. Does energy change when two toy cars collide?
B. How is energy transferred when toy cars collide?
C. What kinds of changes in energy take place when toy cars collide?
D. What changes can we make to toy cars to prevent damage from collisions?

Answer 4

What kinds of changes in energy take place when toy cars collide?

Question 5

A fourth-grade class explores human vision by drawing objects under various light conditions. Which of the following science and engineering practices is exemplified in this activity?
A. Planning and carrying out investigations
B. Asking questions and defining problems
C. Engaging in argument from evidence
D. Analyzing and interpreting data

Answer 5

Planning and carrying out investigations

Question 6

A fifth-grade class explores land, water, and wildlife interactions in river ecosystems. Which of the following activities allows students to develop and use models?
A. Working in small groups to diagram the changes in a river environment over time
B. Writing persuasively about the need to protect and preserve river environments for wildlife
C. Finding pictures of plants and animals that live along rivers for display in a class gallery walk
D. Collaborating in small groups to graph the number of heron eggs found in nests along local rivers over the last ten years

Answer 6

Working in small groups in diagram the changes in a river environment over time

Question 7

A fifth-grade teacher is teaching a unit on stars and the solar system. Which of the following statements should the students be able to articulate at the end of the unit?
A. The sun is a star in the middle of its stellar life cycle.
B. The sun travels through the sky on a similar path each day.
C. The sun is made of the two elements hydrogen and helium.
D. The sun looks larger than the other stars because it’s closer.

Answer 7

The sun looks larger than the other stars because it’s closer

Question 8

A fourth-grade class creates a set of cards featuring images of local plants on one side and information about how the plants’ structures help them grow and reproduce on the other side. With just this information, the set of cards should be used to:
A. Determine which plants are fed upon by which local animals.
B. Review the scientific names of plants and plant parts necessary for life.
C. Support an argument connecting plants’ appearances to their survival strategies.
D. Identify accurately which plants are most closely related based on their appearances.

Answer 8

Support an argument connecting plants’ appearances to their survival strategies

Question 9

A third-grade teacher is teaching a unit on life cycles and traits. Students create models of the life cycle of a dandelion and a rabbit. Which of the following activities allows students to demonstrate general understanding of the growth and development of plants and animals?
A. Students watch a movie of a rabbit eating a dandelion that is at the end of its life cycle.
B. Students compare and contrast the life cycles of the dandelion and the rabbit.
C. Students label an illustration of the life cycles of the dandelion and the rabbit.
D. Students list the parts of the life cycles of the dandelion and the rabbit.

Answer 9

Students compare and contrast the life cycles of the dandelion and the rabbit

Question 10

A third-grade teacher uses the crosscutting concept of systems and system models to ask their students to design homes able to withstand storms and floods. Which of the following teacher instructions encourages students to take a systems-focused pers together.
B. Think about how all the parts of your design work together and how the design of many homes can work together.
C. Don’t add a feature to your design until you have a clear, evidence-based idea what impact it will have on the house.
D. Focus your design on moving water where you want it to go because the total amount of water is fixed and outside your control.

Answer 10

Thinks about how all the parts of your design work together and how the design of many homes can work together

Question 11

A fourth-grade teacher teaches a lesson in a unit on waves. Which of the following lesson segments incorporates the crosscutting concept of patterns?
A. Watching a demonstration of how to use a tuning fork
B. Striking different size tuning forks and placing them in water
C. Using their finger to touch a tuning fork that is making a sound
D. Hitting a tuning fork and holding it against a piece of metal to hear a sound

Answer 11

Striking different size turning forks and placing them in water

Question 12

A third-grade teacher develops an assessment for the end of the weather and climate unit. The assessment has a bar graph of the average monthly temperature (in °Fdegrees Fahrenheit) in Detroit, Michigan, for a given year, as shown.
The months are not labeled on the graph since the activity centers around students recognizing spring. Each student is asked to identify the portion of the graph that represents spring in Michigan by drawing a box around the three bars that are spring.
Which of the following crosscutting concepts does this assessment incorporate?
A. Patterns
B. Cause and effect
C. Energy and matter
D. Scale, proportion, and quantity

