Difference between revisions of "Spring 2026 Grade 8 Science Test"

Latest revision as of 17:33, 23 October 2026

The Spring 2026 Grade 8 Science Test (New York State's Intermediate-level science test, given to 8th grade students) is composed of 52 questions. The 47 released questions (30 multiple choice and 17 constructed response) are organized into ten question clusters below; questions 29–33 were not released. Select a cluster to see its questions with the answer key. Each question is listed with the NYSSLS performance expectation it assesses. Data on the percentage of students answering correctly is from NYSED.

Cowbirds · Questions 1–5

Question	Standard	% correct
Question 1	MS-LS2-2	0.74
Question 2	MS-LS2-2	0.76
Question 3	MS-LS2-3	0.49
Question 4	MS-LS2-1	0.13
Question 5	MS-LS2-2	0.40

Acoustic Levitation · Questions 6–9

Question	Standard	% correct
Question 6	MS-PS4-2	0.41
Question 7	MS-PS4-1	0.23
Question 8	MS-PS1-7	0.48
Question 9	MS-PS4-2	0.09

The Changing Landscape of Niagara Falls · Questions 10–14

Question	Standard	% correct
Question 10	MS-ESS2-4	0.46
Question 11	MS-ESS2-1	0.13
Question 12	MS-ESS2-2	0.37
Question 13	MS-ESS2-2	0.34
Question 14	MS-ESS3-4	0.35

Forces and Fields · Questions 15–19

Question	Standard	% correct
Question 15	MS-PS2-5	0.37
Question 16	MS-PS3-2	0.34
Question 17	MS-PS2-2	0.36
Question 18	MS-PS2-3	0.38
Question 19	MS-PS2-3	0.50

Quaking Aspen · Questions 20–24

Question	Standard	% correct
Question 20	MS-LS1-5	0.33
Question 21	MS-LS1-4	0.39
Question 22	MS-LS3-2	0.14
Question 23	MS-LS1-6	0.22
Question 24	MS-ETS1-2	0.27

Ammonia and the Nitrogen Cycle · Questions 25–28

Question	Standard	% correct
Question 25	MS-PS1-1	0.23
Question 26	MS-PS1-5	0.44
Question 27	MS-LS2-2	0.44
Question 28	MS-LS2-4	0.34

Plate Tectonics · Questions 34–38

Question	Standard	% correct
Question 34	MS-ESS2-3	0.36
Question 35	MS-ESS2-3	0.04
Question 36	MS-ESS2-3	0.54
Question 37	MS-ESS2-3	0.39
Question 38	MS-ESS2-1	0.12

Hard-Boiled Eggs · Questions 39–43

Question	Standard	% correct
Question 39	MS-PS1-4	0.42
Question 40	MS-PS1-2	0.40
Question 41	MS-PS3-4	0.46
Question 42	MS-PS1-5	0.34
Question 43	MS-PS3-4	0.24

Giraffe Adaptations and Population Changes · Questions 44–48

Question	Standard	% correct
Question 44	MS-LS4-4	0.54
Question 45	MS-LS4-2	0.29
Question 46	MS-LS4-2	0.57
Question 47	MS-LS2-4	0.56
Question 48	MS-LS2-5	0.20

Scale Properties in Our Solar System · Questions 49–52

Question	Standard	% correct
Question 49	MS-ESS1-2	0.37
Question 50	MS-PS2-4	0.37
Question 51	MS-ESS1-3	0.38
Question 52	MS-ESS1-3	0.62

