State of New Jersey Department of Education

TEST SPECIFICATION
STANDARD 5.6 (CHEMISTRY): for Grades 2 and 4

NOTE: This test specification encompasses all strands of standards 5.6.2 and 5.6.4.

Sample Question
I

Macro statement:
The study of chemistry includes an understanding of the structure and behavior of matter.

II

Knowledge statement (delineated for each strand):

A.

Structure and Properties of Matter

  1. Matter has many observable (physical) properties including: size, weight, shape, state, and color.
    1. Properties of an object are determined by materials and conditions.
    2. Properties of an object can depend upon the materials from which the object is made.
    3. Different kinds of materials have different properties. For example:
      1. Weight
      2. Color
      3. Texture
      4. Hardness
      5. Luster
      6. Reflective (mirrors) to light, sound and heat
      7. Transparent to light
      8. Produce a sound when struck, plucked, or vibrated
  2. Matter can be changed by heating or cooling.
    1. Matter that is familiar to us can exist as a solid, liquid, or gas.
    2. Objects interact with heat.
      1. Heating can make objects warmer. Removing heat can make objects cooler.
      2. Adding heat to a material can form liquids or gases from solids and form gases from liquids. Examples include: solids to liquids (melting ice) and liquids to gases (boiling water).
      3. Removing heat from a material can form liquids or solids from gases and form solids from liquids. Examples can include: gases to solids (formation of frost or snow), gases to liquids (condensation of water droplets on a cold surface), liquids to solids (freezing water to form ice).
  3. When water goes from liquid matter to solid matter, mass is conserved.
B.

Chemical Reactions

  1. Chemical reactions take place when one or more substances change to form one or more new substances.
  2. The new substances formed as a result of a chemical reaction have properties that are different when compared to the original substances.
  3. Examples of chemical reactions include:
    1. An iron nail rusting.
    2. A piece of paper burning.
    3. Frying or boiling an egg.
III

Skill statements for strands:
In order to demonstrate an understanding of the principles of chemistry, students must use the scientific skills delineated in standards 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4.