Answer 12

Patterns

Question 13

Two fifth-grade teachers discuss an upcoming lesson on the importance of the Great Lakes as a major source of fresh water in the world. One teacher describes a lesson plan to ask students to copy from a textbook a circle graph showing the portion of the world’s fresh water contained in the Great Lakes Basin. To more deeply engage students in the analysis and interpretation of data, the other teacher should suggest that students:
A. Choose the display format for their own graphs based on their personal tastes.
B. Design an investigation into how different temperatures affect how fast fresh water evaporates.
C. Research the differences between saltwater and freshwater fish to explain the importance of the Great Lakes ecosystem.
D. Decide how to graph the Great Lakes data after being presented with surface area and volume measurements of the lakes.

Answer 13

Decide how to graph the Great Lakes data after being presented with surface area and volume measurements of the lakes

Question 14

Which of the following scenarios illustrates a connection between fifth-grade science and mathematics concepts?
A. Students refer to a diagram to calculate how much energy from the sun is used by cows for survival.
B. Students analyze data to estimate how much of Earth’s total fresh water is stored in each of the Great Lakes.
C. Students create a model of an onion that includes particles too small to be viewed without the aid of a microscope.
D. Students compare different egg crates to determine which designs prevent eggs from cracking when the crates are dropped.

Answer 14

Students analyze data to estimate how much of Earth’s total fresh water is stored in each of the Great Lakes

Question 15

A fourth-grade teacher designs a lesson for a unit on Earth’s systems and processes that shape Earth. Which of the following activities would allow students to actively engage in sense-making of the impact of earthquakes?
A. Researching different locations of earthquakes
B. Questioning how moving plates can cause an earthquake
C. Investigating student-made structures on an earthquake table
D. Analyzing statistics about the frequency of earthquakes along the Pacific Coast

Answer 15

Investigating student-made structures on an earthquake table

Question 16

Which of the following statements best describes a fourth grader’s sense-making about thermal energy transfer?
A. A student calculates that the difference in temperature between a cup of 37°C37 degrees Celsius water and a cup of 25°C25 degrees Celsius water is 12°C12 degrees Celsius.
B. A student predicts that the temperature of a cup of 37°C37 degrees Celsius water left out in the classroom will remain unchanged after 24 hours.
C. A student states that if adding heat energy makes the temperature of water increase, adding cold energy will make the temperature of water decrease.
D. qA student observes that the temperature of water in a paper cup decreases faster than the temperature of water in a polystyrene foam cup, even when they start at the same temperature.

Answer 16

A student state that if adding heat energy makes the temperature of water increase, adding cold energy will make the temperature of water decrease

Question 17

Which of the following lesson designs allows for sixth-grade students to engage in sense-making through movement as they study cell parts and functions?
A. Acting out the transfer of nutrients and chemical signals in a cell as a group
B. Discussing in small groups the jobs cells might perform based on images of their shapes
C. Rotating through stations in the classroom, each with information about the function of different common cell parts
D. Creating large-scale 3-dimensional models of a cell from common household materials and presenting them to the class

Answer 17

Acting out the transfer of nutrients and chemical signals in a cell as a group

Question 18

A fourth-grade teacher designs a lesson on natural resources for a unit on energy. Which of the following activities would further student understanding of who benefits from the use of the different types of energy?
A. Researching different types of energy resources
B. Listing the ways each type of energy resource is used
C. Describing how different types of energy resources are generated
D. Developing a model tracing the effects of each type of energy resource

