North Carolina NC EOG · Grade 5 Science

NC EOG Grade 5 Science Practice 2027

Grade 5 is one of only two NC grades that test science — and the test is new: 2024-25 was the first year on North Carolina's 2023 science standards and new adaptive test. In 2025-26, 68% of fifth graders were grade-level proficient.

68%of students are on grade levelAligned to NC Standard Course of Study for ScienceFull breakdown ↓

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Try 5 NC EOG Grade 5 Science Questions

Real NC EOG format. Aligned to NC Standard Course of Study for Science. Detailed explanations on every answer.

NC EOG · Grade 5 · Science

Question 1 of 2

Science5.E.1.2Earth & Space Science

Which process causes rocks to break down into smaller pieces due to wind, water, and ice?

NC EOG Grade 5 Science sample questions with answers

Questions in the test's style, each with the answer and an explanation. Open the answer once your child has tried the question.

Question 1 · Grade 5 Science · Standard 5.E.1.2
Which process causes rocks to break down into smaller pieces due to wind, water, and ice?
1. A.Erosion
2. B.Weathering
3. C.Deposition
4. D.Volcanic eruption
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. Weathering
Weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces by wind, water, and ice. Erosion is the movement of those pieces.
Question 2 · Grade 5 Science · Standard 5.L.2.3
In a food web, what would most likely happen if the rabbit population suddenly decreased?
1. A.The grass population would increase
2. B.The fox population would increase
3. C.The grass population would decrease
4. D.Nothing would change
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A. The grass population would increase
Rabbits eat grass. Fewer rabbits means less grass eaten, so grass increases — organisms in a food web are interdependent.
Question 3 · Grade 8 Science · Standard 8.P.1.2
An unbalanced force is applied to a stationary object. According to Newton's First Law, what happens?
1. A.It remains at rest
2. B.It begins to move
3. C.It gets heavier
4. D.It shrinks
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. It begins to move
An object at rest stays at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force. An unbalanced force changes its motion — it begins to move.

About the NC EOG Grade 5 Science Test

Science is tested at only two grades in North Carolina — grade 5 and grade 8 — so fifth-grade science is one of just two science checkpoints before high school. And there's a big recent change: North Carolina adopted new science standards in July 2023, with a new multistage-adaptive EOG Science test first given in 2024-25. In that first year, grade-5 science proficiency was 62.0% (the old test had reported 66.0% in 2023-24, but NCDPI says comparisons to the old test are not valid). In 2025-26, year two, it rose to 67.7%.

North Carolina reports four achievement levels (Not Proficient, Level 3, Level 4, Level 5); "on grade level" is Grade Level Proficient (GLP), Level 3 or above. In 2025-26, 67.7% of NC fifth graders were grade-level proficient in science. Life Science is the largest reporting category (~44-52%), followed by Physical Science (~30-37%) and Earth & Space Science (~18-25%). The new standards integrate Science & Engineering Practices, so reasoning about science matters, not just recall.

The test is given online via NCTest.

68%% Grade Level Proficient (Grade 5 Science, 2025-26)

Grade Level Proficient (GLP) = Level 3+ = on grade level. 2024-25 was the first year on NC's new (2023) science standards and new adaptive test (62.0% GLP); NCDPI says comparisons with earlier years are not valid. Science is tested only at grades 5 and 8.

Source: NCDPI 2025-26 Annual Testing Report (Sept 2, 2026), all-students GLP (67.7%)

What's On The NC EOG Grade 5 Science Test

Grade 5 science on the NC EOG is assessed against North Carolina's new (2023) Science Standard Course of Study, with Life Science the largest category. The new standards integrate Science & Engineering Practices, so many items ask students to reason about phenomena. The percentage ranges are from NCDPI's published test specifications.

Reporting Category	What's Tested
Life Science (~44-52%)	The largest category: structures and processes of organisms, ecosystems and matter/energy flow, and heredity.
Physical Science (~30-37%)	Matter and its interactions, and motion and forces.
Earth & Space Science (~18-25%)	Earth's systems and how they change over time.

Test Format — What Your Child Will See

Items

44 scored items: 34 stand-alone items plus two item sets of 5 (and 8 field-test items that don't count). Multistage adaptive with three levels.

Time Limit

NCDPI estimates about two hours (120 minutes) for most students; the maximum is three hours (180 minutes) unless a student has an approved extended-time accommodation.

Sessions

Given in one administration (multistage adaptive).

Calculator

No calculator is listed in NCDPI's science test specifications.

Paper Option

Given online via NCTest; a paper version is available for students with disabilities who need it.

Item types your child will see:

multiple-choicetechnology-enhanced

●Science is tested at only two NC grades — grade 5 and grade 8.
●2024-25 was the first year on NC's new (2023) science standards + new adaptive test; NCDPI says comparisons with earlier years are not valid.
●The new standards integrate Science & Engineering Practices — reasoning about phenomena, not just recall.

What North Carolina Parents Should Know About Grade 5 Science

1
Prepare for the newer standards — the test changed in 2024-25 to match NC's 2023 science standards. Practice with current-standard material, not old test-prep.
2
Focus on Life Science — it's the largest category (~half the test) at grade 5.
3
Practice reasoning about phenomena, not just facts — the new standards integrate Science & Engineering Practices.
4
Don't overlook science because it's not tested every year — grade 5 is one of only two NC science grades.

NC EOG Grade 5 Science — Frequently Asked Questions

Does North Carolina test science every year?

No. The NC EOG tests science at only two grades — grade 5 and grade 8. There's no science EOG in grades 3, 4, 6, or 7.

Why did NC science scores change recently?

North Carolina adopted new science standards in July 2023, and 2024-25 was the first year on those standards with a new multistage-adaptive science test. Grade-5 science was 62.0% grade-level proficient that first year and 67.7% in 2025-26. NCDPI says comparisons with years before 2024-25 are not valid because the standards changed.

What is on the 5th grade NC EOG science test?

North Carolina's new (2023) science standards across Life Science (the largest — organisms, ecosystems, heredity), Physical Science (matter, forces), and Earth & Space Science, with items that integrate Science & Engineering Practices.

What is a passing score on the 5th grade NC EOG science?

'On grade level' means Grade Level Proficient (Level 3+) on NC's four-level scale (Not Proficient, Level 3, Level 4, Level 5). Level 4+ is College-and-Career Ready.

When is the NC EOG in 2027?

EOGs must be given in the last ten days of the school year (late spring 2027 on a traditional calendar); your district sets exact dates.