Test Design and 
Test Framework

Field 203: Middle Grades (5–8) Science

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The test design below describes general test information. The framework that follows is a detailed outline that explains the knowledge and skills that this test measures.

Test Design

Format Computer-based test (CBT)
Number of Questions 100 multiple-choice questions
Time* 3 hours, 15 minutes
Passing Score 240

*Does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial

Test Framework

Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.



Test Subarea Number of Test Objectives Number of Scorable Items Number of Non-Scorable Items subarea weight as percent of total test score
Subarea 1—Scientific and Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts 3 14 3 19 percent
Subarea 2—Physical Science 4 17 5 25 percent
Subarea 3—Life Science 4 18 4 25 percent
Subarea 4—Earth and Space Science 3 14 4 19 percent
Subarea 5—Disciplinary Literacy in Science 4 17 4 12 percent
Totals 18 80 20 100 percent

Subarea 1—Scientific and Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts

Objective 0001—Understand scientific practices.

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Objective 0002—Understand engineering practices and design.

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Objective 0003—Understand crosscutting concepts.

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Subarea 2—Physical Science

Objective 0004—Understand the structure and properties of matter and chemical reactions.

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Objective 0005—Understand forces and interactions.

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Objective 0006—Understand energy.

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Objective 0007—Understand waves and electromagnetic radiation and their applications.

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Subarea 3—Life Science

Objective 0008—Understand structures and functions of organisms.

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Objective 0009—Understand ecosystems.

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Objective 0010—Understand heredity.

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Objective 0011—Understand biological evolution.

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Subarea 4—Earth and Space Science

Objective 0012—Understand Earth's place in the universe.

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Objective 0013—Understand Earth's systems.

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Objective 0014—Understand Earth and human activity.

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Subarea 5—Disciplinary Literacy in Science

Objective 0015—Apply knowledge of foundations of research-based disciplinary literacy instruction and assessment.

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Objective 0016—Apply knowledge of academic-language and vocabulary development to support students' disciplinary literacy development in the science classroom.

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Objective 0017—Apply knowledge of reading comprehension to support students' disciplinary literacy development in the science classroom.

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Objective 0018—Apply knowledge of the development of writing, listening, and speaking skills to support students' disciplinary literacy development in the science classroom.

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