Answer 18

Developing a model tracing the effects of each type of energy resource

Question 19

A sixth-grade teacher has planned a unit on the role of gravity in the solar system. On Monday, a student comes to science class and excitedly shares with their teacher that they viewed the moon through a telescope over the weekend. Which of the following activities would most effectively build on students’ interests while also supporting the teacher’s goals for student sense-making in the unit?
A. Asking students to predict and discuss the effect of a planet’s composition on its mass
B. Showing a video of the Mars Rover collecting samples of various sizes and types of rocks
C. Creating models of the solar system and exploring the planets’ specific orbits and rotations
D. Leading a discussion about the astronauts’ motion after watching a video of the first steps on the lunar surface

Answer 19

Leading a discussion about the astronauts’ motion after watching a video of the first steps on the lunar surface

Question 20

A sixth-grade teacher plans instruction designed to promote students’ ability to think critically about the importance of active participation and recognizing various perspectives in the resolution of community issues. The teacher could best use which of the following activities to support this goal?
A. Presenting a solution to the principal about lengthy bus rides to school
B. Collaborating with peers to analyze data from a speed camera in a school zone
C. Debating about changing part of the school playground to a vegetable and flower garden
D. Designing a poster as a promotion for a fundraiser to earn money for an outdoor classroom

Answer 20

Debating about changing part of the school playground to a vegetable and flower garden

Question 20

A third-grade teacher conducts an introductory lesson about responsibilities of citizens. The class is interested in environmental concerns, and the teacher plans ways to connect the two topics to improve student engagement. The teacher can most effectively use which of the following resources to support the lesson?
A. A podcast of a debate between a forest ranger and land developer
B. A summary of a bill proposing changes to recycling regulations
C. Articles that introduce the basic concept of climate change
D. Photographs of debris left around the school

Answer 20

Photographs of debris left around the school

Question 21

Students in a fourth-grade class write pen pal letters to senior citizens twice a month as part of a civics project. To help teachers decide if the project should be replicated by other classes, the students develop a presentation to demonstrate its effectiveness. This activity best prepares the students to:
A. Gather evidence to support a reasoned stance.
B. Evaluate possible solutions to address a concern.
C. Declare a common problem as a public policy issue.
D. Explain challenges people face when addressing social matters

Answer 21

Gather evidence to support a reasoned stance

Question 22

A sixth-grade teacher hosts a town hall meeting to address issues surrounding the use of campus identification cards (IDsI Dees) by students. Specifically, the teacher wants to involve students in evaluating options to incentivize students’ compliance with the school’s expectation of wearing IDsI Dees. Which of the following student activities best aligns with the teacher’s goal?
A. Presenting speeches to explain the reasons that the IDI D policy has been ineffective and unpopular among students
B. Designing flyers that highlight the reasons IDsI Dees should be worn and posting them through the school
C. Composing persuasive essays to convince school leadership to abandon the IDI D requirement
D. Creating an electronic poll to determine what would encourage students to wear their IDs

Answer 22

Creating an electronic poll to determine what would encourage students to wear their IDs

Question 23

Students in a fourth-grade class study how migration and immigration have shaped Michigan’s growth over time. The teacher plans a series of lessons requiring students to research stories of different cultures and the reasons or circumstances upon which these individuals moved into the area. Which of the following student activities would be the most effective way to culminate this study?
A. Interviewing immigrants in their own families or communities and recording these narratives in a podcast
B. Creating a Web-based movie about famous people who immigrated to Michigan and presenting it in an assembly
C. Generating a Venn diagram that displays different factors that influence people’s decisions to move to different places
D. Developing a line graph to display the number of immigrants coming to America in each decade since the early 1800s

Answer 23

Interviewing immigrants in their own families or communities and recording these narratives in a podcast

Question 23

A third-grade teacher plans a civics lesson to guide students in communicating reasoned positions about public issues. The students discuss a recent increase in teasing and name-calling among students on school buses. Which of the following activities best addresses the teacher’s goal?
A. Debating whether students have the right to say what they want or if this right should be limited at times
B. Developing posters to inform students about three strategies they can use when someone is bothering them
C. Writing letters of apology to the bus driver for creating an unruly and inappropriate atmosphere on the buses
D. Surveying students to find out who the perpetrators are so the issue can be resolved by school administration

Answer 23

Debating whether students have the right to say what they want or if this right should be limited at times

Question 24

A fifth-grade teacher develops a unit on the life of George Washington. As a culminating activity, the students work in small groups to create a timeline infographic to outline Washington’s rise to leadership. This activity best supports students’ understanding of historic events specifically by:
A. Developing students’ ability to apply research skills using primary source documents.
B. Ensuring that students analyze various perspectives regarding a historical figure.
C. Encouraging dialogue and discourse through collaboration with peers.
D. Promoting students’ ability to visualize chronological events in history.

