North Carolina NC EOG · Grade 8 Science
NC EOG Grade 8 Science Practice 2027
Grade 8 is the second and last NC grade that tests science — Earth & Space Science leads the test — and it's a new test: 2024-25 was the first year on the 2023 standards. In 2025-26, 68% of eighth graders were grade-level proficient.
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Try 5 NC EOG Grade 8 Science Questions
Real NC EOG format. Aligned to NC Standard Course of Study for Science. Detailed explanations on every answer.
An unbalanced force is applied to a stationary object. According to Newton's First Law, what happens?
NC EOG Grade 8 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 8 Science · Standard 8.P.1.2
An unbalanced force is applied to a stationary object. According to Newton's First Law, what happens?
- A.It remains at rest
- B.It begins to move
- C.It gets heavier
- 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.
Question 2 · Grade 5 Science · Standard 5.E.1.2
Which process causes rocks to break down into smaller pieces due to wind, water, and ice?
- A.Erosion
- B.Weathering
- C.Deposition
- 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 3 · Grade 5 Science · Standard 5.L.2.3
In a food web, what would most likely happen if the rabbit population suddenly decreased?
- A.The grass population would increase
- B.The fox population would increase
- C.The grass population would decrease
- 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.
About the NC EOG Grade 8 Science Test
Grade 8 science is the second and final grade where North Carolina tests science (the other is grade 5), so it's an important science checkpoint before high school. And like grade 5, it reflects a big change: North Carolina's new science standards (2023), first tested with a new multistage-adaptive EOG in 2024-25. Grade-8 science proficiency was 60.0% in that first year (the old test had reported 70.0% in 2023-24, but NCDPI says comparisons to the old test are not valid) and rose to 68.4% in 2025-26.
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, 68.4% of NC eighth graders were grade-level proficient in science. Unlike grade 5, the grade-8 test is Earth-and-space heavy: Earth & Space Science is the largest category (~42-50%), followed by Life Science (~33-41%) and Physical Science (~16-22%). The new standards integrate Science & Engineering Practices.
The test is given online via NCTest.
Grade Level Proficient (GLP) = Level 3+ = on grade level. 2024-25 was the first year on NC's new (2023) science standards + new adaptive test (60.0% 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 (68.4%)
What's On The NC EOG Grade 8 Science Test
Grade 8 science on the NC EOG is assessed against North Carolina's new (2023) Science Standard Course of Study, with Earth & Space Science the largest category. The new standards integrate Science & Engineering Practices. The percentage ranges are from NCDPI's published test specifications.
| Reporting Category | What's Tested |
|---|---|
| Earth & Space Science (~42-50%) | The largest grade-8 category: Earth's place in the universe, Earth's systems, and Earth and human activity. |
| Life Science (~33-41%) | Structures and processes of organisms, ecosystems, and biological evolution. |
| Physical Science (~16-22%) | Matter and its interactions. |
Test Format — What Your Child Will See
- ●Grade 8 is the second and last NC science grade (with grade 5).
- ●Earth & Space Science is the largest category at grade 8 (~half the test).
- ●2024-25 was the first year on NC's new (2023) science standards; NCDPI says comparisons with earlier years are not valid.
What North Carolina Parents Should Know About Grade 8 Science
- 1
Prioritize Earth & Space Science — it's the largest grade-8 category (~half the test), unlike grade-5 science.
- 2
Prepare for the new (2023) standards — the test changed in 2024-25, so use current-standard material.
- 3
Practice reasoning about phenomena — the new standards integrate Science & Engineering Practices.
- 4
Review across the two-year gap — because science isn't tested in grades 6 or 7, eighth graders can arrive rusty.
NC EOG Grade 8 Science — Frequently Asked Questions
What is on the 8th grade NC EOG science test?
North Carolina's new (2023) science standards, and it's Earth-heavy at grade 8: Earth & Space Science (the largest — Earth's place in the universe, Earth's systems, human activity), Life Science (organisms, ecosystems, evolution), and Physical Science (matter). Items integrate Science & Engineering Practices.
Why did NC 8th grade science scores change?
North Carolina adopted new science standards in July 2023, and 2024-25 was the first year on those standards with a new multistage-adaptive test. Grade-8 science was 60.0% grade-level proficient that first year and 68.4% in 2025-26. NCDPI says comparisons with years before 2024-25 are not valid because the standards changed.
Does North Carolina test science in every grade?
No. The NC EOG tests science only at grades 5 and 8 — none in grades 3, 4, 6, or 7.
What is a passing score on the 8th grade NC EOG science?
'On grade level' means Grade Level Proficient (Level 3+). 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.
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NC EOG Grade 8 Science Practice
No credit card. Unlimited practice aligned to NC Standard Course of Study for Science.