Page contributors: Conrad Richman, Caroline Leonard, Shirley Shameen

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{DISPLAYTITLE:Spring 2026 Grade 8 Science Test {{Titlesub|· questions and answer key}}}}__NOTOC__
+{| class="pe-ce-toggle"
+|[[MS|{{#far:compass}} Learning standards]]
+|[[MS questions|{{#far:circle-question}} Exam questions]]
+|[[MS questions by performance level|{{#far:chart-bar}} PLDs <span class="toggle-new">New</span>]]
+|[[Middle School Science Glossary|{{#far:bookmark}} Glossary <span class="toggle-new">New</span>]]
+|}
 {| class="pe-ce-toggle"
 |[[Spring 2026 Grade 8 Science Test|Cluster View]]
 |[[Spring 2026 Grade 8 Science Test Questions by Difficulty|Table View]]
 |}
-The spring 2026 grade 8 science test is composed of 52 questions. The 47 released questions (30 multiple choice and 17 constructed response) are organized into ten question clusters below; questions 29–33 were not released. Data on the percentage of students answering correctly is [https://www.nysedregents.org/ei/science/2026/2026-released-items-science-g8.pdf from NYSED].
+The '''Spring 2026 Grade 8 Science Test''' (New York State's Intermediate-level science test, given to 8th grade students) is composed of 52 questions. The 47 released questions (30 multiple choice and 17 constructed response) are organized into ten question clusters below; questions 29–33 were not released. Select a cluster to see its questions with the answer key. Each question is listed with the NYSSLS performance expectation it assesses. Data on the percentage of students answering correctly is [https://www.nysedregents.org/ei/science/2026/2026-released-items-science-g8.pdf from NYSED].
-'''<span id="c1"></span><big>[[Questions:Cowbirds|Cowbirds]]</big>'''
+{{Examsection|n=1|page=Questions:Cowbirds|name=Cowbirds|q=1–5}}
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
@@ Line 25: / Line 32: @@
 ----
-'''<span id="c2"></span><big>[[Questions:Acoustic Levitation|Acoustic Levitation]]</big>'''
+{{Examsection|n=2|page=Questions:Acoustic Levitation|name=Acoustic Levitation|q=6–9}}
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
@@ Line 43: / Line 50: @@
 ----
-'''<span id="c3"></span><big>[[Questions:The Changing Landscape of Niagara Falls|The Changing Landscape of Niagara Falls]]</big>'''
+{{Examsection|n=3|page=Questions:The Changing Landscape of Niagara Falls|name=The Changing Landscape of Niagara Falls|q=10–14}}
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
@@ Line 63: / Line 70: @@
 ----
-'''<span id="c4"></span><big>[[Questions:Forces and Fields|Forces and Fields]]</big>'''
+{{Examsection|n=4|page=Questions:Forces and Fields|name=Forces and Fields|q=15–19}}
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
@@ Line 83: / Line 90: @@
 ----
-'''<span id="c5"></span><big>[[Questions:Quaking Aspen|Quaking Aspen]]</big>'''
+{{Examsection|n=5|page=Questions:Quaking Aspen|name=Quaking Aspen|q=20–24}}
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
@@ Line 103: / Line 110: @@
 ----
-'''<span id="c6"></span><big>[[Questions:Ammonia and the Nitrogen Cycle|Ammonia and the Nitrogen Cycle]]</big>'''
+{{Examsection|n=6|page=Questions:Ammonia and the Nitrogen Cycle|name=Ammonia and the Nitrogen Cycle|q=25–28}}
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
@@ Line 121: / Line 128: @@
 ----
-'''<span id="c7"></span><big>[[Questions:Plate Tectonics|Plate Tectonics]]</big>'''
+{{Examsection|n=7|page=Questions:Plate Tectonics|name=Plate Tectonics|q=34–38}}
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
@@ Line 141: / Line 148: @@
 ----
-'''<span id="c8"></span><big>[[Questions:Hard-Boiled Eggs|Hard-Boiled Eggs]]</big>'''
+{{Examsection|n=8|page=Questions:Hard-Boiled Eggs|name=Hard-Boiled Eggs|q=39–43}}
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
@@ Line 161: / Line 168: @@
 ----
-'''<span id="c9"></span><big>[[Questions:Giraffe Adaptations and Population Changes|Giraffe Adaptations and Population Changes]]</big>'''
+{{Examsection|n=9|page=Questions:Giraffe Adaptations and Population Changes|name=Giraffe Adaptations and Population Changes|q=44–48}}
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
@@ Line 181: / Line 188: @@
 ----
-'''<span id="c10"></span><big>[[Questions:Scale Properties in Our Solar System|Scale Properties in Our Solar System]]</big>'''
+{{Examsection|n=10|page=Questions:Scale Properties in Our Solar System|name=Scale Properties in Our Solar System|q=49–52}}
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
@@ Line 196: / Line 203: @@
 |}
-<metadesc>View the questions, answer key, performance expectation, and measured difficulty of each question from the NYS spring 2026 grade 8 science test.</metadesc>
+{{Pagecontributorsstatic}}
+<metadesc>Questions and answer key for the Spring 2026 Grade 8 Science Test (New York State Intermediate-level science test for 8th grade): 10 question clusters, 47 released questions with percent correct, each linked to its NYSSLS performance expectation.</metadesc>