Answer 24

Promoting students’ ability to visualize chronological events in history

Question 25

A fifth-grade teacher designs a culminating project in which students demonstrate understanding of how Indigenous Peoples in North America lived before the period of European colonization. The teacher can best use which of the following assignments for this purpose?
A. Creating a map depicting the migration routes of Indigenous Peoples in specific regions of North America
B. Writing an essay outlining how the early Europeans relied upon the Indigenous Peoples to learn how to adapt to the land and climate
C. Developing an electronic presentation highlighting the accomplishments of powerful women who were warriors among the Indigenous Peoples
D. Designing a foldable poster that compares how people in three different groups of Indigenous Peoples modified the environment to suit their needs

Answer 25

Designing a foldable poster that compares how people in three different groups of Indigenous Peoples modified the environment to suit their needs

Question 26

Students in a fifth-grade class read an article about the Boston Tea Party and Britain’s response. The teacher wants the students to understand that perspective can often affect someone’s understanding of the past. The teacher can best use which of the following activities to promote students’ understanding of this concept?
A. Analyzing why American colonists described the British responses to the Boston Tea Party as the Intolerable Acts
B. Writing a letter to colonists explaining why they are financially responsible for the tea destroyed in the Tea Party
C. Putting a list of possible reasons for the Quartering Act in order of importance
D. Watching a play that highlights the events that led to the Boston Massacre

Answer 26

Analyzing why American colonists described the British responses to the Boston Tea Party as the Intolerable Acts

Question 27

Fourth-grade students learn about a historic statue in the local community. The teacher selects a secondary source that provides important background information about the significance of the statue. Which of the following resources best addresses important information about the statue’s significance?
A. An autobiography written by the person depicted in the statue
B. A speech written by the mayor of the town during the unveiling of the statue
C. A painting of the same subject and by the same artist who created the statue
D. A current newspaper article covering the circumstances of the creation of the statue

Answer 27

A current newspaper article covering the circumstances of the creation of the statue

Question 28

Students in a third-grade class learn about the Anishinaabek peoples from a guest speaker who explains the Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers, sacred principles that govern human conduct toward one another. The teacher can best use this activity to strengthen students’ understanding of which of the following topics?
A. Interactions between early Europeans and the Indigenous Peoples
B. How Indigenous Peoples modified the environment to suit their needs
C. The beliefs and values of the Indigenous Peoples who live in Michigan
D. Historical narratives about the daily life of Indigenous Peoples in Michigan

Answer 28

The beliefs and values of the Indigenous Peoples who live in Michigan

Question 29

Students in a fourth-grade class watch a video about the effects humans can have on the environment. The video covers the relationship between predator and prey, with a specific focus on how humans can help manage the deer population through responsible hunting practices. This video is most beneficial in introducing which of the following topics?
A. The importance of monitoring deforestation in an effort to ensure that humans do not destroy the habitat of important sources of food
B. The idea that humans can positively affect the environment by preventing certain animals from depleting Earth’s food resources
C. The important role that wildlife sanctuaries and national parks play in the protection of endangered species
D. The difference between hunting for food to fulfill a need and hunting for sport to fulfill a want

Answer 29

The idea that humans can positively affect the environment by preventing certain animals from depleting Earth’s food resources

Question 30

A sixth-grade teacher shares aerial photographs of the Amazon rain forest as students read and discuss articles about fires in Brazil. Students learn that deforestation and uncontrolled fires have destroyed animal habitats and homes of the Indigenous Peoples and that smoke has darkened the skies in major portions of the country. This exercise best supports students’ understanding of which of the following concepts?
A. Using geographic tools to identify spatial patterns
B. Determining how climate change affects the environment
C. Identifying human characteristics evident in a specific place
D. Analyzing the relationship between humans and the environment

Answer 30

Analyzing the relationship between humans and the environment

Question 31

Sixth-grade students learn about the effects that erosion on the Michigan coastline has on the community. During the introduction, the teacher asks the students to think about how the environment can affect people’s lives. Which of the following resources best helps students develop answers to this question?
A. Photographs of the coastline taken throughout the past century
B. Data showing a decline in revenue due to beaches closing from erosion
C. A timeline that shows measurement data of the shoreline of the beaches
D. A list of conservation efforts that have been put into place by government officials

Answer 31

Data showing a decline in revenue due to beaches closing from erosion

Question 32

A fourth-grade teacher plans lessons about colonial North America through a lens of geographic inquiry. The teacher could best use which of the following activities to strengthen students’ understanding of how geographical factors affected the colonies?
A. Describing goods that were traded among the colonists
B. Comparing the different types of crops grown in the 13 British colonies
C. Creating pamphlets outlining the ethnic diversity of the Middle Colonies
D. Developing a visual timeline that delineates the growth of transatlantic slave trade

Answer 32

Comparing the different types of crops grown in the 13 British colonies

Question 33

A fifth-grade teacher plans a geography lesson about absolute location. The teacher can best support students’ understanding of this content by beginning the sequence with instruction on:
A. Cardinal directions.
B. Latitude and longitude.
C. Different types of maps.
D. Keys and legends on maps.

Answer 33

Latitude and longitude

Question 34

A fifth-grade teacher shares the following scenario with the class.
A business manager meets with the human resources department to discuss a potential candidate for a job opening. The manager states that while the candidate is the most qualified, they are too old and will likely be ready to retire in the next ten years, which would increase turnover. The manager states that the position will be going to a younger candidate, even if less qualified.
This activity best helps students deepen their understanding of which of the following concepts?
A. Due process
B. Social justice
C. Human rights
D. Discrimination

Answer 34

Discrimination

Question 35

A fourth-grade class studies various ways the Constitution limits the powers of the three branches of the federal government. The teacher can best use which of the following activities to support students’ understanding of this topic?
A. Designing an activity where students campaign for various elected offices
B. Composing an essay that recounts the initiation of policy changes
C. Creating a flowchart that explains the presidential veto process
D. Developing an outline of the responsibilities of elected officials

Answer 35

Creating a flowchart that explains the presidential veto process

Question 36

Students in a third-grade class read a passage discussing Native American tribal government. They learn that in Michigan the 12 federally recognized Native American tribes are each responsible for lawmaking, educating children, providing health services, and maintaining safety and security on reservations. The teacher directs students to generate questions for further research as they read. This activity can most effectively deepen the students’ understanding of:
A. The social responsibilities of tribes.
B. The three branches of government.
C. The structure and function of governments.
D. The rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Answer 36

The structure and function of governments

Question 37

Students in a third-grade class study the role of local government in the protection of Michigan’s wildlife. The teacher can best support students’ understanding of this topic by beginning the sequence of instruction about:
A. The difficulty of securing adequate ongoing government funding.
B. The distribution of responsibilities within different levels of government.
C. Activist groups that lobby the government for more conservation programs.
D. Types of wildlife that need protection due to being on the endangered species list.

Answer 37

The distribution of responsibilities within different levels of government

Question 38

A third-grade teacher promotes economic thinking by pairing students and providing them with a photo of an object and a three-column chart. Students then brainstorm and list human, capital, and natural resources related to the object. This activity will best help students understand which of the following ideas?
A. Differences between needs and wants
B. Steps involved in market exchange
C. Production of goods and services
D. Necessity of scarcity and choice

Answer 38

Production of goods and services

Question 39

A fifth-grade teacher prepares an economics lesson to demonstrate how global competition affects employment. The teacher can best use which of the following visual aids to deepen students’ understanding of this topic?
A. A list of goods imported into the United States from other countries around the world
B. A chart displaying varied automobile parts manufactured and exported by the United States
C. A map locating the countries with which the United States does the most importing and exporting
D. A graphic organizer comparing the cost of goods produced internationally and in the United States

Answer 39

A graphic organizer comparing the cost of goods produced internationally and in the United States

Question 40

A fourth-grade class learns about the effects of individual decisions on the economy. The teacher can best promote students’ understanding of this concept by leading them through which of the following activities?
A. Reviewing information about the average amount of money a student borrows for postsecondary education
B. Studying the implications that the development of big-box, online stores can have on small, local businesses
C. Analyzing the implications of contributing to a retirement plan versus using the money to pay down a mortgage
D. Comparing rates from banks that offer high-interest saving accounts and determining the best place to save money

Answer 40

Studying the implications that the development of big-box, online stores can have on small, local businesses

Question 41

Students in a sixth-grade class study the positive and negative effects of buying items with credit. The teacher can best use which of the following activities to promote students’ understanding of this topic?
A. Studying the impact a down payment can have on a persons’s ability to resell something that was purchased using credit
B. Reading an article about which factors can make the biggest impact on a person’s ability to take out a loan
C. Analyzing the difference in final amount paid when paying with cash versus paying on a loan with interest
D. Researching how companies use a person’s credit score to determine what interest rate is offered

Answer 41

Analyzing the differences in final amount paid when paying with cash versus paying on a loan with interst

Question 42

Students were asked to review their assessments with their partners before showing them to the teacher. Which of the following suggestions by the writer’s partner shows evidence of sense-making?
A. Reminding their partner to label data with time and length units in the table
B. Including in the explanation that the faster that marble 1 moves, the farther marble 2 goes
C. Reordering the paragraph so that the pinball and video game examples both appear at the end
D. Changing the diagram to show the amount of spring compression in each trial in separate images

Answer 42

Including in the explanation that the faster the marble 1 moves, the farther marble 2 goes

Question 43

Which of the following replacements of the final prompt, part C, in the assessment gives the teacher better insight into student sense-making in three dimensions?
A. Define the term “energy” in the context of your investigation.
B. Recreate the procedure you used, the safety measures you took, and how well you were able to work with your partner.
C. Explain how energy moves through the system in your investigation and describe what evidence of energy transfer you found in your investigation.
D. Write about the patterns you noticed between this and other investigations, similarities to other things we have learned, and differences from what you thought before.

Answer 43

Explain how energy moves through the system in your investigation and describe what evidence of energy transfer you found in your investigation

Question 44

Based on the student response, the teacher should engage with student interests and advance instructional goals by planning a lesson that uses:
A. Examples of how video games can be used to learn new topics.
B. Conservation of energy in a ball rolling inside a mixing bowl.
C. Definitions and calculation of potential and kinetic energy.
D. Applications of energy in games like pinball.

Answer 44

Applications of energy in games like pinball

Question 45

Which of the following statements shows topic-relevant evidence of a student in the middle of the sense-making process?
A. “That’s just what it knows to eat.”
B. “So, a wolf eats meat, like deer or rabbits.”
C. “It gets energy from the muscles and stuff.”
D. “The rabbit eats the plants and gives that energy to the wolf.”

Answer 45

The rabbit eats the plants and gives that energy to the wolf

Question 46

Which of the following activities would best adjust instruction to account for Student A’s incomplete understanding of the discussion topic?
A. Drawing parallels between the food chain and how solar panels are used for electricity production
B. Constructing a food web with detailed pictures of plants and animals
C. Comparing the digestive systems of herbivores and carnivores
D. Investigating forms of energy using various foods and fuels

Answer 46

Investigating forms of energy using various foods and fuels